Every year, New Year's Eve produces two things. There will be neo-prohibitionist jerks treating every responsible adult like a child by trying to convince the world that having a drink is the exact same as committing the crime of drinking and driving.
Then there will be the small minority of drunk assholes proving the neo-prohibitionist correct.
If you brew you love beer. You may like the chemistry of the brew, you may dig building cool gadgets to make brewing easier or you get off on the artistry of building the perfect recipe.
However, let's not kid ourselves, hand in hand with the love of making beer is the love of drinking beer. On an intellectual level we enjoy the taste of beer and appreciate the play of malt and hops across our tongue like rollicking fawns on a spring day. To love beer is to appreciate the mastery of a well made beer.
But.
Beer contains alcohol, which is one of the reasons we like it. Alcohol stimulates the pleasure sensors of the brain and makes us feel good, it relaxes us and makes for better dancers.
We have a very peculiar relationship with alcohol in this country. As an adult, it is perfectly acceptable to drink socially, in designated places, and even go out and drink yourself blind on approved holidays like New Years Eve, St. Patty's Day and Halloween. Even while this behavior is accepted it is also demonized because of the lack of control. But if your homebrew club were to meet in a local park on a spring day and trade 2 oz. tasters of beer the party would be shut down fast by jackboot wearing thugs terrified everyone involved would soon lose control and start pooping in the dog run.
There is a very vocal segment of the population who believe, and want everyone to believe, people do not have the ability for self control. No one has ever been harmed from responsible drinking. However, every time some drunk gets behind the wheel or makes and ass out of themselves they hand the neo-prohibitionist crusader the ammo to chip away at the rights of responsible adults.
This year lets all make the same resolution: Don't be a douche bag.
Here are some possible situations from reader questions:
1. Should I drink and drive? Is there an exception for a clown car full of jello?
-Tempting but no. It would be acceptable to sit in the clown car full of jello and pretend you are driving.
2. Can I get drunk in front of my disapproving in-laws and piss on their dog?
-No. Your in-laws think you are a loser already. Try not to prove them right.
3. That girl in the corner, the one sitting on that guys lap, keeps making eyes at me. Can I send her a drink?
-Unless you want to guarantee a stranger is going to get laid then probably not.
4. I keep having the nagging suspicion everyone wants to see my junk and hairy man ass. Should I lose my pants?
-No. No one wants to see that. The people who would like to see it is probably not the ones you want looking at it.
The bottom line is; have a good time, drink a homebrew, have a happy new year and don't be an asshole.
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