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I remember when my first good friend turned 21, I was 18. This guy was famous among my friends for saying “I drink beer purely for the taste of beer” in the high school days when the prospect of actually enjoying beer was a myth. Whenever we went out to fine Waterville establishments like Pizza Hut, Mike was never without a frothy pint of something.
I’d always heckle him, “Mike, why don’t you drink beer at your house?! It’s so much cheaper. You’re an idiot for paying $4 for a stupid beer! You only do it to be cool.”
Mike would either insult me back or give me the finger and sip on in satisfaction.
In my post-21 days, I have to hand it to him – there’s just something about having a beer in public. The price-per-beer you pay for a six-pack at home and the change you plunk down for a pint at the pub may add up to scary ratios, but more often than not, it’s so worth it.
Before leaving for a year abroad in Wales, I considered not drinking a drop of alcohol in my time there. The pound-to-dollar exchange rate was obscene; I knew it’d be an easy way to save a fortune. Now I’m positive that if I’d followed through with this mad scheme, the many dollars amassed wouldn’t be anything close to the slew of delicious brews I enjoyed and the memories I created.
In a trip to New York over October break, I visited Hop Devil, a pub with a staggering amount of draft beers and dozens more in bottles. I could have simply appreciated the menu and moved on or purchased a regular, moderately-priced pint. Instead I bought a one-liter stein for something like $13. My memory might be a bit hazy of the exact price and size of the Wassachusett Blueberry Ale I slurped, but the experience isn’t.
The same goes for my trip to Geddy’s in Bar Harbor last weekend. Sure, I could’ve had a Mountain Dew to wash down my dinner, but why not throw down the extra few bucks to try a Moose Breath Ale?
Whether it’s a pint of Guinness in the brewery’s headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, a Blue Moon with an orange slice while some musicians jam in a cafe in Chattanooga, Tenn., or a $1 PBR in a plastic cup at the Blues Club in Waterville, nine times out of 10, it’s satisfying.
Situations do exist where there’s no sense in getting a beer in public. Dropping $4 on a Michelob, Budweiser or the overrated Stella Artois (this is not a high class product, trust me) purely for the sake of having a beer isn’t a buy I can back. But facing a pricier bill to quench curiosity on just about any microbrew is a solid pursuit.
Trying new beers on draft is magnificent, but even finding old favorites you’ve only had in bottles can be an experience unto itself. When I had a Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat from Bear Brew’s tap in September – the Fruity Pebbles-tasting beer I’ve enjoyed in bottles many times – it was like having it for the first time, better than ever. Even if you need to pinch pennies and try to wait it out till your cheaper, refrigerated six-pack welcomes you home, beer is deserving of the occasional (or frequent) pub or restaurant splurge.
Cheers!
