| Drunkest Cities in US Milwaukee has been ranked by Forbes.com as "America's Drunkest City," based on information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 70 percent of adult Milwaukeeans reported that they had at least one alcoholic drink within the past 30 days. That compares with 45 percent in Nashville, Tenn., which ranked last among the 35 cities on the list. To do the study, Forbes ranked each city in five areas: state laws, number of drinkers, number of heavy drinkers, number of binge drinkers and alcoholism. Coming in second on the Forbes list is another cold metropolitan area: Minneapolis-St. Paul. The twin cities ranked No. 2 for adults who reported having had a drink in the last month, No. 3 for binge drinkers and No. 12 for heavy drinkers, according to Forbes. Completing the list of the top five drunkest cities are Columbus, Ohio; Boston; and Austin, Texas. Forbes pointed out some surprising results. Some stereotypically "partying" cities didn't rank high on the list. Las Vegas came in at only No. 14; New Orleans, home to Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras, only ranked in 24th place. And a town known for spring-break revelers, Miami, was only No. 33 |
| Beer Prices Bring Profit What a difference a year has made in the U.S. beer industry. Last summer, a price war among the major brewers devastated profits, which led to declines in the companies’ shares. This summer, price increases that were implemented early in the year are holding — even in the heat of summer — and boosting company results. At Anheuser-Busch, profits were up 7.4 percent in the second quarter, in part because of higher prices that have offset some rises in commodity prices such as aluminum. Anheuser-Busch stock hit a 52-week high of $48.81 on July 27. Last year, the St. Louis brewer’s profits were down almost 10 percent in the second quarter and 24 percent in the third quarter. During the two weeks surrounding July 4, the average price per volume in supermarkets was up 2.4 percent for Anheuser-Busch, 2.9 percent for Molson Coors and 1.5 percent for SABMiller PLC’s Miller Brewing Co., all compared with a year ago. |
Feature News from beernexus.com
The World of Beer in Japan
Beer in Japan may have an uncertain future but still
enjoys a rich, though brief, history. Back in the
samurai days, beer was unknown to the average
Japanese - a curious concoction occasionally brewed
up in foreigner enclaves by Europeans for their own
refreshment.
That all changed in the late 1800s, when Japan
eagerly absorbed anything foreign in its quest to
modernize.
Deeming beer a symbol of Western enlightenment, the
government even set up its own brewery in 1876 with
the help of German brewmasters.
Today, Japan is the world's sixth-biggest beer
consumer and Asia's No. 1 per capita. Beer looms
huge as the national identity, surpassing even
homegrown sake as the favorite tipple.
And though the official drinking age is 20, nearly
anyone with enough spare change can buy a cold
brew at beer vending machines. Rooftop beer
gardens, with billowing clouds of barbecue smoke, are
a summertime must.
Then there's Kidsbeer, a cola-flavored, golden-colored
softdrink that is served in brown, long-necked bottles.
The sales pitch: "Even kids can't stand life unless they
have a drink.'' Beer is so beloved that cans, bottles,
even 3-liter (3-quart) party jugs, are left on
gravestones as offerings to the dearly departed.
But if you're going to partake in Japanese beer culture,
make sure to observe proper etiquette.
Never pour your own glass, and make sure to use two
hands - one to cup the bottle's bottom, the other to
cradle the neck - when pouring for your seniors.
When receiving, always hold one hand under your
glass in pious humility. After clinking mugs, chug away
after a hearty toast of "kanpai,'' or literally "dry glass.''
Don't be surprised if your glass is quietly refilled every
time you come close to emptying it.
Japanese custom dictates that friends don't let friends
go dry, and an empty glass is considered a sign that
you want to keep drinking. When it's time to sober up,
leave your glass at least half full.
Beer in Japan may have an uncertain future but still
enjoys a rich, though brief, history. Back in the
samurai days, beer was unknown to the average
Japanese - a curious concoction occasionally brewed
up in foreigner enclaves by Europeans for their own
refreshment.
That all changed in the late 1800s, when Japan
eagerly absorbed anything foreign in its quest to
modernize.
Deeming beer a symbol of Western enlightenment, the
government even set up its own brewery in 1876 with
the help of German brewmasters.
Today, Japan is the world's sixth-biggest beer
consumer and Asia's No. 1 per capita. Beer looms
huge as the national identity, surpassing even
homegrown sake as the favorite tipple.
And though the official drinking age is 20, nearly
anyone with enough spare change can buy a cold
brew at beer vending machines. Rooftop beer
gardens, with billowing clouds of barbecue smoke, are
a summertime must.
Then there's Kidsbeer, a cola-flavored, golden-colored
softdrink that is served in brown, long-necked bottles.
The sales pitch: "Even kids can't stand life unless they
have a drink.'' Beer is so beloved that cans, bottles,
even 3-liter (3-quart) party jugs, are left on
gravestones as offerings to the dearly departed.
But if you're going to partake in Japanese beer culture,
make sure to observe proper etiquette.
Never pour your own glass, and make sure to use two
hands - one to cup the bottle's bottom, the other to
cradle the neck - when pouring for your seniors.
When receiving, always hold one hand under your
glass in pious humility. After clinking mugs, chug away
after a hearty toast of "kanpai,'' or literally "dry glass.''
Don't be surprised if your glass is quietly refilled every
time you come close to emptying it.
Japanese custom dictates that friends don't let friends
go dry, and an empty glass is considered a sign that
you want to keep drinking. When it's time to sober up,
leave your glass at least half full.
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