So Hounds, How many Beers?

[NorfolkGuy]

was just doing some self-refleting, and was wondering how many beers/drinks does everyone consume over the course of an evening of dinner and so on? Me I seems to be on the "alot" side of things yikes

[jeremyn]

I honestly can't even imagine the level of consumption described in this thread. I usually have 1 beer, 3-4 nights a week. Sometimes I'll share a bomber with the wife instead.

On "party nights" or if I'm forced to go clubbing, I might have 3-4 in order to loosen up enough to dance.

But honestly, 3-6 beers a day on a regular basis?

I'm 150 lbs, which I believe is about an average male weight, and I am definitely feeling alcohol after two beers. 4 is solidly drunk, and 6 is where I start doing things I might regret.

[jgg13]

In the US at least, 150 pounds is pretty far from an average male weight.

[ScubaSteve]

average at age 35 is 180.

[jeremyn]

Indeed, it looks like the average for my age (25) is 165-170. I live in a very fit town, and I've never visited Texas, so I think my view of average was skewed.

[ScubaSteve]

how do you define 'regular'?
i may have one session a month. more like one every six weeks.

[chris in illinois]

One study---rapidly referenced via google---lists 190 lbs as the average american male weight.

If how much you drink works for you, more power to you!!

[cuccubear]

Here lately I consume no where near what I used to - it’s a matter of functionality and the ability to drive if I need to. But, when I do drink it’s usually 3-4 good brews in an afternoon, and if I’m safe and sound at home and the conversation is good I can put away a solid 12 pack over a 6 hour evening “soiree.” Guess that averages out to 2 an hour.

[masha bousha]

Depends on what I'm drinking. I am a lightweight. If I'm going to a lengthy party I'll imbibe with something really light like: Michelob Ultra, which I could drink like 8 of without being hammered. If I want something that tastes good and feels filling I'll drink Guinness(my first choice) and could probably only ingest maybe 3 pints before being super buzzed.

I LOVE IPAs and trying microbrews but the alcohol content seems so high in them that they waste me after 2 or so.

[JessKidden]

Michelob Ultra and Guinness Draught (which nowadays is what most folks mean when they say just "Guinness") have just about the same alcohol content- around 4.2% abv.

[jgg13]

Don't let facts get in the way. The average joe seems to feel that guiness (or stouts in general) are necessarily some heavy, super high alcohol, super high calorie beer. Of course, there are the russian imperials and such, but that's not what they're usually referring to :)

[Flaco]

Truth is you would never see this discussion in regards to wine. They use to say that 10 percent of beer drinkers consume 90 percent of the beer! The more things change...

Me? If you feel it in the morning you drank too much... of anything.

[invinotheresverde]

This very discussion is on Snooth as we speak, so yes, you see this discussion in regards to wine.

[LeslieB]

After work at home, usually two or three, sometimes four or five if it's been a rough night. If I am out having a good time, it depands on how long the band is playing!

On Saturday, I had three Rogue Hazelnut Browns over dinner, then hit another bar for a bluegrass band where I had probably another four or five pints, also a brown, but this time Bell's. I was feeling pretty good at the end of the night, by no means wasted, but I was glad my boyfriend was driving.

[Ernie Diamond]

I actually find myself disappointed when I wake in the morning to find that I have gone through some of my better bottles at a point when I was in no position to either remember it or appreciate a good beer. A major culprit, I have found, is thirst.

So before, and even during sessions, I try to sneak a few pints of water. It keeps me from quickly sucking down a great beer trying to slake my thirst. My (our) taste in beer is too good to be able to afford multiple pints if I am thirsty as well as (what is the word for beer-hungry?) Beery.

That said, I am past the age of putting notches in my belt or counting empties at the end of the night. I will reliably have two and make pains to stop at four, well before the point of intoxication.

[shellshock24]

Usually Monday through Thursday I rarely drink anything. Maybe 1 "session" beer one of those days (like a normal porter or a SN Torpedo. Fridays, if I don't feel like going out, maybe 2-3 12oz strong beers or 1 bomber. Going out with friends on a Friday or Saturday - maybe split equivalent to 3-4 bombers for every 2 people (but that's been rare these days). I really try to work out during the week, and beer usually deters me from that. I basically work out Monday through Thursday so I can drink tasty beers Friday - Sunday. That's just me though...

[ScubaSteve]

for a Session (about 4 hours) about 10-15.

[chris in illinois]

My man, Scuba Steve!!

[ScubaSteve]

thanks!

at 6'6" 240 i can put it away when i put my Game Face on.

[chris in illinois]

6'8", 230 myself....I can hold my own as well...drinking better beer these days though....

[ScubaSteve]

me too. i've been banging the Craft Beer drum for years.

[chimay5]

I'm 5'11", 260 because of the amount of beer I drink prolly.

[NorfolkGuy]

The reason I asked was cuz I'm quite often looking for more after 12 are gone, maybe the 15 pack is the way to go. I'm also more "grown-up" these days, but in the past have been able to drink a case (24) over a mid-morning to midnight day.

[Insidious Rex]

As much as I encourage people to get happy if they want to (and I have been known to not remember events on occasion...) I would be careful with that kind of rate of consumption. It can have no positive value on your body organs and can of course lead to (or be a sign of) addiction if its constant. My dad drank a twelve pack a night for most of his adult life and he definitely had a problem.

Ask yourself does it matter what I drink? Especially once you have started drinking are you more likely to turn to anything or do you stick to good beer? Is this a pattern or an occasional thing? Does excessive drinking ever flow over into your family life/job arena/ability to tie your shoes etc? And the big one is the pregnancy test: would the prospect of not being able to drink alcohol for say nine months straight seem unimaginable? It does to me! What about a month? A week?

I could go without a beer for a week... A month if someone paid me.

The key I guess is not getting to a place where you are drinking more for need then for taste.

[jgg13]

I'm not an alcoholic, alcoholics go to meetings

[LStaff]

>And the big one is the pregnancy test: would the prospect of not being able to drink alcohol for say nine months straight seem unimaginable?

No, but the prospect of being pregnant does seem quite unimaginable to me ... you know, since I'm a male and all that. Maybe I need to start using condoms just to make sure?

[Insidious Rex]

Well just be careful what too many barley wines might lead to...

Anyway imagine if you could get pregnant. Would the prospect of not drinking any of your favorite beers, in fact any beers AT ALL, be almost unthinkable to you? It would to me.

[Jim Dorsch]

I've dieted extensively this year, and that has meant no beer. (It doesn't have to mean no beer, but that is the type of diet that works for me.) I've found that once I decide that's how it's going to be, then it is extremely easy to live without beer. I believe that most people could do the same thing.

[Insidious Rex]

Ive done diets where Ive had to shut out beer and for me its nightmarish torture because its like a massive door has been slammed shut on a part of my life that gives me great joy and passion. And what kills me the most is that it still going on. Out there... Behind the door... And you cant help but hear all the festivities... Your friends talking about some great IPA that was just released or a special beer dinner they are having here or a tasting party they are doing there... Reading beer rags touting the latest brews... Watching as Oktoberfest season takes over the attentions of beer lovers and your mouth waters for a Marzen... Or summer brews come into fashion and you die for a good solid refreshing pilsner... But theres nothing you can do about it. But sit... and not have beer...

And its not about the alcohol. During these diets I can still have spirits but I drink very little because my level of passion for whiskey or vodka just cant compare to my level of passion (and the endorphan rush I apparently get) from just being involved in an active craft beer culture. So Jim, you are a stronger man than I...

[ScubaSteve]

yes, i decided to live on Bourbon and pork ribs.
;)

[egit]

@Jim_Dorsch: While I certainly admire your willpower with your dieting, one nagging question remains: If you've essentially given up drinking beer, what are you doing in this forum? Are you trying to torture yourself? :-)

[Josh]

That sounds like a drinking problem to me. I probably have beer maybe 2-3 days out of the week, and even then my typical consumption maxes out at around 5.

[NorfolkGuy]

Thanx for the concern, but was just wondering because most of the people I associate with are heavy drinkers, which isn't exactly a great overall viewpoint.
I figured 5-6 is pretty average for your average guy to feel "happy" after work on a friday. Also I don't drink at all 5 or 6 months of the year, so no it's never a problem.

[juantanamera]

I'm not qualified to judge or label people, but in my own experience, drinking the amounts you describe is problematic. You might want to look back over the past few years and ask if that level of consumption has slowed yor progress towards goals, whether career, financial, health or relationship oriented goals. When I look back on my days of consuming at that level, I see a lot of wasted opportunity and not much benefit from killing twelve or more per night. As I said, not judging, just sharing my own experience.

[ScubaSteve]

i looked, and my answer is Absolutely Not. however my response was per session which may only occur 1-2 times a month.

[jgg13]

I look and say "yes", but I already knew that. I'd rather go out having a good time than some boring fuddy duddy.

[Jim Dorsch]

Does this mean that drinking = good time, and not drinking = boring?

[ScubaSteve]

to me they are different kinds of times but equally enjoyable.
jus' sayin'

[jgg13]

Not necessarily. What I'm saying is that "career, financial, health or relationship oriented goals" might not be the end all be all in someone's priority list. You could say the same thing about say, playing WoW all night a few times a week or something - it also doesn't further any of those goals, but that might not be someone's priority.

[jgg13]

Pretty much the same, with 2-4 sessions a week (these days more closer to 2, sometimes 3).

If i'm just having dinner or something like that, 1-3.

[fourunder]

It all depends on the company I'm in at the moment. I'm too old to care what anyone else thinks.......If I'm in good company, a lot......if I do not like the company, one would be a lot.

[DapperDave]

It depends, anything 'Big', Troegs Mad Elf, Founders KBS, Dogfish 120....only 2 maybe 3. 'Regular' beers (up to 7 or 8%) I can do a good 5 or 6, the really rare nights may see 7 or 8...but those are few and far between now that I've 'grown up'

[Chippewa29]

Similar to Chinon, but I only use his level one and level two. Mine likes her beer as well so our arguments center around who drank the last Porter, Stout or Belgian Sour in the fridge.

[LStaff]

I avgerage about 3 beers a day. Sometimes less, sometimes more, and sometimes none.

[Saddleoflamb]

When i'm drinking more than 6 I can "avgerage" up to 12...........typically Torpedo's these days ..........when i head past 12 things can get dicey/ murky............mass consumption these days must be done with a quality beer like any SN............in the past,mass consumption of a non micro has led to head splitting hangovers.......in my youth.
Also i have found that some days the brews just don't go down like ....i'm into it......other days they seem to really flow.........as I've mentioned in other threads.....good quality micro's , particularly SN's (in my opinion) do not leave me hurting the morning after.......

[JanPrimus]

I think Saddleoflamb and I need to go out drinking.

[Chinon00]

I have three levels:
1) Daily - 1-2 beers after work
2) Going out - 3-6 drinks watching a game with buds or out to dinner with wife
3) Getting hammered - 3-6 drinks with whisky and shots, typically after a huge win by Phils or Eagles or after an argument with the aforementioned wife.

[JAB]

Depends if my wife is counting or not.

[LStaff]

Get a one liter mass krug.

"Honey, I'm not drunk, I only had two beers."

[JAB]

LOL, I tried that last Saturday. I had 2 Belgian seasonals at 8 oz each and then came back with a liter sized Pilsner. It's only my 3rd I said.

[JAB]

This is of course all relative as to whether I'll be out and driving or drinking at home where there is no limit.