Tag: alcohol

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Weed Meet Beer

First I want you to read this highly entertaining article, OK, now that you are back, are you more or less likely to buy a weed infused beverage?

I was on the no side and that article did nothing to move the needle for me. Then again, I am merely a very little curious about the whole edible and drinkable section of this possible business niche.

For me, it comes back to wanting to enjoy a drink. I don’t drink to get buzzed or drunk. I overwhelmingly drink beer but I will indulge in spirits and wine but chasing a high is not for me. And when I want to enjoy a glass of Pinot Noir or a G&T, that is enough for me. I don’t need weed if the drink in front of me is tasty. And besides whatever mind altering aspects do appear seem to me to be contradictory or just an additional layer.

Toss in the fact that I would have to specifically go to a dispensary to find, that it won’t be at a local bottle/can shop, and this becomes something that will operate in a different world than the one I frequent.

I still believe that the whole let’s make a product alcoholic or lets make a product THC filled are just edge products. The frontier for marijuana is probably down the medical path to my guesstimate.

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Keep the Context

Usually when I see a headline about alcohol, I brace myself for outlandish takes. Either, it helps you live longer or it is killing you. So when I saw this piece from a new series in the NY Times, I was pleasantly surprised because it looked at the issue scientifically.

Two sections stood out to me…

We shouldn’t not act just because all the facts are not in but we do need to make sure that our conclusions are in line with the real world and that some of the studies have limitations and can’t be translated into simple do / don’t do.

I know that alcohol has an effect on my body and that as my body ages that effect will change but like getting in an airplane or just driving in L.A., it is a risk that I will take because I like beer. Like a lot. I will be following this series to glean more nuggets of wisdom.

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Why We Sleep

I was reading the somewhat scary book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker just knowing that alcohol was probably due for a moment under the microscope, and so it was…

The sedative effects of alcohol create two effects to sleeping. One is that it disrupts a full continuous nights worth of sleep and secondly, the chemicals set loose by alcohol prevents REM sleep (the dreaming part of sleep).

Other sleep problems are more pressing such as being shoehorned into a business or school schedule that does not care if you got your full 8 hours or if you are an early riser or late riser. Caffeine and other eating habits as well as the use of blue LED lights in our devices are contributors to sleep issues as well.

And while this blog is all about beer, I do have to advocate for changing your habits to not drink as much (I’m cutting back on the amount I consume) and to not drink late into the evening and to excess.

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Help Me Tap This Keg Obi Wan


When Disneyland opens their Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge next year (and probably raises their entrance fee so that only the super-rich can enter) there will be a twist.

Liquor will become available (outside their special and private Club 33) when the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu opens the doors to Oga’s cantina.

There will be a special menu from far, far away of “proprietary beer, wine and outer-space-themed cocktails.”

Kids will also be allowed into the cantina but the alcohol must stay inside. Perhaps a stormtrooper bouncer will be on patrol?

The next question for us beer fans will be:
1. Who will brew the beer? Ballast Point is big enough and has (had?) plans for a Downtown Disney location.
2. What will the beer be served in? My Star Wars knowledge doesn’t extend to proper Corellian glassware.
3. How much price gouging will go on? I expect a lot.

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The ABCs of ABV


As I was scrolling through Netflix I came across a British documentary/news program about alcohol. The Truth About Alcohol was part education, part government propaganda and part reality TV.

There was some good nuggets of information throughout the sixty minute running time but I couldn’t shake the theory that this was a commercial for the health service that was basically saying that 14 units (2 units equal a pint of beer) was ALL you could safely drink in one week. Oh, the host would say that he drank and that you could drink more if you really wanted too but….

What also undercut the message was the fact that all beer was treated the same. A pint is two units. Doesn’t matter if it is a low alcohol bitter from the pub or an American barrel-aged Imperial Stout over 10% ABV. There was no problem talking about red vs white wine but the lack of beer diversity (for lack of better phrase) was a bit demeaning.

So, watch, but watch with a careful eye.

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Two More books to Put on Your Radar + One to get Now

I am a book fiend.  The only thing I consume more of is beer. And two more books are in the publishing pipeline that I think are worthy of reading the first few pages of.  (That’s what I always do, to see if the writer has a good style).

First up is….

Proof: The Science of Booze

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Probably to be read before any beer intake.  This is the from the lab look at this fascinating part of our beverage. And it involves not only neurobiology and psychology but metallurgy as well.  That is the part that intrigues me.

Then, we head to Brooklyn for….

The Craft Beer Revolution

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The co-founder of Brooklyn Brewery dives into the relatively recent history of America’s microbreweries. You might see some overlap between this and the Audacity of Hops book from last year.  But the perspective is different since Hindy is inside the industry, as opposed to being a journalist looking in.

Lastly, I know you might want to spend money on beer and not books so check out from a library (which I also love) a copy of….

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…the 2013 edition of the Best Food Writing. Does it have anything about craft beer?  No.  Sadly. But it does touch on many topics that if you replaced carrots or restaurant and inserted craft beer, the writing might shed light on how we look at beer.  What is local?  What is slow food?  We are all kin and this book will enlighten you.

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Breathe into the App

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If you use your phone for everything then maybe you will be in line to try the Breathometer app.

Basically, you get a small device that plugs into your phone, talks to the app and makes presto, you can breathe into it and get an alcohol reading. A reading that will be kept in a history of every time you blow into the device.

It will cost $20 which could get you a crappy, low-end breathalyzer test since most are in the $100 range.

Truth be told, I have seen people do weirder stuff with their phones.