[denny]

Great article about a subject that isn't discussed often enough.

http://beergraphs.com/bb/344-high-functioning-craft-beer-and-alcohol/

[corkybstewart]

I thinks it's a pretty good article from an insiders point of view.  I know that I used to be headed down the path to serious alcoholism, a long standing family tradition.  But I quit brewing strong beers, now I only open those 750's of barrel aged imperial stouts when there's someone to split it with.  I use my rule of 16's: 2 beers at 8%, 3 at 5.5 or a 10% and a 6%(see the pattern?).  This lets me enjoy whatever beers I want but at a reasonable level.  Since this is my rule and not court imposed, I can ignore it for special occasions, but for the most part it works just fine.
I have a severely alcoholic brother, he's lived with family members for the past 2 years because he is drunk by breakfast and can't hold a job, wife, apartment, etc.  He had a wreck back in December that killed our mother, but he's such a professional drunk he was not even tested for sobriety at the crash scene.  That allows him to be guiltless, but we all know the truth, there's no way a sober person could have possibly had that wreck.  Anyway, that has also caused me to cut my drinking even more, which sucks because I love brewing so much and the bee is starting to pile up.  I do 95% of my drinking at home so drunk driving hasn't been an issue for me for many years, but still I think of my brother and the joy of beer fades.  BTW he drinks Busch Classic 16 oz. cans, hidden like Easter eggs in my Dad's lower yard.

[Stevie]

Nice read Denny. I too have been in a progression from big to session. Still live an 11% barleywine now and then, but when having a beer with dinner, I prefer sub 5%.

I loved the line regarding bar owners. They are as special as the left handed and uncircumcised. Hilarious.

[udubdawg]

ISO FW Pivo Pils!

Interesting.  As a prolific homebrewer I don't encounter this problem very often, as I can brew what I like, which is pilsner, kolsch, ordinary bitter, BPA, etc.  But it is annoying on those rare times I go out to a craft beer bar.  "Hey that sounds interesting...ah, crap, 12%...no thanks"

after doing this a few hundred times I realize I like brewing a lot more than I like alcohol.  *shrug*
good article, and I'm glad he brought it up.

[dkfick]

A good read.  I do brew a lot of high gravity beers and enjoy high gravity beers.  You just have to know you can't have a bunch of them.  I do love a lot of lower gravity beers as well though. Know thy limits is the name of the game.  I drink beer because I like the taste.  I actually don't even want a buzz typically.  If alcohol didn't contribute so much to the flavor I would be all for NA beers.  The best NA beer I've had to date has been Einbecker Brauherren Alkoholfrei... and it was only so so I thought.

[ynotbrusum]

Definitely gives one pause - I, too, have been sessionizing my brews.  Amazing how a light pilsner like Munich Helles can taste great in moderation even at 3.9% ABV.  But some of the big boys are nice to settle in with on a cold winter night - just enjoy the sipping and don't let yourself slip into the mindset that "it's only beer" and have too many!  I also went to 10 oz nonic glasses at my house - the beer lasts longer and the guests don't seem to mind.

[Iliff Ave]

I am definitely moving toward session beer the older I get and the more I brew.

When I was young I would drink a lot of Coors light, not because I thought it tasted good but because I wanted to get drunk. Now I want the oppossite. Now that craft beer has become a hobby and lifestyle for me to a certain degree, I find myself drinking just as much but spread over a period of time instead of binge drinking. I may have a couple a night instead of 18 on a Friday night/Saturday morning. It has been a strange balance for me lately. I want to brew as much as possible but don't want to my consumption rates to go up to match my production.

[HoosierBrew]

after doing this a few hundred times I realize I like brewing a lot more than I like alcohol.  *shrug*
good article, and I'm glad he brought it up.

+1.  I drink a small % of what I brew. Not that I don't have few on occasion, but I give the majority to friends and neighbors to free up space to brew something else because I love doing it. Age definitely taught me my limits !  Really good article.

[blatz]

very good article.  thanks for sharing.

[blatz]

I also went to 10 oz nonic glasses at my house - the beer lasts longer and the guests don't seem to mind.

I've had a set of 6 of those for years and are my primary go to glasses.  however, recently, I've switched back to 16-20oz glasses since with the 9oz ones I have, I found myself refilling them quite often and without even realizing it, drank more than I'd intended to. 

[udubdawg]

I've always found it strange that so many seem to be passionate about Craft Beer yet unwilling to set aside the ridiculous concept of "Alcohol Abuse."  Looks of scorn or shock when I mention how little of my stuff I actually drink

...this is *my* homebrew.  I give away what I can but that's not always possible.  I taste it, tweak it, blend it, learn from it, and even sometimes when it is great I dump it to move on to something else.  Deal with it!   

[Herminator]

Great article and topic.  Thanks for sharing Denny.  I really need to start brewing some session brews. 

[denny]

To me, it's not just about brewing lower alcohol beers.  Being pre diabetic, I'm extremely concerned about carbs.  so if I brew lower alcohol beers, I may tend to drink more of them than I should.  The me, the issue is self control.  Can you walk away from a beer?  Do you feel you need to have a beer every day?  Do you take days off from drinking during the week?

[majorvices]

Most of the beers I drink on a daily basis are under 6%. I certainly like high gravity beers, but I just don't feel like drinking them very regularly.

I also try to ease back on the drinking during the week, though it has gotten harder to do this since I "work in the industry". After a 12+ hour work day the very first thing you want it a beer, every time. Especially during summer. But I do manage to go a work week "here and there" with very little or no consumption.

[blatz]

good point on the more of less.

Can you walk away from a beer?  Do you feel you need to have a beer every day?  Do you take days off from drinking during the week?

I never pour a beer I don't intend to drink, so i may not follow there.  But I'm also not afraid to dump something that I don't enjoy though either, which is usually more the case of some weirdo Cigar City Cucumber Mango yada yada treated style.

rare that I ever feel I *need* a beer, but I do admit for me beer is a habit/routine.  Like many folks here, I am a big foodie, love to cook, and having pints while I cook is sort of harmonious in a way.  funny thing is i often switch to water by the time i actually eat.

I do usually take days off several days a week - nothing set in stone, but mostly i only drink beers on the weekends nowadays, with an occasional Wednesday here or there if I feel like it or a friend stops over.  Travelling for work and dinners out for work often change that however - the former if I go to a place with beers I can't get here or the latter because of social custom.