Snobby Drinking Nerds
Are you a wine snob? Or maybe just insufferably nerdy? Then check out these "must-read" wine blogs that Forbes has assembled. I can't say that "brands, regions, grape varieties or vintages" really matter to me (I'm more focused on price, neat-looking logo, reputation among my wino friends, and price), but it's sometimes interesting to read some of that wine talk.
Regular Drinking Nerds
"Unlike wine, a world-class brew can be made anywhere in the world, in any style." That's also from Forbes, and it's a pretty good piece. "But barley and hops travel a lot better. A brewer anywhere in the U.S. can work with malt or hops from Washington or New York, or even Belgium, Germany or the Czech Republic, without trouble. Unlike winemakers, who depend on local ingredients and growing conditions, brewers have options--and that's part of what makes beer so much of a joy."
Guess I Don't Much Care
Experts with the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association say that though these studies do show some benefits to moderate drinking, the health risks from alcohol consumption far outweigh the potential rewards.
Drinking any alcohol at all is known to increase your risk for contracting a number of types of cancer, said Susan Gapstur, vice president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society. These include cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon/rectum and breast.
"At the end of the day, if you are at very high risk for cancer, you might want to limit your alcohol consumption even further," Gapstur said. "It's a lifestyle modification you can make, and we don't have as many lifestyle modifications for preventing cancer as we do for coronary heart disease."
But as Chesterton liked to point out, if you're drinking for the health of it, you're already sick.
