I would have to agree with that, I didn't touch tequila for almost 15 years after losing a late night battle with it when I was 21. I guess that's why they call it too kill ya.

Luckily, I was only turned off to alcohol that was never really good in the first place. High-proof peppermint schnapps is like the devil's toothpaste.

Me? I like tequila, but I learned about moderation rather quickly. I can count the times my stomach has kindly returned booze (along with food items in various states of digestion) on one hand.

If I were trying to say that, I'd have said "onto one hand."

Oh, and I've never blacked out. It's amazing what some people cannot recall the next day. "Yes, you were really running around screaming 'Mommy loves me!' at the top of your lungs while riding a broomstick and slapping your exposed butt cheek."

You said you'd never tell! (Runs away crying)

LOL!

At the calculated risk of steering the conversation toward something more palatable than puking or Peter's butt cheeks...

Mary, my local newspaper (The Tacoma News Tribune) had an article this morning that made me think of you. Here is an odd slide show related to their review of 9 Summer seasonal beers, primarily from the Northwest. I don't disagree violently with most of it. Personally, I like the Hale's and Deschutes a bit more than their panel did. YMMV.

Any of these would be fine alternatives to the McBeer at your parents' house.

I lived in Spokane for almost 3 years and besides Europe the Great NW has got to be the land of BEER. I love that micro brewery stuff, but out of the Pyramid Beers I have to say I prefer the HEFE. Man, do I miss the days of going to Safeco to see my Mariners and never make it to the stadium due to the Pyramid brewery being right across the street................mmmmmmmmmm Oysters and Hefe and listening to the crowd cheer outside!

I have a couple bottles of Big Sky's Summer Honey left and I agree with the slideshow review. It's quite a nice beer for a warm sunny day.

I also have a few of New Belgium's 1554 and it's quite nice, although a little lighter in flavor and complexity than I prefer in dark beers. Still pretty tasty.

Adam, I think part of the allure of the 1554 is that it is a small, black beer. One of the distinguishing characteristics of many Belgian styles is that they are relatively light in body despite sometimes very high alcohol content. This scenario is accomplished by having not only alcohol-tolerant (and distinctively fruity) yeast, but also by ensuring a very high percentage of fermentable sugars in the wort (either naturally through mashing methods or artificially by adding candi sugar). Honey also ferments out completely left to its own devices as long as the yeast is respirating.

Point being, I like the 1554 because the absence of perceived alcohol and the absence of high hop bitterness allows the malt and yeast to shine through in ways very unlike other styles that possess its roasted character.