Two at 5% or even 3 at 3.4% every time.I never lose track of the fact that beer is a drink.It's one where the law of diminishing returns sets in with a vengeance.Even using the same ingredients a 10% beer won't have twice the flavour of a 5% one.By selection of ingredients the difference is even less.I can name from the top of my head two well known beers approaching 10% with less flavour than some of half the strength. But it isn't all about flavour anyway, it's about enjoyment.If your view of enjoying beer is sitting at home with a tiny 12 ounce bottle then good luck.If ir's about drinking in company in congenial surroundings then something more accessible is required.I don't want to be blown away, I want to be gently seduced.I want each mouthful to be better than the one before, not numbing to the palate.I want to go back for another and another after that. An analogy. I have a big, modern state of the art car which is frighteningly capable. One of my other cars is a 40 year old two seater with 40 year old performance, handling and braking, all woefully inferior to my new car.No contest then.Except that the old one is more fun and more rewarding to drive.I can use all its performance and drive it to the limit. I have to actually be able to drive rather than operate the controls. Back to beer, I want to drink it, be able to fully explore it and have lots of it.
This is me too. It depends on what I want. I almost never drink 5% beers, only because the beers I like are usually 6%-10%. I'll pay attention if I have to drive though.
Depends on the style and brewer...Went to the Grand Canyon earlier in '12 w/friends we ate @ a restaurant there, hot day everyone's going w/H2O or lighter beers due to the heat, I ordered 2 Starry Night stouts from Grand Canyon Brewing. Good stuff, no regrets, great choice heat be damned.
I think the answer depends. If I'm at home or we're going out to dinner, I'll take the stronger beer. If I'm hanging out with friends or watching a game I'd take the two 5% only because I tend to drink more when I'm in a group of people. Back in August I learned this lesson the hard way. We had our fantasy football draft and for some reason I brought over Heady Topper. It is very easy to forget that Heady comes in 16 ounce cans and is 8%. Every time someone asked if anyone needed a refill, I would raise my hand like everyone else. 6 cans later, I fell asleep on the floor during the last round. They ended up giving me Mark Sanchez.
Came here to post 3 at 3.33%. This post expresses my feelings...with a slightly different but perhaps analogous car analogy. I just returned this past week from Germany where I got a great deal on a rental car (BMW 330). On various trips down the Autobahn I was passed by a U.S. muscle car, a Maserati, and a blacked out Bentley. Thought to myself each time that I'll take the smooth, steady precision of the BMW over any of these over-the-top, "look-at-me" autos. Same applies for me with beer: I'll settle in with the lower ABV, subtly precise beers every time before being distracted by the flash of the new and extreme.
What I was going to say. Most of my favorite beers typically fall in that % range, and usually closer to the 10% side of it.
The way this question is posed assumes that the big beer I'm drinking has come in a 12 oz format, when in practice most of the 10% ABVs in my life are only available as bombers, so the question would come down to whether I prefer two 5% beers or close to two 10% beers. Regardless, I typically favor the lower over the higher ABVs because I like knocking back a variety of brews in any given session and by nature I suppose I'm more of a quaffer than a sipper.
Somewhat related, and for the record I choose whatever I'm in the mood for, but I noticed that I can pretty much drink a 10% as fast as a 5%, which is scary. If the flavor is really good, I drink fast.
I dislike bitterness so I have a hard time finding low alcohol beers that have enough flavor for me. I have ended up drinking sweet stouts, wee heavies and strong Belgians and quads almost exclusively. Sweet stouts/vanilla porter usually weigh in around 5% or 6%, but everything else is north of there, often way north. If I could only drink one type of beer (or one beer a day) it would be Unibroue strong Belgians. I am always on the lookout for lower alcohol/calorie beers since having just one beer makes me sad, but they are hard to find (sweet stouts are not known for their low calories).
It all depends on what tastes better. ABV is never really a factor, nor social setting. Each beers have their place and if you're going to drink a 10% beer like a session, changes are that you're not really enjoying it anyways.
What about two 40 year old women vs. one 20 year old? I think I would still go for the one 20 year old personally. Same applies to beer. Quality = Age ≠ ABV
No matter what 2 girls are going to be better than 1. It all depends on my own mood when it comes to beer though. The social situation dont really make a difference for me.
I'll go for the one at 10. On the weekends, I like to knock back about 20% total and I'd rather do it in a bomber rather than 48 ounces.
It depends on my work schedule. If I'm working in the evening (2nd shift) and having beers for dinner I will limit myself to <4 5%'ers. If I work the day shift and have beer for lunch I try to limit myself to 2 imperials. It also depends on what surgeries are scheduled and if the Chief of Medicine is attending. If I'm scheduled for ER Duty it's no holds barred on 10% because they usually don't have insurance anyway.
Some of the higher alcohol beers dont taste more alcoholic than the lighter beers and go down like water. Ive been having trouble handling my alcohol lately, due to less frequent drinking. I prefer the higher alcohol beer but must I say this means I must exercise caution!
A large portion of my stash of beer is 7% or more, and most of the time I split that with my roommate or another good friend of mine, TKEbeerman. It's a mix of anything between 11.2 oz and 750mL. Once beer gets opened, it's not unusual to go through three or more bottles. I suppose on the occasion when I'm the only one home watching TV or something I'll do two 10% or less beers, 12 ounces a piece.
Who said anything about a bar. He said at a social setting. A party or gathering at a private residence is a social setting. Maybe you don't have any friends. I've had Black Tuesday served at social settings. for the thread... whichever... there are plenty of 5% brews I enjoy quite a bit, but I don't any 5% stouts that I enjoy at all. A 5% 'stout' is an oxymoron to me.
I think it depends on if i am actually trying to get drunk or if i am just lounging around drinking. If i am starting the night and trying to get my night in order, itll be things 8 and above every time.
Depends which brew it is, which bottles I happen to pick up, and what I am in the mood for. If I am hoping to get nice and ham ham, I'll easily crush a couple of fancy high abv bombers. Tonight, it is a chill Sunday, and I'm kicking back with a 22 of #9 to start my process of self-lubricating. Delectable!
