Older People Quitting Beer

I'm in my early 60's but only got into craft seven years ago. I limit myself to one (and rarely two) a day, 5-6 days a week. I have several conditions where my doctors have hinted that I may need to cut down further, but they're OK with my current limit for now. I've been drinking down my cellar so I'm not left with a lot of good beers in case I have to completely stop.

 

Preach it.

 

I'm 53, and not drinking less. Nor are any of my friends. Aging makes you more aware of the toll drinking has on your health, but it also gives you the resources for better health care. Hell, if you have the money and a loose enough relation with your morals, you can buy new organs.Why not drink more, honestly?

 

Yes, I've had friends and acquaintances recently dying for a variety of reasons; straight up alcohol abuse for years, a weird fall in the woods on ice looking for a friend's errant shot, the incredibly fit 78 year old having a heart attack after a bad bout with Covid. All just weeks apart and everyone in their seventies somewhere. My doctor brother chalks it up to just getting older and I know he's right. But I want to live as long as I'm lucid, enjoy beer, and really love everyday. Drinking less helps, I think.

 

NOBODY .likes a QUITTER!!

 

I'm 66+ and retired. I'm drinking about the same since retiring but can see toning it down somewhat in the future. I don't ever see quitting or unless my health is hurting because of drinking. And I don't want to drink more because I have more free time. I will enjoy it as long as I can.

 

50 here. I don’t think I’ve cut back any (usually 2 beers a day), but I do find that I have better pace and self control at bottle shares lately. I definetly have noticed that I almost always will wake up in middle of my night’s sleep when I’ve had a little more than I’d like (which is at best once a month or even less frequently these days).

 

Not even just older folks. I'm 27 and decided I needed to pull way back. I've found it easier to manage tiki/rum because I can't rationalize drinking over 2-3 cocktails in a week whereas I was crushing high ABV beers like I was still in college in years past.

 

In college I was drinking zero beers 4-5 nights a week and then getting highly intoxicated at least 1or 2 nights a week(for me that = 4+ beers in 2-3hrs). Now I’m a steady 2 beers a day (usually spaced over 3-5 hours) without very much variance at all from that. So ironically, I probably drink more total beers in a week period here at age 50 than I did in college but now I rarely get even slightly buzzed from the effects of alcohol, where in college, I’d be a staggering, slurring mess at least once every weekend.

 

I’m no quitter

 

60's here. Great music back then too.
I look at it now as I always did. Caloric intake.
If you drink it, work it off.

 

While I agree with “lowering the tone” as time goes by (not drinking as much craft as I used to back in the day) I noticed that beer has become a staple of my life as I got older - kind of traded in the good old IPAs for a cold lager at the dinner table, adjuncts, suds, slops, anything goes.
Bourbons have also become a part of my life too, maybe it’s a cross man must carry…

 

45 isn't older, my buddies in their 60's show no sign of slowing down. Cannot relate to this at all.

 

This is really well put.

Some of you may know what I do, but I've pitched many articles that aim to help readers understand the mathematics about consuming "craft" beer. Plainly put, it's not healthy to consume to the level at which many BA's consume; It's not safe to have "only two beers" and drive home, especially when those two beers are 9% stouts.

I'd wholeheartedly support resources to be displayed on this site, and I'd also support a thread that's mainly around exactly that, support.

 

I'd love to hear more about what you do (feel free to PM me, if you've got the time and desire).

A little link at the bottom of the site that reads something like, "Resources if you think you might have a problem with alcohol" which then contained links to support programs, counseling services, and educational literature would be awesome. I've worked a great deal with people struggling with substance use disorder and would be happy to help contribute to the creation of this link.

 

New York Times has an article about a study of health effects of drinking.
Does Moderate Drinking Protect Your Heart? A Genetic Study Offers a New Answer. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
The article is likely behind a paywall. The article suggests that there is likely no benefit from alcohol consumption at the one or two drink per day level, as previously thought. It does say that risk increases at least marginally with any consumption and increases greatly beyond about 3 drinks a day. That three standard drink consumption commonly translates to about three 12 oz servings of 5% abv beer (typical pilsener), or two 12 oz 7.5% beers (IPA), or one 16 oz 12% beer (imperial IPA or Stout). I try to keep my choices fairly close to the 5% level, but most options are higher these days.

 

And I'd bet good money that a completely contrary study will be released next week. Probably even be covered in the Times.

Look up "coffee studies," too.