Alcoholic vs. Enthusiast

If you are drunk more than you are not then that's the issue. I'll drink as many high or low gravs in a night as I want.

 

Alcoholic and Enthusiast are two different things, and you can be both.

 

I agree few of us qualify as real alcoholics, but how many of us get so carried away that we might go down that road? Higher than 1% I bet, but your point stands.


I knew a man had to have a gallon of Red Mountain Pink Chablis everyday, started first thing in the morning, useless before that first glass kicked in. On the road I saw a man with DT's in a mission in Oklahoma, scary shit my friends. Was married to a woman who kept a show bottle of Dewars in the kitchen closet, and lord only knows how many others were hidden and consumed, she was drunk all the time at the end.

I don't know anyone among my beer friends that is even close to any of these behaviors

We all are smart to self check, because we all do not want to jeopardize our enjoyment of our hobby by needing to stop doing it for health and mental reasons.

 

I took me forever to read all the responses. I think I'm drunk now.

 

Can't I be both an alcoholic and an enthusiast? An enthusiastic alcoholic?

 

If you can't remember exactly how many beers you had consumed then you just crossed that line

 

Four beer consumption: the definition of an alcoholic? Surely I jest. That would be calling nearly everyone who is in or descended of the British Empire an alcoholic! If it is then so be it!

 

That's an easy solution: Get More! But have somebody drive you if you already drank too much!

 

i know one thing for sure, if i show anyone who is not a beer guy my beer closet, they immediatly believe im a raging alcoholic. funny if it was a wine cellar instead they would see me as sophisticated

 

I keep hard sourdough pretzels out of the house........
Because if I eat those I HAVE to have beer.

 

I drink therefore I am

 

I drink two or three times a week and then no more than the equivalent of a six pack of 5% beer, stretched out over several hours. It's usually more like one or two glasses or a single bomber, though.

I can easily go days without craving a drink.

I think I'm safely on the "enthusiast" side of the fence.

YMMV...

 

"...could I drink 4 in one sitting?" Sure. The better question is, "would I?" -- the answer is no.
Once I move past 2 beers, it becomes more about the buzz than the taste. And if I'm looking for a buzz, liquor is the quickest way to get there. Liquor is also more cost-effective; I don't know how much disposable income you have, but assuming 4 quality DIPA's cost AT LEAST $8 (by the bottle at home -- way more at the bar), your approach would cost a solid $2500+ per year.

 

Good point! I took it as "have you ever" instead of "do you currently." Your way makes more sense.

 

I work in the ER, so trust me when I say I've seen my fair share of alcoholics. Old men and women half my size who wouldn't even be buzzed at the point where I'm passed out. People who drink alcohol-containing mouthwash and hairsprays or entire fifths of liquor every day. I've never seen anyone come in with a >0.4 blood alcohol level who got that way drinking barrel-aged stouts and wild ales. That being said, that doesn't mean there aren't beer enthusiasts who have drinking problems. I've known a few of them as well.

First, I'd throw out the term alcoholic since it's completely subjective and instead break it down into more the more medical terms of psychological and physical dependence.

For physical dependence, you have to abuse alcohol quite heavily and for quite a length of time. If you've developed a physical dependence, chance are you have a real problem since it's going to take more than a beer or two a day to do that. Full blown delirium tremens has a hefty 10% mortality rate, but you don't see that extremely frequently. Chances are you don't get shaky or start having seizures when you don't drink. However, a lack of a physical dependence doesn't mean that your drinking is physically healthy. Your body and liver don't distinguish between drinking 3 high gravity craft beers in proper glassware while savoring each and drinking a sixer of Bud. You can drink those 3 high gravity beers most days and not be psychologically dependent, but still have negative physical consequences such as obesity, liver damage, etc. If you do it long enough, you could also get withdrawal symptoms suggesting a physical dependence.

Psychological dependence, on the other hand, is the real danger. While it's pretty rare (I've never seen it, anyway) to have a physical dependence without psychological, the opposite can certainly happen. You might be able to physically go days without drinking with no issue, but if you're constantly thinking about how you need a beer, you might have a problem. If you have a beer or two most days without much thought and skip days here and there without issue, I would think you're okay. Likewise, if you have a strong craving for a beer or two after a stressful day at work, I would say you're fine as well. If going a single night without a beer stresses you out to the point where you're continuously struggling against the urge to crack one, you might have a problem. If you begin craving getting buzzed or drunk more than the beer itself, then that should definitely set off some warning bells.

 

What I observe with myself is that I have certain activities I associate with drinking and certain activities I don't. When I'm doing something that I associate with drinking, such as watching TV, or being at a restaurant, I keep reaching for the beer. When I'm doing something that I don't associate with drinking, such as playing video games or working out, I don't think about it at all.

Also I find out that if I've gone a few days without alcohol I feel fine but if I've gone a few days without running I feel miserable.

I would say it's the answer to the question, if you suddenly had more acute health risks from drinking, how difficult would it be to quit?

 

I don't know if it's "wrong", but it's certainly not healthy.

I imagine that because you're posing the question that you have some doubt. I do too, and have participated in this thread wondering the same thing. I'm at the point where I'm getting the hang of homebrewing and when I really nail it on a certain brew, I want it! I even will, at lunch during a work day, get a beer or two with my meal, should I eat out. Now where I work it's really laid back and a small company and I've known the CEO for 25 years. That doesn't mean he knows about it and I don't advertise it when I come back into the office. I'm at my parents house now (from the 24-27) and that means no beer. Will I have one on the 28th when I get back? Probably, but I also see myself not having one. I think about having a beer often, like right now. Is that wrong? It could be a danger sign.

I think this is a sensible approach.

I guess the frequency of over-indulgence is the question. I don't want to drink that much myself. I don't like dealing with the headaches, the guessing if you're "safe" enough to drive, etc. That is the part that, if you get it wrong, brother, you've really gotten it wrong.

 

Yeah run/bikecoholism is much more of an immediate concern for me as well

 

Buncha alcoholics on an alcohol enthusiast website laying out arguments for why they aren't alcoholics. Cool.

If you aren't putting yourself or anyone else in harm's way why put a label on it?

 

Is consuming 4 DIPA's wrong?

I've been on a serious IPA/DIPA kick for the better part of 2 years, having a beer (or few) almost daily. Sure, some day's would enjoy my other favorites on occasion...... stout, barleywine, dark ale, and quads. But back to the (4) DIPA - DFH90 has been my daily standby for quite some time and 'enjoy' it very much - sometimes drinking the 4pk in one evening. If not DFH90, then Victory Dirt Wolf. As a night owl, 4 good glasses of beer over a 6 hour period does not bother me and does not seem excessive (for me). Not really trying to justify it, but I'm a big person at 275lbs and I do enjoy a good beer.

Now I will draw that imaginary line at 2 for the quads - but again - that's me.