I Like Beer

I like beer.

I’m not a big drinker, in truth, I’m always the designated driver when my husband and I go out with friends or by ourselves. I usually stick to an iced tea or a soda. However, I do like to hang out on my back porch with my husband and have a cool one on the weekends. Lately, we’ve noticed how inexpensive beer is to find. Many of our local grocery stores and pharmacies, like Rite Aid, run weekly specials that make a large case of beer especially enticing, from a financial perspective, of course. The cost of each individual beer has been roughly 60 cents, or $17.99 for a 30-pack. That’s less than soda!

I’ve recently read that beer sales are up more so than any other alcohol. My guess is that beer is still affordable to most people, whether they are facing tight financial times, or not. Of course, people feeling a bit down due to their financial situation, may also rely on the brief feeling of euphoria one gains from a few brewskies. Here is my list of reasons I think beer has been on sale lately:

• Breweries are financially savvy. They know that in past times filled with consumers gorging themselves on frivolous items, many people opted for more expensive alcoholic items, like wine or hard liquor, to impress their friends with their expensive taste. They now have reigned in their spending and are opting for a more less expensive alcoholic beverage: beer. To encourage even more sales, they are hands-down the least expensive choice.
• Brewers know their public. My memories as a child of commercials with the Rocky Mountains in the background fill me with joy. The thought of growing up and hanging out with really cute guys and having fun were positive images that I remember. I thought, “Hey, those chicks are beautiful and slim. Maybe, if I drink their beer, I’ll look like them and have just as much fun!” A naive and childlike thought now that I reminisce. As much as I like beer, I know it only makes your stomach grow into a large beer belly, not a svelte six-pack (funny that!). Brewers know this advertising still works, even on knowledgeable adults.
• Breweries out-lived prohibition, they have gumption. A few months ago, I read the Budweiser story as it is told on their website. We have a Bud brewery just down the block and have been selectively purchasing Budweiser beer. We feel we are purchasing a local brewed beer and supporting a local business. I was impressed to read that during prohibition, Budweiser made non-alcoholic beer and the company was able to keep going due to their non-alcoholic sales. Yeah, right! As much as I want to believe their story, I have my doubts. However, the important thing is that they lasted through a time when many breweries probably went out of business.

I can probably think of a few more reasons why beer is less expensive now than I ever remember. However, I’m suffering from that euphoric feeling and can’t think clearly. Luckily, I’m at home and don’t need to be anywhere soon. I think I’ll sit back and have another.