Why the beer hate? (Forked Thread: What are the no-goes...)

[Obryn]

I figure I should answer. Generally, we just don't drink because nobody's interested. It depends on my ever-shifting group, really. If someone brings beer, we'll drink. If nobody does, we don't miss it.

On my 1/month Saturday game, someone generally brings a two six-packs of something. We stay away from crap beers; much like good wine, it's usually a nice domestic craft beer, or a good import. Nobody's drinking for the effect - we're drinking for the sociability and the enjoyment.

It has a potential for problems, but so do lots of things. I can't understand banning it because it might cause problems; I think it's better to be open and confront any problems that appear. I think it's a benefit to being mature, and playing with a mature group.

-O

 

[Mallus]

I don't get it, either.

A question for the people who don't like being around even moderate alcohol consumption... do you ever dine out at restaurants? Where people typically drink a bottle of wine with dinner, or indulge in cocktails before and cordials after (actually, I prefer Calvados as my postprandial fire-water).

 

[ggroy]

The main thing that I didn't like about having beer and other booze being around the game, is dealing with the shenanigans during the game and having to clean up afterward. All kinds of stuff like beer being spilled, bottles falling onto the floor and shattering, players throwing bottle caps at one another, dumping beer over somebody's head, players passing out, etc ...

This sort of stuff happened frequently enough when I was gaming in college, that I development a profound distaste for having booze at the game table.

 

[SteveC]

For me, I don't want beer at my gaming table because it's never been a positive experience or adder to the gaming, and has always been negative.

For much of my life I gamed at the Student Union at the UW, so there was ready access to beer. Every time we had a player (or the group as a whole) who brought beer into the game, we got less gaming done, and someone would tend to drink more than they should, and that would make for bad decisions in (and out of) the game.

The thing is: on other nights the same group of people would get together and have a drink or two out on the Terrace, and there'd be no problems. The difference was that you were just shooting the breeze with friends in one case, and trying to do something that actually requires thought and concentration in the other.

I'm sure there are plenty of groups that can include drinking with their game, but I've never seen it as something positive or fun...and that means I like to avoid it where possible.

--Steve

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

It's a thinking game. Not necessarily deep thinking, or solving puzzles, or what have you, but it is a game where thinking occurs.

I've never been in a group where people drank alcohol at a game, presumably for the same reason you don't blare a loud TV show in a game, or why you try to get some sleep before showing up, etc.

 

[Bumbles]

A question for the people who don't like being around even moderate alcohol consumption... do you ever dine out at restaurants? Where people typically drink a bottle of wine with dinner, or indulge in cocktails before and cordials after (actually, I prefer Calvados as my postprandial fire-water).

As a rule, I don't go to such restaurants, but when I do, I'm not dining with those people, and if there is a problem with them, it's the staff of the restaurant's problem to deal with, not mine. If the restaurant doesn't handle it well, I don't come back. That said, I explicitly don't go to bars, nightclubs, or restaurants where I know there will be excessive alcohol consumption, such as around major holidays or sporting events. I also avoid certain people's birthday parties or other celebrations. It's far easier for me. Why go somewhere I don't have fun?

And yes, I'm fine with somebody who says "well, I like to drink at games, and smoke, so I won't be coming" . I may not agree, but I don't find myself especially bothered by trying to understand them. Pro Golf fans are much more bewildering.

 

[Dykstrav]

To me, having a drink at the game table is no different than having a drink at any other social event. I wouldn't mind if other people drank a beer or cocktail at a party or if we went out for supper, so I don't really see how gaming is different.

In the past, I've served several different drinks when I host games at my place. Martinis are my favorite, and I've also served Manhattans, Jack and lemonade, beer, and wine. I've taken to drinking vodka at games recently, but that's because my girlfriend had some orange twist. It was actually pretty tasty, and it's got me sampling those fruity vodkas now. I don't drink to to point of inebriation and I don't let others do it when I host... It's never been a problem.

I have also been to a game where there was a cookout scheduled afterward, so I offered to bring the beer. The host approved, I show up with a 24-pack of ale, and I got an icy reaction because of it. I drank two of them and took the rest home. If people have a problem with me drinking at the game, I respect it, but I expect a degree of communication about it beforehand.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Generally we don't drink except if we're having a fourteen hour game session (10am to 12pm), in which case we have a bbq for lunch and generally a beer each (because a bbq's not a bbq unless you have a beer).

However, we have two players who have been known to overindulge. For both Ed and Dave, drinking and gaming does not mix. Ed goes all quiet except for the odd silly comment while Dave has a few more issues. The thing is with Dave is that he always has issues overindulging in something. Like the time he ate 20 paddlepop icecreams within half an hour and then complained for the rest of the game that he felt sick. He even tried to blame the previous evening's dinner as the real culperate. Or the time he ate about 5 big chocolate bars, or of course the time he drank four bottles of beer in 10 minutes. This latter time, he just played silly before complaining once again about feeling sick. And so we have a 2 beer policy at most - which is really a Dave, don't-drink-until-your-sick rule.

Generally though, I prefer games where alcohol isn't consumed.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

In my experience, it's always been a non-issue. If someone broke out a six-pack or bottle of wine, great. In one group, though, a couple players had very strong feelings about drinking, so we never drank. That was cool, too. I've only ever gamed with friends - people I already knew socially - so whether or not alcohol was allowed was just implicitly understood, I suppose.

I can understand someone's reservations, though - especially when gaming with new people they don't know so well. Some people are truly bothersome if they're not responsible drinkers. I don't want to deal with those issues while I'm trying to have fun gaming.

 

[Invisible Stalker]

I'm a teetotaler and I don't want to be around anyone that's drinking.

I don't get it, either.

A question for the people who don't like being around even moderate alcohol consumption... do you ever dine out at restaurants? Where people typically drink a bottle of wine with dinner, or indulge in cocktails before and cordials after (actually, I prefer Calvados as my postprandial fire-water).

I think my annual trip to Red Lobster is about it.

Come to think of it, I just had this discussion a couple of weeks ago in a golf forum. I won't play with drinking/ smoking golfers either.