Light headed

I am officially a light weight. That didn't take long. I stopped drinking beer, mostly, except for a Saturday here & there, and now I get girly-buzzed fast. Especially if it is a non-lite beer. Sigh. On the upside, I've lost a few pounds and I'm a cheap date. But guess what I found? A nice little study from our friends the Swedes that encourages drinking the good stuff, not the lite stuff. Not just another rehash of the red wine-heart health angle, either.
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Drinking wine or beer could lessen the risk of kidney cancer, says a recent Swedish study. The researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute studied the relation between intake of different types of alcoholic drinks and the chance of developing kidney cancer.

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, considered 855 people suffering from kidney cancer and a control group of 1,204 people who did not have any problem. They reported on their consumption of wine, beer, fortified wine and spirits.

The study, led by Professor Alicja Wolk, discovered that the possibility of having kidney cancer was 40 percent lower for those who ingested 620 grammes of alcohol each month as compared with those who did not drink at all.

The investigators found that the risk was decreased in people who drank over two glasses of red wine every week, or comparable amounts of white wine or normal-strength beer. They also found that intake of lighter beers, fortified wines and spirits was not related to a reduced risk of cancer.

The researchers believe that the relationship between alcohol and the reduced risk of kidney cancer could be because of the presence of antioxidants and antimutagenics in some drinks.

Wait, does that mean drinking can impair your judgement?!

Bears eat man at beer festival

What genius thought that it would be a good idea to host a beer festival at the Zoo? I'm no animal expert, but I've watched stupid people throw things at the animals in the zoo when they are sober. I can't imagine what retarded things those same people would do if they were also drinking large amounts of beer. Climbing into a bear cage wasn't at the top of theoretical list, but there you go. Stupid people will always surprise me.

You never miss the water until the well has run dry

I added estimated Weight Watchers points to the post that contains all the calorie data I have been able to dig up on my favorite beers. Please let me know if you have more info. I'd love to add more beers or more data.

Bad beer decisions

I've been on a faux beer diet. It hasn't been a good time. I have been only drinking light domestic beers for the past few weeks. (Hence the sporadic and stinky posts on my i love beer all the time blog.) I am currently waging a full-out-war on squishy body parts and regardless of how often I tell myself that having a beer here or there is ok, it really hasn't done anything to help my efforts. I am going dry for a week. If I lose a ton of weight, I'll have to admit that drinking yucky Bud Light really isn't worth it at all. ~sigh~ Why drink yuck if it makes you fat & doesn't taste good anyway?

It's like a beer sort of lent. You know, without that whole connection to the son of god fasting in the wilderness. Or something. Religion & politics have no place on a beer sort of blog.

Something for Friday - Get on TV

I break into the regular beer news to share something from Department Zero:

This Friday (8/10/2007), the CBS Early Show will be broadcasting LIVE from the Liberty Memorial in KC. This is the final stop on their “Summer in the City” tour. The live broadcast will feature CBS Early Show anchors Dave Price & Harry Smith, plus a live musical performance by country artists Big & Rich. If you're into country, this is for you. Big & Rich are playing the MO State Fair in a couple of weeks, so if you don't plan on driving out to Sedalia, come see them here for FREE.

This is a FREE event – so bring yourself, your family, your co-workers, and your friends! The catch is that it is early. (You know, that's why they call it the EARLY show.) The broadcast is from 6:00am to 8:00am at the National WWI Museum at the Liberty Memorial. To get a seat, you probably want to show up before that. But hey, it's FREE!

It's HOT outside. You need a pool!

Because I am a dork, I captured the above screen shot. Because I am an interactive media nerd, I thought it was nice to see weather-triggered messaging used for something beyond tires, collision repair and allergy med companies . And because I am a beer fanatic, it kind of made me laugh. When I see that is going to be over near 100, or feel like over 100, the last thing I want to think about is beer. Even me! And I drink a lot of it! I know it is the whole angle of Miller Chill (refreshing, tropical vacation beer) and maybe this strikes a chord with the kind of people who drink beer outside when it is over 100 degrees. All it makes me think of is dehydration. I guess it really is true - I'm not in my twenties anymore.

Sorry for the lack of Watson's references to justify the title. It just keeps popping into my head.

Harpooned on an island

I really wasn't done with vacation. It never lasts long enough. I did manage to finish 3 books, go sailing, hit the beach, laze around, and get the Husband to step away from the Motorola Q for a while, so I think it went well. Now I am back, and dreaming of not being back at all.

We went to the Vineyard for a long weekend, and needed beers to go with all those lobster rolls, stuffed quahogs, sushi and scallops we planned to eat. So we picked up some Harpoon Summer Beer and regular Harpoon Ale.

Harpoon Ale was the first in the family of Harpoon beers. When it was first brewed in 1987, there were virtually no other American Pale Ales or Amber Ales available in Boston, let alone an ale brewed within the city limits. Harpoon Ale was the product of extensive research and test brews by Harpoon’s founders to find the right beer to launch the Harpoon Brewery. When first seeing Harpoon Ale in a glass, you will notice its golden caramel color. You will also see that it is not excessively carbonated. High carbonation would mask this beer’s subtle flavor. The first aroma will be fruity. This is produced by the yeast and is a signature characteristic of Harpoon’s proprietary yeast strain. The second perceptible aroma is from the malt, with a delicate caramel note. Upon tasting Harpoon Ale, you will find that the malty, fruity character is nicely balanced by the mild hop bitterness. It has a smooth, medium body. The finish of this beer is crisp but not dry.

Harpoon Summer Beer is a Kolsch style ale. Originating in the Rhineland city of Cologne (Koln), Kolsch ales have the characteristics that many people associate with lager beers. Kolsch is brewed with an ale yeast, but like other northern German light ales, it is straw gold in color and light bodied. The flavor is mild. The hopping levels provide a crisp, dry finish that make this beer particularly refreshing. Harpoon Summer Beer is a beer brewed to be enjoyed with summertime activities. It is light, refreshing, and crisp.This beer goes well with a wide variety of foods, including delicate dishes such as salads and seafood.

I would like a lobster roll, a Harpoon Summer, and the ability to hear waves lapping at a beach again. ~sigh~