Craft beer culture - alcohol abuse in a fancy coat?

andekwarhola

Hande hoche! wrote: »

You'll have no problem chilling the beer.

Kills the flavour, man.

seachto7

The Belgians must laugh at us...

OldMrBrennan83

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The Bishop Basher

Patww79 wrote: »

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Neither do I..

I'm just challenging this notion that "craft beer drinkers" are somehow separate from the rest of the drinking population, that they drink for completely different reasons and don't suffer from the same issues of abuse and dependence as the rest of the drinking population because clearly they do. That was all..

You said it yourself..

Patww79 wrote: »

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johnnyskeleton

FutureGuy wrote: »

I’m beginning to notice a bit of a trend on social media. People, mostly men,

Only women are allowed have hobbies without being judged for it.

posting their latest haul of craft beers from their local super market or off licence (even online) before drinking 7-8 of them, all while posting their reviews.

The problem here is social media and oversharing, not the fact that it is beer that they are sharing.

I see some people drinking 4-5 nights a week at home alone.

Classic Irish attitdue to alcohol. Drinking 10 pints in the pub is just being social. Having a beer and watching a movie after work on your own is anti-social.

They pat each other on the back when they agree on a nice beer and there is almost an element of collection about racking up all these different tastes. Lots of different containers and colours, it’s almist like Pokemon to some of them.

Let me break it down for you. Humans are social animals. Irish people socialise primarily in the pub. When people have children, or are saving up for a house, or live further away from their friends than they would like, they can't easily get to the pub. So having a few beers, posting about it on facebook and sharing the experience with like minded friends is a social outlet for them.

The precise subject matter is not really what is important. What is important is that people who feel that they don't see their friends as often as they like have found a way to communicate. They may be typing "I like Punk IPA and wish I was drinking it all the time" but what they mean is "I like hanging out with my pals and wish I could do it more often".

Sounds like alcoholism or alcohol abuse in a nice shiny jacket. Worse still, the behaviour is being reinforced by similar people online. They see nothing from with polishing off 25+ beers a week.

I'm a problem drinker, not an alcoholic. There's a difference.

Seriously though, sounds like you've taken the government average guidelines a little too much to heart. Alcohol abuse isn't about the number of beers you drink it's about the effects that it has on the rest of your life. Someone who does a professional job, goes to the gym 5 times a week, eats sensibly and has a large family is not an alcoholic merely because he might drink a few beers every night. Someone who can't stop after one drink and ends up not turning up for work, causing strain on their marriage and not taking care of themselves because of it does have a problem with alcohol, even if they only drink once or twice a month.

Drinking 15-20 beers per week at home is a pretty clear sign of a problem. If it was someone nicking a similar amount of cheap cans, buck fast of vodka they’d be cause a straight up alco but if you are drinking shiny craft beers, it’s all fine.

There is a massive difference. First of all, see above about drinking at home being no better nor worse than drinking in a pub. Second, drinking a small manageable amount every night is better than binging once a week. Third, people genuinely like the taste and variety of craft beer.

suicide_circus

People need intoxicants, leave us alone.

whiskeyman

Kiana Wet Sunscreen wrote: »

Big bag of glue with the lads...

I'm still best mates with the lads who we sniffed glue with since school.





Always stick together...

Beefy78

FutureGuy wrote: »

I'm a human being. If I said that John the butcher was a bad man, does that also mean I am also a bad man because I am also a human being.

Not really sure what your issue is here? I have made zero comments towards you but you have taken this incredibly personally for whatever reason.

Tbf you're the one who has asked the question of whether craft beer culture is the same as alcoholism on the basis that you know of people who drink shed-loads of these craft beers every week. Your OP didn't mention any other type of craft beer drinker (maybe one who enjoys trying a couple of different beers in a pub once a week or one who has a sample crate of 12 sent to him at home once a month), just the one who has 20 beers drinking at home on his own.

Therefore if someone does consider themselves a part of the craft beer drinking community it really isn't a stretch to see your OP as an attack on them.

Personally I know a number of people who enjoy trying craft beers in a variety of social settings. I doubt any of them drink 20 a week behind closed doors but, meh, if they do then that is their business. I'm not going to judge them.

OldMrBrennan83

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whisky_galore

seachto7 wrote: »

The Belgians must laugh at us...

Why?
Are they laughing?

And if so, why should we give a sh1t?

The Bishop Basher

whisky_galore wrote: »

Why?
Are they laughing?

Cause they just call it beer...

whisky_galore wrote: »

And if so, why should we give a sh1t?

Well they're paying about a third of the price..

OldMrBrennan83

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