>I discovered, many years ago, that I'm a happy-mean drunk and it's probably best if I don't overindulge in public. And, since I'm the one generally driving, I don't drink much outside the house. Maybe a cocktail before dinner - or a beer if I'm somewhere I'm gonna be for a while and I'm famous for nursing a beer for a couple of hours or so. Good thing I drink beers that don't turn nasty as they come to room temp.

Same here - I'm the designated (or shall we say cursed) driver, and as a rule, never drink alone. Absolutely never. It's a kind of a dire warning here, once you catch yourself drinking alone, you know you're down the drain, and you know everyone else knows the same warning. I didn't even get drunk when our children were born - had to drive the grandparents around. OK, a bit for the third, had half a liter of white wine and soda water at work (aka špritzer - schpritzer), as I was bicycling that day.

I'll keep my opinion on the american so-called beer to myself :). OK, Schiner and Negra Modelo are fine, and the americanized versions of a few european beers aren't bad.