HAPPY NEW BEER'S EVE!!!

Last Sunday was the celebration of New Beer's Eve, the 75th anniversary of the day when the prohibition tide began to turn and beer went back to a potent 3.2% alcohol content!

Sameer thought I would have something to say about this and I do--mostly that I'm really glad we aren't still in prohibition! Man do I love a good bottle of organic California pinot grigio or an exotic Northwest micro brew. Thank God for April 7, 1933 and FDR's push to re-introduce legal alcohol back into the system. Not only did it give our flagging, depressed economy a boost, but it also ensured that millions of hard working Americans, just like me and you, can kick their feet up on Friday night and enjoy a nice Gin and Tonic (or whatever the drink of your choice may be). A quick story to commemorate the day.

I remember this time, right after I had turned 21 (I'm talking a few weeks here), that I brought home the leftovers of a six-pack of some yummy mirco brew from a night out with my friend Tiffany and our dank Oregon crew. I didn't think twice about putting it out in the fridge. I was 21, right!? Maybe not.

Let me give you some background on my family. Dad is an ordained minister, as is my uncle. Most of my family are elders at their churches or at the very least passionate and committed attendees. It should be pretty obvious that we aren't big drinkers. In fact, a lot of them don't drink at all (my parents do drink, but modestly). So little Bethany--the first child of the generation on both sides of the family--being into any sort of alcoholic beverage would be a little out of the norm. Most likely even frowned upon.

You get the picture. Back to the story.

Well, the next day my dad comes in from the garage, with the six-pack in his hands, asking who the beers belong to.

I wish I had an audio file of the reaction I had inside my head to record my brief panic internal panic attack. It went something like this:

"OMG. WHY AM I SO STUPID!!?? WHAT WAS I THINKING PUTTING BEER IN THE FRIDGE!!?? It's too soon! TOO SOON. WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! Ahhhhh what do I say?"

Meanwhile, though time had slowed enough for this entire conversation to run through my head in 0.2 seconds, Dad was waiting for an answer.

So I said, sheepishly (and yes I realize putting together me and sheepish is a complete oxymoron, but it did in fact happen), "mine..."

"Oh. Cool. I thought it was Tiffany's and I really wanted one," said Dad.

[jaw drops...waves of relief begin crashing over me]

"So can I have one?"

"Uh...yeah of course," croaked my uncharacteristically meek voice.

Whew. That was close. I guess Dad is cooler than I thought.

Now when I go home we go to Trader Joe's and love picking out new brews to try together.

It's like father-daughter bonding for the 21st century.

HAPPY NEW BEER'S EVE DAD!!! MUAH! Can't wait to try some new brews with you this summer!

And P.S. Next week is Charlotte's Creative Loafing's Beer Week. Come out and join us!!!