Tanja87

Oh, another thing we were wondering is - how much are you allowed to drink when driving? Might seem like a silly question and we're certainly not terrible drinkers but with having to drive long distances to go to restaurants (from what I gather) is it ok to have a drink or two with your meal and still drive? Hubby tried to look into this but couldn't find any conclusive info... (Glad he's got his priorities straight lol)

Pulaski

Texas, as per most other states, is exactly the same as the UK - 0.08mg/ml, and half that for commercial drivers or "any detectable amount" if you're under 21. So two beers for a man of average weight would be OK. .... Watch out for extra strong craft beers, which are much stronger than most "ordinary" beers - typically 6%-7%, and 8%-11% is possible.

kodokan

A lot of people here seem to drink and drive*, but usually it's because they're drinking lite beers which are low calorie (and taste) and tend to be lower alcohol. I don't drink if I'm driving as I've a fairly low tolerance for alcohol, so usually just have the endless jugs of free iced, lemoned water they give out. (Everywhere will dole out water; there's no need to pay for soft drinks unless you want to.) If you want an alcohol-free beer, O'Douls is the least terrible, especially the darker one.

I do, however, have a pint or two if we bike to bars and restaurants. Technically the law is the same as for car driving, but realistically no one's going to pull over the sweet middle-aged pair of bikers ambling slowly home through quiet residential streets around 9pm, and randomly breathalyze them. It's not like we get falling-off drunk or go on busy roads.

*I was really surprised how many in Arizona, given the first offense carries a penalty of a mandatory 24 hour jail sentence alongside the usual fine and license points.

FinnDiego

Technically the penalties are high in California too, but getting caught is very unlikely. I don't think the police can just randomly breathalyze people - they'll either set up a full-on checkpoint, advertising it in advance (and usually making it easy to avoid) or have to have another clear reason to do so. Having a drink or two is pretty common.

I wouldn't recommend drinking much at least at first when driving in an unfamiliar country, with slightly different rules, on a different side of the road etc.

There's a reason I live within walking/biking distance from a number of bars and breweries! Yes, the limits are theoretically the same on a bicycle, but I've never heard of anyone being getting a DUI (BUI?) on a bike. Makes sense to me since it's quite hard to kill someone else riding drunk...

Pulaski

US "Lite" beers are as strong as mainstream lagers in the UK, and stronger than most mainstream British ales. I agree that lite beers haven't got much taste.

Beaverstate

US lite beers are 3.2% are they not? Stronger than mainstream British ales? Color me confused.

Pulaski

Bud lite is 4.1%, regular Bud is 5.0%.

Beaverstate

I was under the impression that all regular domestic beer was 3.2%

kodokan

Ah, I'm comparing them to what I'd otherwise be drinking, which isn't Bud; I go for the strong dark craft beers which come in around 6-7%. I know I can have two bottles of those but feel drunk after a third, whereas I can drink 3-4 Lite beers (Amstel Lite is most tolerable) and not really be feeling like I've had any alcohol.

Beaverstate

I looked it up and yes you are correct. Another myth shot down.

Beaverstate

Yes a good IPA or stout will usually be 6 to 7.5%. As far as American brews.

Pulaski

Here's a table that includes Bud, Coors, and Miller. They're all around 5.0% for "regular", and 4.2% for light (Bud light is 4.2%, not 4.1%). Yeungling is about 0.5% less for both lager and light. Ice beers are about 0.5% stronger than regular.

AFAIR mainstream lagers are 4.0%ish in the UK, "export" lagers are 5.0% (Grolsch is 5.2%), and regular dark ales are 3.5% +/- 0.3%. Small breweries in the UK used to usually brew dark ales up to (only) 4.0%-4.5%, but I don't know if that is still true given that most US craft breweries are regularly brewing ales upto 6.0%-7.0%, and often stronger still.

Pulaski

I though it was you who was recently talking about the deals you could get on relatively mainstream brand beers at Costco? ..... And pretty much nothing you listed is anything I would drink.

kodokan

There's a craft brewery/ bar just up the road here which is currently offering a 10% beer. I had a sample of it and it was surprisingly drinkable; they hadn't sacrificed taste for alcohol, like Carlsberg Special Brew did back in my youth. I'd probably need an ambulance if I had a pint of it, mind you.

kodokan

Nope... Don't think I've ever bought beer at Costco. I like working through the extensive range of seasonal craft beers on offer at my Kroger's/ Frys. My preference is for the fall/ winter ranges, when they bring out all their stouts with coffee, chocolate, etc.