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Freedom 4 all
01-27-2009, 01:14 PM
I'm just curious, has anyone here NOT got drunk underage. I'm not talking about Mormons or people who are allergic to alcohol or something and will NEVER drink, I'm talking about people who actually wait until 21 and then drink. I live in Ontario where the legal age is 19 (and if your willing to drive 15 minutes to the Quebec border, 18) and I do not know a single person who has waited even that long. This just seems like one of the silliest laws ever.

Pennsylvania
01-27-2009, 01:25 PM
I waited until 21 for that stuff. I was pretty anti-alcohol in my teenage years. I definitely made up for it later though.

slamminshaun
01-27-2009, 01:27 PM
I waited until 21 for that stuff. I was pretty anti-alcohol in my teenage years. I definitely made up for it later though.

Same here. I think alot of kids "make up for lost time", even if they did have some drunken experiences as kids. This is why I'd support abolishing the minimum age or at least lowering it to 16. I was in Barbados over the summer, which has NO minimum age. I asked, "how much alcoholism and DUI's do you have here". The answer was, "haha, we don't have those problems like the US does".

SnappleLlama
01-27-2009, 01:27 PM
I waited to drink.

phill4paul
01-27-2009, 01:29 PM
I'm just curious, has anyone here NOT got drunk underage. I'm not talking about Mormons or people who are allergic to alcohol or something and will NEVER drink, I'm talking about people who actually wait until 21 and then drink. I live in Ontario where the legal age is 19 (and if your willing to drive 15 minutes to the Quebec border, 18) and I do not know a single person who has waited even that long. This just seems like one of the silliest laws ever.

Thank the neo-prohibitionist at M.A.D.D. for this law.

To young to drink, but not to young to get your ass shot off in defense of your government.

I was on the cusp as the drinking age changed from 18yrs to 21yrs. It was grandfathered in so for 9 months of the year I was fine, but for 3 months it was prohibited.

When I enlisted my Dad (a career man) drove me to the airport to fly out to boot camp. While waiting for the plane he took me to the airport lounge and ordered two beers.
The waitress asked for my I.D.
My Dad replied "He's getting on a flight to go off to boot camp. By the time he get's out this country could be at war and there is the chance that I may never see him again. He is not buying this beer. I am buying this beer for him."

I got the beer, and found an even deeper respect for the man that raised me.

SnappleLlama
01-27-2009, 01:31 PM
Thank the neo-prohibitionist at M.A.D.D. for this law.

To young to drink, but not to young to get your ass shot off in defense of your government.

I was on the cusp as the drinking age changed from 18yrs to 21yrs. It was grandfathered in so for 9 months of the year I was fine, but for 3 months it was prohibited.

When I enlisted my Dad (a career man) drove me to the airport to fly out to boot camp. While waiting for the plane he took me to the airport lounge and ordered two beers.
The waitress asked for my I.D.
My Dad replied "He's getting on a flight to go off to boot camp. By the time he get's out this country could be at war and there is the chance that I may never see him again. He is not buying this beer. I am buying this beer for him."

I got the beer, and found an even deeper respect for the man that raised me.


Awesome story. :)

phill4paul
01-27-2009, 01:42 PM
Awesome story. :)

Thanks, he is an Awesome Dad.:)

Madcat455
01-27-2009, 01:45 PM
I was vice versa... I stopped drinking WHEN I turned 21..LOL.

zach
01-27-2009, 01:53 PM
I was anti-alcohol until I graduated high school. Then I discovered that if I got that "inhibited" aspect of me out before it got too buried, then I wouldn't be like everyone else in my class and end up being a one-semester wonder. I'm still in college and do enjoy alcohol at times, but I don't see the fun of getting trashed every weekend like I used to think so.

gls
01-27-2009, 02:25 PM
TBH it was always easier for me to get weed than alcohol. How's that for unintended consequences?

trey4sports
01-27-2009, 02:30 PM
im in a fraternity and all my buddies drink, but ever since my first time drinking (15) I have absolutely hated drinking. i cant hold alcohol and i do stupid shit.

I volunteered and helped out with the missouri 18 to drink initiative though

JeNNiF00F00
01-27-2009, 02:37 PM
I was vice versa... I stopped drinking WHEN I turned 21..LOL.

Same lol I never had a hangover until I hit that age. After that first really really really bad hangover I gave up alcohol. I can't stand it to this day. Sometimes I'll have a glass of wine, and I really did like the beer in the EU but the alcohol in the US tastes like crap and the effects aren't worth it for me. Id rather spark it tho. :)

phill4paul
01-27-2009, 02:38 PM
TBH it was always easier for me to get weed than alcohol. How's that for unintended consequences?

That's what my nephews tell me. Proof-positive prohibition powns.:p

nate895
01-27-2009, 02:42 PM
I have had five sips of alcohol, and only one I have liked (apple cider beer). I don't plan on drinking other than the occasional sip until I am twenty-one (I'm 16), but I'd drink at 18 if I were able. IMO, the absolute drinking age should be 18, but parents should be able to give teenage children permission slips or something that would allow them to drink, but I personally wouldn't give my children permission when I have them, and my parents wouldn't give me permission either.

zach
01-27-2009, 02:46 PM
http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/imgad?id=COeSm97A1NqLrAEQ1AMYMTIIkRVpYuL8RYA

Hiki
01-27-2009, 02:48 PM
Legal drinking age in Finland is 18 and I got drunk first time when I was 16, I turned 17 a while ago. I do drink every now and then, got a bottle of 12yr old (and a smaller 15yr old one) Glenfiddich whiskey in my deskdrawer :p

Paulitical Correctness
01-27-2009, 05:29 PM
I sampled various beers and wines growing up, and tried a rum and coke when I was twenty. I didn't actually get drunk until I was 21.

Although, I was an authoritarian douchebag until a few years ago and always shunned anyone who drank/smoked. :/

Mandrik
01-27-2009, 06:05 PM
My parents were born in Greece, so I am first generation American. There is no drinking age in Greece, and I was brought up as a kid with no drinking age in the home. My dad drank a glass of wine with dinner every night. If I ever wanted any he would give me a splash (1/2 an ounce at the most) in a small glass to drink with dinner. This started probably when I was 5 or 6 years old. All I had to do was ask. I'd also drink at the homes of Greek friends & family. All the kids did and still do. Again, the quantities are/were small. No kid was drinking 4-5 glasses of wine.

I think because of this alcohol was never a big deal for me. When my friends were off getting drunk in middle/high school, I would simply go home and have a glass of wine with my family during dinner (The glass got bigger as I got older :)). I honestly never got drunk until I was 22 or 23. I still enjoy drinking today, but I rarely get drunk. It was, is, and never will be a big deal. I have two 5-year old daughters now that I plan to raise the exact same way with regards to alcohol.

akihabro
01-27-2009, 06:50 PM
I actually didn't drink till I was legally able to (21)
Just wasn't interested, did other drugs.

2young2vote
01-27-2009, 09:25 PM
My grandma gave me at TINY sip of her fruity, frozen alcoholic beverage once...i don't think that counts. I also had homemade bourbon ice cream (VERY GOOD) but i don't think that really counts either. I have never had a real "drink" and i have never gotten drunk either. I am 17 and will remain alcohol free for as long as i possibly can.

But this reminds me of my friend who just got back from a year in Denmark (a very socialist country). He said that a couple times a week the kids would all meet up after school and have a couple alcoholic beverages. He said they would never get completely drunk but they just did it to have a good time. He was one of very few people who didn't drink anything but he went with them just for fun. Also i think he said they did things with buckets or something like that (i think they were smoking marijuana somehow..) and alot of the kids did these things.

satchelmcqueen
01-27-2009, 09:50 PM
i was 32 before i ever took a drink. im 34 now and have almost stopped completely.

Nirvikalpa
01-27-2009, 10:11 PM
Yes, I am drug-free, and something inside of me will probably have me die that way. No, it's a curse, it is not the way to live. I wish I could pick up a beer and escape this world sometimes. But I could never. I don't have the balls to lift it to my mouth. I wish I knew why.

Mandrik
01-27-2009, 10:29 PM
Yes, I am drug-free, and something inside of me will probably have me die that way. No, it's a curse, it is not the way to live. I wish I could pick up a beer and escape this world sometimes. But I could never. I don't have the balls to lift it to my mouth. I wish I knew why.

It's not about picking up a drink to escape the world. Too many people associate drinking with getting drunk. You have to recondition yourself to realize that alcohol isn't the evil. It's all about self control. It's like thinking that guns are bad because people shoot each other, or that marajuana is bad because it's illegal. Practically anything can be used for bad deeds (paperclip to the eye!), but our society likes to think that alcohol is this great devil that underaged kids have to stay away from--when they aren't showing a million beer commercials every day. I think this is what causes kids to want to binge drink on one extreme. On the other extreme it causes some people to avoid it forever because the longer you wait to have a drink the more difficult it becomes to do something you've been raised to believe is evil/bad/immoral/etc.

There is nothing wrong with not drinking. That's not what I'm implying. I respect yours and anyone elses decision to drink or not. I just think American culture handles underage drinking the wrong way.

Nirvikalpa
01-27-2009, 10:54 PM
It's not about picking up a drink to escape the world. Too many people associate drinking with getting drunk. You have to recondition yourself to realize that alcohol isn't the evil. It's all about self control. It's like thinking that guns are bad because people shoot each other, or that marajuana is bad because it's illegal. Practically anything can be used for bad deeds (paperclip to the eye!), but our society likes to think that alcohol is this great devil that underaged kids have to stay away from--when they aren't showing a million beer commercials every day. I think this is what causes kids to want to binge drink on one extreme. On the other extreme it causes some people to avoid it forever because the longer you wait to have a drink the more difficult it becomes to do something you've been raised to believe is evil/bad/immoral/etc.

There is nothing wrong with not drinking. That's not what I'm implying. I respect yours and anyone elses decision to drink or not. I just think American culture handles underage drinking the wrong way.

Yes, but you associated me 'escaping the world' with getting drunk. It's more a mental escape for me, which one sip would escape me from this (how I see it) cage.

Paulitical Correctness
01-27-2009, 11:34 PM
Also interesting to note is that most people "acquire" the taste for alcoholic beverages (not counting girly pina coladas and whatnot). Beer particularly is something most people dislike upon first sampling.

I myself have gone from thinking light beers were icky to being able to drink gin straight without making constipation faces.

Mandrik
01-28-2009, 12:17 AM
Yes, but you associated me 'escaping the world' with getting drunk. It's more a mental escape for me, which one sip would escape me from this (how I see it) cage.

I think a lot of us can relate to that. It would be like waiting until you're in your 20's or 30's to ride a roller coaster. The longer you wait the more of a "big deal" it becomes mentally. If you feel caged I say just try it once. A sip would suffice. Then that barrier would be broken down. ;)

amonasro
01-28-2009, 12:18 AM
Also interesting to note is that most people "acquire" the taste for alcoholic beverages (not counting girly pina coladas and whatnot). Beer particularly is something most people dislike upon first sampling.

Yup the big macrobrews, your Bud, Coors, Miller and Corona give beer a bad name. By brewing their beer with corn and ignoring German purity laws, they've really bastardized a great European tradition. Go to Germany and you'll find that the beer there is absolutely delicious. You would be amazed.

Young people drink the macros because it's cheap, heavily advertised and they don't know any better--too bad Bud Light is barely 4% abv so it takes a gallon to get drunk on it. That'll wreak havoc on the ol' digestive system :) Give a first-timer a good Belgian beer (not Blue Moon, it's owned by Coors) and I'd question their palate if they disliked it. Same goes for thousands of microbrews that are readily available and excellent. Too bad they don't have the marketing budget that the big boys have, but they are making an impact.

I'm enjoying a delicious Bell's Hopslam tonight, a famous DIPA that's only released once per year in January. If any of you live in the midwest you ought to pick this up. Smells like tangerines and mango, tastes like sweet grapefruit, packs a 10% wallop and is super easy to drink. :D

Mandrik
01-28-2009, 12:21 AM
Only beer I ever enjoyed was the stout I ordered at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich (München) Germany. That's the only time I've ever been able to sit down and drink an entire glass of beer, and they serve it by the liter!

hotbrownsauce
01-28-2009, 02:45 AM
People drink alcohol to loosen themselves up or feel really good or maybe even get wasted. I don't need that I have fun no matter what!

My father always loved alcohol, never liked anything else. He met my Mother who had many children by a previous man. My dad had to support a total of 9 people by himself working for 8 dollars an hour at 80 hours a week barely making ends meet (during the late 80's and the 90's). My dad would drink and yell and my Mom would fight with him (only a few times physical). We would hide outside or go to family members houses all the time to get away from him.
My mom is a different story herself. She had a bad childhood that involved malnourishment, abuse, and sexual abuse. My father and her did not click because he always drank. Years went by and we lost our house because of my dad being depressed and drinking while jobless. The next school year for me was the most depressing time in my life. I loved my mother to the "nth" degree (that means ALOT) and during the school year I could never see her because my mother didn't live with me at the time. I cried just about every night and felt very secluded. This was also at the same time I found out I had tuberculosis and took medicine for it. The next year we moved back into a house together when my dad got a job. I have never been the same with my mom sense. My dad's health went down the drain over a span of 2 years and he was a real asshole at times, all because of alcohol. My siblings were all into doing really bad things such as stealing cars, fights, murder, drugs, alcohol poisoning. Rough times for all of us. Alcohol has never had a positive impact on my life. I've never drank it other than when someone spiked my drink and I noticed 2 sips into it and I was ready to hurt someone. And the story is much bigger than that but this is just to give you an idea. We also dealt with division of family service and therapists.

No I've never drank before I was 21 and I probably never will (at least for a long time). I am asked why and it is a simple answer. I've seen many many bad aspects of what alcohol can do to help someone be "evil" or not the best they can be. I do not want to ever allow myself to be the kind of person of what I've seen. "But you don't have to be." My answer is that all it takes is one time and things will never be the same. A person on crack never decided to become a crackhead just as an alcoholic. I don't want to give my self the possibility of becoming something I despise.

On a side note, I am a totally different person now and no one would be able to recognize my past by how I am now.

Barackistan
01-28-2009, 02:57 AM
To be honest. I had my first beer at 12 and I got trashed quite a bit in high school and into college. Now I am 23 and am now making up for lost time. 2 more years until a bachelor's! Yay!

But to delve into the issue of drinking, I remember my mom's boyfriend telling me that the drinking age wasn't changed from 18 to 21 until some drunk teens driving home to Chicago from Wisconsin got into a car wreck. Alcoholism is certainly a medical issue, but people should be left to their own devices, as long as they don't hurt others.

Personally, I believe that alcohol is much more dangerous than marijuana. I think we should end the War on Drugs before we discuss drinking, because drinking has destroyed lives, families, and communities.

blocks
01-28-2009, 05:26 AM
Thank the neo-prohibitionist at M.A.D.D. for this law.

To young to drink, but not to young to get your ass shot off in defense of your government.

I was on the cusp as the drinking age changed from 18yrs to 21yrs. It was grandfathered in so for 9 months of the year I was fine, but for 3 months it was prohibited.

When I enlisted my Dad (a career man) drove me to the airport to fly out to boot camp. While waiting for the plane he took me to the airport lounge and ordered two beers.
The waitress asked for my I.D.
My Dad replied "He's getting on a flight to go off to boot camp. By the time he get's out this country could be at war and there is the chance that I may never see him again. He is not buying this beer. I am buying this beer for him."

I got the beer, and found an even deeper respect for the man that raised me.

Love it!

tremendoustie
01-28-2009, 06:13 AM
I'm just curious, has anyone here NOT got drunk underage. I'm not talking about Mormons or people who are allergic to alcohol or something and will NEVER drink, I'm talking about people who actually wait until 21 and then drink. I live in Ontario where the legal age is 19 (and if your willing to drive 15 minutes to the Quebec border, 18) and I do not know a single person who has waited even that long. This just seems like one of the silliest laws ever.

I gotcha one better, not only did I not get drunk underage, I didn't drink at all. And what's more, I drink now, but I've still never gotten drunk ...

Go ahead, you know you want to say it: :D

____________
|......................|
|......................|
|......................| <--------- ME
|......................|
|......................|
____________


I do think the drinking age should be reduced to 18 -- adulthood should be defined by one age, with full rights thereafter.

tremendoustie
01-28-2009, 06:22 AM
Yes, but you associated me 'escaping the world' with getting drunk. It's more a mental escape for me, which one sip would escape me from this (how I see it) cage.

One sip doesn't change your mentality or anything at all. It might as well be lemonade. For most people, a whole beer is the same, you have to drink at least two to feel any effect at all. But, I get that sometimes intellectual knowledge is different from gut knowledge ;).

I'm sorry to hear normal existance feels like a cage to you. :(

SimpleName
01-28-2009, 03:05 PM
I was 18 (still am) when I tried it after be ignorantly opposed to it for some strange illogical moral reason. I understand some people find it to be mind-altering and just a substance to remove people from reality, but it can be a mind opener as well. It certainly doesn't make people more intelligent and think much more complex, but it does allow you to enjoy simple stupid things a bit more. :D It is fun once and a while for a buzz. Being drunk on the other hand, completely idiotic thing to do. There is no fun that comes from it. Just pain. As for the reality issue...some people NEED to escape reality sometimes in order to make reality easier to deal with. Drunkenness is a libertarian state of mind.


I have had five sips of alcohol, and only one I have liked (apple cider beer). I don't plan on drinking other than the occasional sip until I am twenty-one (I'm 16), but I'd drink at 18 if I were able. IMO, the absolute drinking age should be 18, but parents should be able to give teenage children permission slips or something that would allow them to drink, but I personally wouldn't give my children permission when I have them, and my parents wouldn't give me permission either.

As for alcohol's taste...it does suck sometimes. I do hate the average beer and whatnot. It tastes much like what you think piss would taste like...plus...it doesn't help that it is the same color. The fruitier beers (Mike's Hard, Bacardi Silver) are MUCH better. Plus, mix drinks are good. Bahama Mama, tropical juice based, is the cream of the crop. I think I've become too interested in this thread...

AutoDas
01-28-2009, 04:26 PM
If you can send me some beer then I'll drink it. (18) I don't want to waste money on beer.

jack555
01-28-2009, 05:04 PM
The first time I got hung over and puked I was 16. In CA I don't know one person under 21 who hasnt had alchohol (and I do nothang out with the types that party...).





















edit- For the record, the government has no place telling ANYONE they cannot drink including children. Its a parents decision to make. The government can GTFO

Austin
01-28-2009, 09:41 PM
18, and I haven't drank yet.

That said, I'm not sure I ever will. I just don't have any desire to drink.

asimplegirl
01-28-2009, 10:31 PM
As far as I knew, growing up people with military ID could buy alcohol underage. My brother, and lots of his friends did.

I think that's a state law..the military getting a go with it underage.

According to this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1962048/posts

SC is considering it, too.

And, I drank at the age of 18 when I went to a bar without being a driver, LOL. That is technically underage, but that was only twice, and I still don't really drink often. I don't know many people at all that DIDN'T drink before the legal age. Down here, no matter age, if a son is out working in the southern heat, his daddy is bound to throw him a beer. :D


edit- For the record, the government has no place telling ANYONE they cannot drink including children. Its a parents decision to make. The government can GTFO

AGREED.

James Madison
01-28-2009, 10:47 PM
My parents have always been real cool about drinking for me (probably has a lot to do with their mediterranean/arabic roots, though. I've had alcohol off-and-on since I was about ten years old...yes people in other countries do give children alcohol (usually wine) at a very early age. I'm only 19 now but as long as I don't drive and don't abuse it, I can grab a glass of wine or a beer out of the fridge whenever I want to. Never been drunk...mainly because alcohol isn't really all that special to me. It's just another beverage to be enjoyed.

asimplegirl
01-28-2009, 10:51 PM
Well, it's common in France for parents to give small children wine, they also eat alot more mature diets than kids here do.

I have no issue with giving old enough kids alcohol.

(I grew up getting homemade cough syrup which is whiskey, peppermints, lemons, honey ALL the time.Again, maybe that's just the south for you)

nate895
01-28-2009, 10:56 PM
Well, it's common in France for parents to give small children wine, they also eat alot more mature diets than kids here do.

I have no issue with giving old enough kids alcohol.

(I grew up getting homemade cough syrup which is whiskey, peppermints, lemons, honey ALL the time.Again, maybe that's just the south for you)

I didn't include it because of its medicinal purpose, but I used to get canker sore because I would drink a lot of OJ when I was younger, and my dad would use Jack Daniel's whiskey instead of the over-the-counter meds (which don't work but to numb it for twenty or so minutes anyway).

Maverick
01-28-2009, 10:59 PM
I've been drinking since I was about 15.

I don't understand minimum drinking age laws. They didn't stop me back then, and I really don't feel any greater or lesser desire to drink now that I'm beyond 21.

RSLudlum
01-28-2009, 10:59 PM
I definitely didn't wait till I was 21. I went straight from the bottle to the can!!!!! :p

http://i41.tinypic.com/20uddsk.jpg

JeNNiF00F00
01-28-2009, 11:02 PM
hahaha...I somewhat remember doing something like that as well.

JeNNiF00F00
01-28-2009, 11:05 PM
As for alcohol's taste...it does suck sometimes. I do hate the average beer and whatnot. It tastes much like what you think piss would taste like...plus...it doesn't help that it is the same color. The fruitier beers (Mike's Hard, Bacardi Silver) are MUCH better. Plus, mix drinks are good. Bahama Mama, tropical juice based, is the cream of the crop. I think I've become too interested in this thread...

I am the same way. Travel to the EU and try some beers over there...they are to DIE for. Pure taste. Nothing like the shit we have in the states. They actually see it as a medicine as well. Great for stomach ulcers and other stomach problems.

asimplegirl
01-28-2009, 11:22 PM
You should try abita. My hubby likes turbodog, but there are some fruitier ones that are REALLY good. From wiki:


The company brews its beer with water from artesian wells in Abita Springs. They produce several types of beer year round, and also produce a series of seasonal beers. In August 2005, Stuff Magazine named Abita's Turbodog Ale as the best beer made in America.[7]

From abita's website:


Amber is a Munich style lager brewed with crystal malt and Perle hops. It has a smooth, malty, slightly caramel flavor and a rich amber color. Abita Amber was the first beer offered by the brewery and continues to be our leading seller. Amber is Abita’s most versatile beer for pairing with food. It has been voted "best beer" in numerous New Orleans reader polls and is used frequently in recipes of great Louisiana chefs.

Because of its smooth, malty flavor, try it with smoked sausages, Louisiana boudin, or even with caviar. It’s great with crawfish and Cajun food. You might also enjoy it paired with a spicy gumbo or tomato-based pasta sauce. It goes well also with fried catfish dipped in a tart, lemony tartar sauce. Parmesan, Pecorino and Romano cheeses are good pairings with Abita Amber.


Light is uniquely hand-crafted using 100% all natural ingredients: malted barley, the finest hops, German lager yeast and pristine Abita Springs water. The result is the smoothest, most flavorful light beer you will ever taste. Great with almost anything, it’s an excellent choice for lighter foods and salads too. Try Abita Light with a sharp Cheddar Cheese.


Golden is a crisp, clean continental lager. Just four ingredients are all it takes: American malt, Mt. Hood hops, German lager yeast and pure Abita Spring's water. As the name applies, Abita Golden has a brilliant gold color. Its flavor makes this light lager the perfect match for Louisiana Creole food.

Both Abita Light and Abita Golden go well with just about anything. Try it with mild rice or pasta dishes, grilled vegetables, grilled chicken and fish, and even with something spicy like Louisiana boiled crawfish, shrimp and crabs. Goat cheeses like feta and chevre pair well with Abita Golden.


Jockamo is named for the tribes of dancing, singing, chanting “Mardi Gras Indians” who have marched in New Orleans for over 250 years. When you hear the drums, join in the song...“Iko! Iko! Jockamo fe na ne”.

Jockamo I.P.A. is a traditional India Pale Ale made with the best pale and light crystal malts that give the beer a copper color and malty flavor. This full-flavored beer is hopped and dry hopped liberally with Willamette and Columbus hops from the Pacific Northwest and has a 6.5% A.B.V. The spicy aroma of the hops contrasts nicely with the pleasant sweetness of the malts. Jockamo has a flavor that entices and excites the palate. The intense hop character adds more spice to the meal and makes it a perfect choice to team up with many spicy dishes. Cheddar and strong farmer cheeses stand up well to Jockamo’s hoppy character. Jockamo goes well with game, grilled meats and Thai, or Mexican cuisine.


Purple Haze is a crisp, American style wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration. Therefore, you may see raspberry pulp in the beer. The raspberries provide the lager with a subtle purple coloration and haze, a fruity aroma, and a tartly sweet taste.

This beer is best served with salads or light fruit desserts, such as soufflés or chiffon cakes. Many people enjoy it with chocolate desserts. Purple Haze pairs well with certain cheeses, such as ripened Brie or any dessert made with Mascarpone. It’s also great paired with entrees prepared with fruit, especially citrus. Consider enjoying Purple Haze alone at the end of your meal as dessert.


Restoration Pale Ale is made with Pale, Lager, Crystal and Cara Pils malted barley. It is liberally hopped and dry hopped with American Cascade and fermented with California Ale yeast. The end result is a brilliant gold ale with a rich body, mild bitterness and a snappy fresh citrus hop flavor and aroma.

This beer can be paired with many different dishes according to your taste. The citrus flavor and aroma make it an excellent choice with most fish, especially ones that are prepared to match the flavor of the beer. American, Muenster, Havarti and Monterey Jack cheeses pair well with Restoration.



Turbodog is a dark brown ale brewed with Willamette hops and a combination of pale, crystal and chocolate malts. This combination gives Turbodog its rich body and color and a sweet chocolate toffee-like flavor. Turbodog began as a specialty ale but has gained a huge loyal following and has become one of our flagship brews.

This ale pairs well with most meats and is great served with hamburgers or sausages. It is a good match with smoked fish and can even stand up to wild game dishes. Turbodog is also great for marinating and braising meats and cooking such things as cabbage and greens. Colby, Gloucester, Cheddar and Blue cheeses go nicely with Turbodog. It’s perfect with spicy Louisiana jambalaya or Spanish paella. Some even like it paired with chocolate!


Bock (January – March) is the first of our seasonal brews. It is brewed with Perle hops and pale and caramel malts. Our Bock is similar to a German Maibock in its high malt content, full body and slightly higher alcohol content. Abita Bock is a very popular brew, especially during our Mardi Gras season. Gruyére, Emmental and Swiss are nice cheese choices with Bock. Great with roasted beef or pork. Try it with Mexican food too.


Red Ale (March – May) is brewed with British pale and crystal malts, Sterling hops, and an ale yeast from California. This ale has a rich ruby color, lacy collar, and a pronounced caramel flavor. Try it with traditional Irish fare or a sweet and pleasant cow’s milk cheese called Dubliner that can be found in most grocery stores.


Wheat (May – September) German brewers discovered centuries ago that the addition of wheat produces a distinctively light, refreshing beer. Unlike traditional German wheat beers produced by other breweries, Abita Wheat is a lager, not an ale, and contains a generous amount of wheat which produces a clean, simple flavor. For a change of pace, try Abita Wheat with a twist of lemon. Feta and goat cheeses pair well with Wheat beer. Great with summertime fare such as pasta and salads, but don’t forget barbeque and anything right off the grill.


Fall Fest (September – November) is a Marzen-style Octoberfest lager. It is brewed with German Haullertau hops and pale and crystal malts. The result is a full-bodied, malty beer with a beautiful amber color. Cheese pairings include Gruyère and Swiss-style cheeses.



Christmas Ale (November – December) rounds out our calendar. Generally, this beer is a dark ale, however, the recipe changes each year, offering a unique product crafted with special care. Enjoy your holidays with Abita Christmas Ale. The spicy character is excellent with traditional holiday foods such as gingerbread or spiced nuts. Try some Blue cheese or a creamy Camembert with a Christmas Ale.


Strawberry Harvest Lager is a wheat beer made with real Louisiana strawberries, picked late in the season when they’re at their sweetest. This brew has earned quite a reputation in a short time, causing the brewery to up their production year after year. When this brew is found, emails and phone calls fly to friends informing them of the store’s location. Strawberry Harvest is a crisp, light lager with just a hint of strawberry sweetness. It is wonderful with desserts or lighter fares such as salads and pastas. Fresh cheeses such as Burrata, chevre, Creszenza, mozzarella or Teleme pair well with Strawberry Harvest.


Pecan Harvest Ale is made with real Louisiana pecans that have been toasted to perfection. That makes it something really special, because most beers with a nutty flavor or aroma aren’t made with real nuts. The natural oils from the Louisiana pecans give the ale a light pecan finish and aroma.

This ale is excellent served with both red meat, seafood, gouda cheese, and no surprise here, it’s also great with nuts! Try Pecan Harvest with Gouda cheese


Andygator, a creature of the swamp, is a unique high-gravity brew made with pale malt, German lager yeast, and German Perle hops. Unlike other high-gravity brews, Andygator is fermented to a dry finish with a slightly sweet flavor and subtle fruit aroma. Reaching an alcohol strength of 8% by volume, it is a Helles Dopplebock.

You might find it goes well with fried foods. It pairs well with just about anything made with crawfish. Some like it with a robust sandwich! Andygator also is a good aperitif and easily pairs with gorgonzola and creamy blue cheeses. Because of the high alcohol content, be cautious---sip it for the most enjoyment.


Abbey Ale honors the ancient tradition of monks who perfected the art of brewing beer to support the monastery and their "liquid bread". We offer up our support and thank them with a 25¢ donation to St. Joseph's Abbey with every bottle sold of this heavenly brew. Dark amber in color, the aroma of caramel, fruits and cloves invites you to contemplate the creamy head of this "Dubbel" or double ale. Abita Abbey Ale is a malty brew, top-fermented and bottle aged to rapturous perfection.
We suggest serving this brew at 46 degrees.


Abita Select is an exclusive premium draft product line from Abita featuring a new style every few months. These specialty brews can be found only on tap and only at certain restaurants and bars in Louisiana.

Some restaurants have created special “Select Dinners” and paired Abita Select and other Abita brews with a gourmet meal. The dinners are always very well attended and the multi-course menus are creative and thoroughly delicious. Visit an Abita Select establishment near you or attend the next Abita Select Dinner.

Out of the selects, that are served in Louisiana, they have some AWESOME ones, never the same ones, the best of which I think, being the Mardi Gras one...I swear it tasted like King Cake.

JeNNiF00F00
01-29-2009, 12:04 AM
...I swear it tasted like King Cake.

You got my attention :D They should drop the little babies in the drink just for added flare. :D

amonasro
01-29-2009, 12:13 AM
I've been drinking since I was about 15.

I don't understand minimum drinking age laws. They didn't stop me back then, and I really don't feel any greater or lesser desire to drink now that I'm beyond 21.

Exactly. When I lived in Austria I saw 12-14 year olds staggering around in the street on the weekends, drunk. Hilarious BTW. Of course this was among everyone else staggering around in the street, but at least they get the binge drinking part out of their system at a young age :D

asimplegirl
01-29-2009, 12:18 AM
You got my attention :D They should drop the little babies in the drink just for added flare. :D

OMG, you just made me LOL. My hubby says that every Mardi Gras, he nearly swallows a baby, and lots of people that aren't from here don't get it.

Are king cakes not as big everywhere else, or what?

JeNNiF00F00
01-29-2009, 12:30 AM
OMG, you just made me LOL. My hubby says that every Mardi Gras, he nearly swallows a baby, and lots of people that aren't from here don't get it.

Are king cakes not as big everywhere else, or what?

I never saw them in SC but when I was in FL I learned quickly that they were farkin' good! Most of the ones I have seen have been small, but there was a pretty large one I saw last year...not sure how big they are in Louisiana tho :D

Grimnir Wotansvolk
01-29-2009, 12:35 AM
local Colorado beers are teh best

http://justbeer.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/new-belgium-sunshine.gif

brewed with espresso and honey <3

JeNNiF00F00
01-29-2009, 12:48 AM
local Colorado beers are teh best

http://justbeer.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/new-belgium-sunshine.gif

brewed with espresso and honey <3

Is it pasteurized? Wheat beer is pretty good stuff.

asimplegirl
01-29-2009, 01:20 AM
That may be local to you, but abita is local to me, and voted best beer in America. ::shrug::

asimplegirl
01-29-2009, 01:22 AM
I never saw them in SC but when I was in FL I learned quickly that they were farkin' good! Most of the ones I have seen have been small, but there was a pretty large one I saw last year...not sure how big they are in Louisiana tho :D

hmm..I will think of a comparison size.

If you order one in a bakery, they come in the large "sheet cake" boxes. They are pretty big.

tnvoter
01-29-2009, 01:41 AM
I was drinking as soon as I could get my hands on the stuff. (16ish). As a result, by 18 not only did I know how to drink outside of my home environment and make it home without "getting into trouble", I had learned how to avoid things such as drunken driving, drunken rage, and many other things that I soon after learned plague'd my older peers.

The Europeans have it right on younger introduction to alcohol imo, simply because when you learn to respect something as you grow older, it loses it's "taboo" and appeal to over-abuse in potential life-threatening situations.

edit: Generally speaking of course, there is always the small exception aka "idiots" of society.

But that's just my op.