Reflections From a Murky Pond

In America the federal government demands that warning labels be put on all beers. These labels warn of the potential hazards that drinking too much beer can cause and were forced upon breweries by the The Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act (ABLA)

GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) ACCORDING TO THE SURGEON GENERAL, WOMEN SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BIRTH DEFECTS. (2) CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IMPAIRS YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE A CAR OR OPERATE MACHINERY, AND MAY CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS.

The required warning makes it very clear to everyone exactly what the US government is concerned about.

Before & After – Gentlemen Beware

The Rinkuškiai Brewery in the Biržai region of Lithuania, while not required by their government to put such warning labels on the beers, chose to provide very practical warnings anyway on bottles of their Beers.

I don’t know about you, but I think that Rinkuškiai’s warning looks to carry a lot more weight with drinkers than what the US government requires.

Gentlemen, drink responsibly or you may face some ugly consequences.

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The Coca-Cola Company is pulling its special white holiday cans from the shelves months earlier than originally planned because of a backlash from consumers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, there were perceived taste differences and many found the white cans too easy to confuse for diet coke – because reading the can’s label was just too much work or took too much thought.

While not directly causative, this bit of stupidity is indicative of why America is in the piss-poor shape that it’s in. Too many people are too mentally deficient and too lazy to even begin to do for themselves but are seemingly always willing and able to complain and to demand that “the powers that be” make changes to enable their unmerited comfort.

It’s really no wonder that wealth, influence, and power are concentrated among the few when the many are little more than mindless drones.

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In days not so long gone by Obama has showed an interest in holding beer summits, presumably to foster the idea that he’s one of the people instead of a Ivy League educated “1%’er” with little or no connection with- or understanding of we, the People.

In itself that’s no problem; Presidents are rarely from the masses. If Obama plans to revisit this campaign tactic though, it’s going to take reworking similar to his wealth redistribution campaign plank and the Obama Girl.

Obama leads a charmed life though and, thanks to the Lagunitas Brewing Company, there’s the perfect beer for his next iteration of a beer summit – Wilco Tango Foxtrot.

Like Obama, WTF is rich and brown, but carries a harsh, bitter bite that is not normal in an American product. In the beer’s case it comes from Californian hops sensibilities

It’s noteworthy and apropos that Wilco Tango Foxtrot was supposed to be named “2010 Recovery Ale” but they said, “It’s 2011 and it STILL doesn’t look like we’ll be there anytime soon.”

If you can still afford it and tolerate the bite, hoist a glass of WTF in Obama’s “honor.”

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