There is nothing more satisfying than a frosty pint of beer on a hot summer day. Beer, whose presence is required at any worthwhile college party, gives us the license to relax. Whether it’s the alcohol content or the company we find ourselves in, a malty beer tells us we can afford the time to take it easy, even if it is just for a few minutes. Savory sips govern our lives for some time and we spend time in reflection, conversation, and lightheartedness instead of places of anxiety and worry.
The opening of World of Beers on Mill Avenue signifies something indisputably true about the youth residents of Tempe: We want beer and we want good beer. The days of shot-gunning the nearest can of Budlight or Coors are over. Beer, for residents of Tempe, has become an act of pleasure, an indulgence, rather than a vehicle to mindless intoxication. Besides, that’s what Popov is for.
Craft beer, particularly those from notable microbreweries, has become more accessible than ever to Tempe residents. Students on a budget can find a beer from Four Peaks at Fry’s. Those with a more adventurous palate can venture into Whole Foods, and pick up an Arrogant Bastard IPA from an Escondido brewery in California. Safeway often has options to build your six-pack, encouraging students to expand their palate beyond the tasteless Coors, Bud, or Miller.
Four Peaks Brewery symbolizes our current transition to high quality craft beers well. A former ice cream creamery, Four Peaks offers a variety of ales and lagers that entice both the tourists and locals of Tempe. While Four Peaks’ products have changed — they no longer specialize in ice cream, but beer — the result is the same. Instead of savoring every bite of a chocolate ice cream cone, we relish every ounce of an Oatmeal Stout when it gives us just the right amount of a tingly glow.
The increased interest in high-quality brews indicates that we are drinking less for drunkenness, and more for enjoyment. Drinking an Oatmeal Stout takes time, and cannot be consumed as quickly as a Miller Light. The complexity of flavors in an Oatmeal Stout is wasted if we drink it too quickly.
When we drink for enjoyment, rather than intoxication, we save more time for conversation. Our time at parties is spent doing things that are still crazy fun, but less stupid fun. As far as social lubricants go, craft beer is as classy as it gets. Your taste buds will thank you for showing them some high-quality beers. Those of you who think you don’t like beer, just wait until you try the right one.
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