How much beer do you drink a day?

This might be an appropriate thread to insert a meme I made yesterday...

 

But, weight gain can be addressed in multiple ways. Drinking less is one. Exercising more or reducing food intake are others.

In addition, the OP's question was primarily geared toward the social and psychological impact of drinking. Therefore, my answer focused upon his question.

Back to the yoga room with you!

 

Try the beer math. One to two 5% abv 12oz beers is the suggested daily range for a 150lb American Caucasian male (the benchmark for many daily recommendations). I’m 250 lbs, or roughly 1.75 times the benchmark person. 2 X 1.75 benchmark beers is 3.5 benchmark beers on the high side.

If you’re drinking 16, 19.2, or 24 oz sizes, adjust the volume accordingly, e.g. 16 oz is 1.33x; 19.2 is 1.6x; 24 is 2x.

If you’re drinking higher ABV beers, do the equivalence, e.g., 10% is 2x; 15% is 3x.

Calculate the volume and ABV into how many “Beer Equivalents” you’re consuming.

If you get annual physicals and blood work, check your liver enzymes. Have your PCP palpate your liver borders (right side just under ribs) and percuss for tone.

Check your family history of alcoholism or addictive personality traits.

Anyone tell you they’re concerned about how much and/or how often you drink?

Assess how you wake up. Dry mouth? Headache? Blackouts? Need an “eye opener” of alcohol to get your day started?

Can you not drink for any amount of time that you determine?

I’m a 50+ year old “seasoned” craft beer drinker.10%+ is typically all I have around, be it 12, 16, 19.2, or 24 oz sizes. Honestly, there are nights I can do 6 “BE’s” and still feel pretty unaffected.

My liver enzymes are normal, no liver enlargement, work my day job just fine, nobody telling me they’re concerned, family history of big drinkers …First time, this year, I’m going to try a dry January.

It’s ok to assess your relationship with alcohol.

 

And the best thing is that they are also the OP of this thread. Full circle.

 

I don’t think they are, but I wish they were!

 

Here here.

This really should be about "How can I live my best life," not "When is there a problem". That doesn't mean that whatever you're doing (i.e. however much you're consuming) that it is too much. Rather, there's nothing wrong with assessing what you're doing and asking whether that will make you the happiest.

Again, there are reasons to drink less that have nothing to do with the idea that you're inherently drinking too much. When I drink less, I often find my enjoyment per beer increases, and my overall enjoyment has increased. I'm not everyone, but that's me. Kind of like having dessert once a day, or once a week vs. after every meal. Similarly, you may just find that drinking less (whatever that means) makes you feel better.

Point is, as you suggest, there's nothing wrong with assessing.

 

You’re right, both are from Hungary which made me think it was. Happy New Year!

 

You too brotha!

 

For a number of medical reasons, I'm allowed only two beers a day, but since I drink stronger craft, I usually limit myself to one a day, no more than 7 days a week.

 

Generally speaking I'll consume a six pack in a week, sometimes a little less sometimes a little more. The exception being the holiday season as stouts are my favorite beers so I let myself splurge due to how much I enjoy them and quite honestly by New Years am more or less sick of them save for the occasional treat the rest of the year.
But beyond that, on an average week I may have a beer 4 or 5 nights during the week. Those beers are usually American 12oz or 0.35l in size and usually try to keep them at 6% ABV or lower. Might mix it up with a night where I have a whiskey instead of beer. Honestly, I feel better when I'm on the reduced consumption schedule the bulk of the year.

 

These days partaking in the herbs & spices is more frequent than beer consumption but as with the suds I'm on board to enjoy, it's about the journey not getting destroyed.
Typically, I drink 2-3 beers per day Fri-Sun, I leave the week days to 2-3 beers overall between Mon-Thur. But usually keep consumption to hump day as a celebration that the week is half over and the weekend/finish line is near.

 

I drink one beer a week which averages to one seventh of a beer a day.

I can handle it, usually.

 

What's your baseline? I am shocked at just how much people drink but nowadays 12/week is a lot to me so...

 

You should pace yourself if you want to enjoy beer throughout your life. Right now you seem to be on the road to health issues, not to mention possible issues with friendships.

You're probably at a point where you can't quit "cold turkey" without issues, so perhaps reduce your intake eventually to the point where you have 1-2 beers a day and the ability to take a day or more off from any alcohol. Your body will thank you.

I am 70 years young and now have 4-5 beers per week and feel great. When I made beer in my 30s to 50s I became dependent on alcohol by drinking too much, and stopped brewing when health issues stopped me from continuing.

Good luck.

 

So you were asking if you drink too much (and it sounds like you do) but then using that figure to gauge that others drink too little? I guess maybe a better way for me to ask would be what do you think is a good amount and not too much or too little?

 

I agree with this line of questioning and at the end of the day, everyone’s answer is going to be different, as we can see from the replies to this thread. However, if you use your own alcohol consumption to gauge what others should put into their own bodies, more than likely you’re going to end up with skewed results especially if you’re on the high/low side of consumption levels. Good reply. Cheers.

p.s. I would like to add he obviously doesn’t have an idea of what is too much or too little, given his OP.