Movie, T.V, and All Things Beer

Hey guys! Today when I got out of my last class I sat down at my computer itching to create another post for all of my fellow beer lovers, but for some reason just couldn't think of any ideas, writer's block maybe? Anyway, I decided I needed a break and headed upstairs into my living room where I found all of my roommates getting settled on our couches to watch a movie. So I grabbed a bag of chips and a blanket, found a spot on the couch next to Krista, and waited for the movie my roommates had already chosen to start. Then to my surprise, and delight, the movie that began was Beerfest, one of my all time favorites. The lightbulb in my head switched on and I knew what my next post was going to be about; at least one movie and t.v show that no beer lover should go without seeing!

Now for those of you who have not yet seen the movie Beerfest, do it now! This movie is not only one of my favorites because its all about beer, but because its absolutely hilarious. This outrageously funny beer-themed movie was written by and starred the comedy team, Broken Lizard, the same group of gifted comedians that created the cult classic, Super Troopers. 

The story begins with a game of quarters, a classic beer drinking game, played by two brothers Jan and Todd Wolfhouse. A death in the family leads the two brothers on a trip to Germany where they stumble upon a top-secret, international beer drinking competition, called Beerfest, where they are humiliated by their over the top and hilarious, long lost German cousins who claim that a recipe to the greatest beer ever brewed was stolen and taken to America by their grandfather.

The brothers leave Germany and swear get revenge for their humiliation and honor their family by creating an all-star American team to compete against the undefeated Germans at the next Beerfest. Jan and Todd recruit old college drinking buddies; "Landfill," an overweight competitive eater who out-chug just about anyone, "Fink," a Jewish scientist who studied everything there is to know about beer in his college days, and "Badrinath," a champion beer gamer who had fallen on some bad times and has become a male prostitute. Over the next year the team uses unconventional, outrageous, and laugh-out loud methods in training to become the best beer drinkers in the world. One of my favorite scenes is when the team, in an effort to see how their beer drinking and gaming skills compare to other experienced beer drinkers and gamers, attend a party at a local university and realize that their skills aren't what they used to be when college students out-game and out-drink them. The rest of the movie shows the team's hilarious progression from middle-aged men who were past their college glory days into world-class beer drinkers ready to take on the undefeated Germans. 

 Some of you might have heard one of your friends talk about a "Drunken Recall," or heard the chant "We're not that drunk" at a party, or know someone who owns a "Das Boot," all of which are beer-related phases that came out of this movie and are now engrained in college culture across the country. 

Now as for t.v I would defiantly recommend, if you truly love beer, to watch Brewmasters on the Discovery channel.

 Brewmasters only started two or three weeks ago, but my excitement and anticipation for this show to premiere started at the beginning of this semester when I first saw the previews. And I can say with all honesty this show not only lived up to my expectations, but surpassed them. Its amazing, and no beer lover should go without seeing it. Unlike my favorite beer-themed movie, this t.v show isn't a comedy or even scripted at all. The show follows celebrated brewer, Sam Calagione, as he travels across America discovering new and interesting ingredients and methods to brew the best beers possible. I have only seen two episodes so far, but I have already learned more then I ever thought I could know about beer!

So guys grab a glass of your favorite beer, sit down with some friends, and enjoy the beer-themed entertainment. And as always let me know what you guys think!

Feeling Bored, Need A Change? Check Out Some Local Bars!

 Hey everyone! Last night me and couple of my friends went out to the bar to have a few drinks, and while I was there I realized that I have yet to do a post about any local bars in Rhode Island. I know, and I think most of you would agree, that while drinking a few beers with your friends at home or going to a keg party is always a good time it can defiantly get old.

 Last night myself along with my friends Danielle, Nicole, Cassie, and Nate found ourselves extremely bored and in need of a change of scenery so we decided to head to the local bar, Charlie O's for Sangria Sunday. Every Sunday night Charli O's offers the deal of one pitcher of Sangria for just $5. Now even if you have never experienced Sangria Sunday I'm sure you can imagine the crowd of college students this deal attracts. In fact, I have been to Sangria Sunday more times than I can remember and I can say in all truthfulness that every single time I find myself running into friends, classmates, and even people from back home in New Jersey. 

Now you guys might be a little confused by this post about Sangria Sunday, I mean this is a blog about beer right? Well, not to worry! For those of you who are like me and would rather stick to beer, Charlie O's also offers one pitcher of Bud Light for just $5.

While I was at Charlie O's last night playing pool with my friends, everyone with their own $5 pitcher, I got to thinking about my experiences at all of the bars around URI and I decided that it would be an awesome idea to give you guys a sort of guideline for a few of the local bars, what beer deals they offer, and of course tell you guys some of my personal opinions about each of these bars. Although Sangria Sunday at Charlie O's is great for those nights when your looking to end the weekend with a bang, if your like me and more often than not your just looking for a place to relax, drink a few beers, and have good conversation with friends I defiantly recommend you check out Rhody Joe's.

Rhody Joe's is probably my favorite bar in this area. Here they offer a low key atmosphere, amazing chicken wings, and $2 tall glasses of Keystone. If any of you guys are thinking about checking out this bar I urge you to go on Monday night, better known as wing night. I can honestly say that some of the best memories I have made with my friends came from drinking tall glasses of Keystone, eating delicious and cheap chicken wings, and playing my all time favorite bar game, photo hunt. For those of you who don't know what photo hunt is, it can be found on the computer screens on the bar at Rhody Joe's. All you have to do is insert a dollar and choose from dozens of fun games that can have multiple players. By the way, my friends Gary, Nate, Dan, Alie, and myself currently hold the high score for photo hunt, so you can only imagine how much time we spend playing our favorite bar game. 

The last bar I a going to tell you guys about is Bobby G's. Now the only word I can think of to describe this bar is... interesting. Unlike Charlie O's and Rhody Joe's, both very popular among college students, Bobby G's is not a place you would describe as "nice." Here you can find a more run-down environment with an always entertaining crowd consisting of various local people, some of which can only be described as "characters." But don't let that stop you from going here! In fact, Bobby G's is one of my favorite bars because of it's unique surroundings and population, and of course the extremely cheap beer. If you find yourself with only a few bucks in your pocket, Bobby g's is the place to go for a draft beer costing only $1! 

Whether your looking to have a blast and socialize while listening to loud music, or just in need of a place to wind down from the day while drinking a few beers with close friends all of these bars offer great times and cheap beer! 

  Charlie O's 

2 Sand Hill Cove Rd.

Narragansett, RI 02882     

   Rhody Joe's

515 Kingstown Rd.

Wakefeild- Peacedale, RI 02879

Bobby G's

703 Kingstown Rd.

S. Kingstown, RI 02879                                   

It Power Hour Time!

Hey everyone! Today I woke up after a night of some beer drinking with my roommates and decided I just had to write a post about Power Hour. For those of you who don't know what power hour is I would definitely suggest reading this post because power hour is a great way for beer lovers to start the night off right.

 It has become some what a tradition to hear the phrase "it's power hour time!!" being yelled throughout the halls of my house by my roommate Gary on weekend nights from anywhere between 8:00 p.m and 10:00 p.m. And sure enough once this phrase has been said all of my roommates grab a beer and a shot glass, gather in the living room, and begin what is sure to be a great night.

I know all of you are avid beer lovers, and power hour is a beer drinkers bread and butter, mainly because it can only be played with beer and its a whole lot of fun!

Power Hour is not so much of a game as it is an activity where you drink one shot of beer every minute for and hour, and for obvious reasons can't (or should defiantly not) be done with any alcohol other than beer.

 Heres what happens:

Every participant must have beer in hand and one shot glass ( I suggest you keep a good amount of beer close by because you tend to go through a lot during power hour). Then everyone, as a group, decides which "power hour mix" is going to be used. There are plenty of awesome power hour mixes that can be found online. There are several websites dedicated to creating mixes specifically for power hours, some of which I have listed at the bottom of this post. But you can also just go to youtube.com and search for various mixes depending on what type of music you and your friends like. My personal favorite mix, and one i think you should all try, is the "2000's Decade Power Hour Mix" which is a collaboration of 60 of the most popular songs from this decade, and can be found on youtube. After the mix is chosen all you have to do is take a shot of beer every time the song changes (every minute). Easy Right??

The best part of power hour is the always noticeable progression from completely sober at the first song to not so sober by the last song. As each song comes and goes the atmosphere gets lighter, the laughter gets louder, and the beer supply diminishes. 

I cant tell you guys how many great memories I have of myself and my roommates, my closets friends, coming together in our living room, after hearing Gary's summoning of "It's power hour time!", all of us with beers in hand talking, laughing, and making fun of one another while listening to the songs change and enjoying our favorite activity, power hour. I will never forget the jokes that were made, the adventures that were had, and memories that were spawned all from various power hours with the friends I love. 


Here are some links to always fun power hour mixes. Try them out and let me know what you think!

http://www.mixpod.com/playlist/69021224
http://drinkingpartner.com/power-hours/drinking-songs-power-hour.php


Really guys if you love beer, gather some friends and give power hour a try... I guarantee it will be a great time! Let me know how it goes!! 

Boys Vs. Girls: Punch Or Beer

Hey guys! Ok So I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but doesn't it always seem that at a parties where beer is not the only option more often than not the majority of girls present will opt for hard liquor drinks and the boys will mainly stick to beer? Well I have! 

I have been a student here at the University of Rhode Island for the past three years and I can't help but wonder why it is that a keg will be surrounded by males and females walk around with cups filled with punch, which is generally a mix of some type of hard liquor and juice. Why is there such a clear and constant divide? The reason I decided to dedicate a post to this question is really because... I just don't get it! 

I mean punch generally produces twice the hangover beer does, greatly increases the chances of the consumer to reach a level of intoxication that they didn't originally want to achieve, and punch simply just doesn't taste nearly as great as beer does. Taking all of this into account I found myself asking why is it constantly proven time and time again that girls, rather than boys, walk right by a keg and reach for the punch? 

 I decided that I wanted to conduct a little field research in an effort to try to find an answer to this question that has baffled me for years. 

 I was invited to a party last night, and figured this would be a perfect opportunity to do some investigating on the matter of beer vs. punch between males and females. 

Last night I walked into the party with the intention of observing and questioning the people who were there, and of course to have a good time! As people, both male and female began to show up my predictions proved right. I watched as each person grabbed a solo cup, and slowly but surly the room was divided with the girls forming a line in front of the punch container on one side and the boys eagerly sticking our their cups to the person pumping the keg on the other.

 Of course there were some exceptions. For example, I headed straight for the keg with no intention of ever filling my cup with punch. As the party continued and cups were emptied and re-filled I began my questioning phase of this mini investigation. 

I simply asked the girls why they were drinking punch rather than beer, and the boys why they chose beer over the punch? These were some of my findings:

Girls Responses:

" Punch gets me drunk quicker."

"I don't like beer, don't like the taste."

"Beer has way more calories."

"I only drink beer if I'm playing a drinking game."

Boys Responses:

"I can drink more and for longer by drinking beer."

"That punch is nasty."

"I'm drinking beer and punch!" 

"I get a better drunk off beer, I don't get as out of control or angry."

"We really only made the punch for the girls."

"I don't like punch, if I'm going to drink liquor its going to be a "real" drink at a bar."

Overall I really didn't find a solid and conclusive answer to this question except for the fact that punch seems to be better suited for girls, and beer is more often than not just the preference of most boys. Although I have shed some light on the mystery of why the majority of girls go for the punch and boys tend to consume more of the keg, I want to hear your thoughts and opinions on this constant  theme of college parties... Let me know!! 

10 Fun Facts Worth Knowing About Beer

Hey Guys! Here are some fun facts all about beer that I have come across while writing posts for this blog: 

1) The ancient babylonians were the first to brew this legendary beverage

In fact, the ancient babylonians considered the brewing of beer such an important and vital task, that if a batch was brewed bellow their high standards, the brewer was punished to death by being drowned in the unacceptable batch. 

2) How you get drunk

After consuming beer, the alcohol is absorbed in your stomach and eventually carried through your entire bloodstream. This is why drinking on an empty stomach speeds up the process of getting drunk

3) Beer is mostly composed of the chemicals H2O, as you all know water

This doesn't sound like a particularly interesting fact, but did you know that in the middle ages clean water was very difficult to find, so many people chose to drink beer instead because the alcohol content made it safer to consume than water?? " Not all chemicals are bad! If we didn't have the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen we would not have water, and therefor no beer! Then where would we be? Very bored I guess."- A quote from my friend and frequent drinking parter, Gary.  

4) "Cenocillicaphobia"

This little known word actually means "the fear of an empty glass of beer." The term "double-fisting" resulted as a solution for those who posses this fear. Double-fisting, a term popularly used among college students, means to hold two beers at all times to ensure that when you finish one beer, you are able to immediately start drinking another beer.

5)  If you collect beer bottles your are a "labeorphilist."

Collecting various beer bottles is a common practice among college students. My friend Matt has been collecting since his freshman year and has accumulated and impressive collection. 

6)The first brewery in America was built in Hoboken, NJ in 1642.

Being from new Jersey myself, I find this fact extremely interesting, especially because the first micro-brew made in America at this brewery in New Jersey was my all time favorite beer, Yuengling!

7) Pilgrims on the Mayflower stopped at Plymouth Rock, rather than continuing to Virginia because they ran out of beer

My roommate Krista told me this random beer fact while in the middle of a power hour session last weekend, and we both agreed that we would have done the exact same thing if we had run out of beer. 

8) Store your beer upright

By storing our beer upright, it minimizes oxidation and contamination from the cap. Im sure all of my readers have experienced a beer or two exploding after opening one that has been stored on its side.

9) Beer is a great source of B- complex vitamins!

Who ever said beer was an unhealthy drink?! We all know that college students don't have the best dietary habits, and although I don't recommend an over consumption of this beverage, if you drink a few beers here and there you don't have to worry about your B vitamin intake!

10)A beer lover or enthusiast is called a "cerevisaphile"

I consider this fact, above all I have come across, to be the most appropriate for this blog, for obvious reasons. 

"What's Your Favorite Way To Drink Beer?"

Hey beer lovers! So its Saturday morning and I hope everyone had a good start to their weekend last night, I know I sure did! My roommates and I, along with a few of our close friends decided to have a night in at our house and drink a few beers, which was much needed after the stressful and seemingly endless week I had. 

We all hung out, played some beer pong, and talked about life. And of course since we were drinking beer, my blog came up in several conversations. One discussion, which turned into some what of a debate, was started by my good friend Dan. Dan loves the fact that I dedicated my enthusiast blog to beer, and thinks it is very fitting for me. While we were all sitting around our coffee table Dan asked the group "what's your favorite way to consume beer?" it may sound like an odd question, but it sparked an interesting discussion and material for this post. 

Some people might be confused by this question and say "What? You drink beer out of the can/bottle, just like any other beverage." But my friends and I have witnessed and tested quite a few fun and seemingly out of the ordinary methods to drink beer.
Funneling

Keg Stand

Gargoyle

Shot Gun

Power Hour

Edward 40 hands

Although each of these methods are both fun and great ways to preserve your beer, my personal favorite is, and always has been, funneling. Actually, its kind of funny, we have a house funnel and myself and my roommates tend to take it with us everywhere we go. In fact, all of our friends expect us to have our funnel every time they see us out. Funneling has become some what of an art to me. As weird as that might sound, it does take quite a bit of practice to prefect the act of funneling.

My roommates Gary and Paula strongly disagreed, and made the argument to why power hour is the best way to drink beer while having a good time, while my friend Nate said "NO WAY! edward 40 hand's is by far the coolest method. 

During the discussion, Dan stood up and stated that we were all wrong, and proceeded to demonstrate to the room why shot-gunning a beer is always the number one method of drinking. 

Myself, Krista, D-ham, and Jess held firm to our opinion of funneling as the supreme way to go about drinking beer, and as the discussion ended we all agreed that even though we all have different preferences, each of the previously mentioned ways to drink beer are all effective and a lot of fun!

No matter what way the beer goes down... there is never a wrong way to drink this beloved beverage!!!

Rhode Island Beer Festival: Save The Date!

Reminder!!

The 14th annual International Beer Festival
is right around the corner!

This is America's Largest International Beer Festival...And I know all the avid beer drinkers and beer enthusiasts will NOT want to miss this exciting, fun, and educating event. This event is a great place to meet fellow beer lovers, listen to live music, learn about the history of American and international beer and breweries, enjoy some free food, and of course have a great time with friends..... Oh and did I mention the unlimited sampling?! Yup, thats right, no need to bring your own beer. In fact, anyone who attends this event will be in heaven while sampling some the most acclaimed beers from breweries all around!

Tickets are $37 for a day of unlimited beer, food, music, and fun!

Date: Saturday November 13th, 2010

Location: Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence

The event begins at 1pm, and ends at 10pm

You MUST be 21 years of age or older to attend this event! A diver's license or other form of government issued i.d must be presented upon entering the convention center. 

And remember Be Safe! Plan to have a designated driver to and from the event, Providence Police will be on scene, so plan ahead of time and drink responsibly! 

And as always, have a good time!

I encourage all of my readers, those that are of age, to attend this event and share their experience, stories, and favorite beer tasting moments from the day! I cant wait to hear all of your thoughts!

Directions to the Rhode Island Convention Center(from URI) : 

http://www.providencenightlife.net/business/events/business_info.php?business_id=65

About Me, Katie!!

Hey guys! So I know this may seem a little out the blue, but my professor wants me to dedicate a post to... well, ME! This post is my way of letting you guys, my readers, get to know me and understand my reasoning for creating a blog about beer.

My name is Katie Bohan, age 21, and I am currently a student at the University of Rhode Island. I decided to dedicate my enthusiast blog to beer, beacuse well i love beer. And not just beer, but all things relating to the subject. In fact, I created an entire project on the history of famous Irish beers and breweries for an online writing course I took last semester. Beer has been a significant aspect of my life from a very young age. Being born into an Irish family it is no surprise that beer has always been not only present, but prevalent at ever family BBQ’s, weekly dinner, or major holiday for as long as I can remember. Growing up I spent weekends down the Jersey shore watching my relatives drink beer, play beer pong, and have enthusiastic, and sometimes hostile debates over which brand of brew was the best. My love for beer has never been, and never will be, limited to consuming it. Beer is not just a beverage I use in social situations or the means by which to have a good time. After a long or stressful day the one thing I look forward to is to sit on my couch and crack open a cold beer and relax. I also just find the subject of beer and all topics relating to it extremely interesting. Over the years I have acquired knowledge about beer from listing to my family members, written several papers on various aspects of beer culture, and have created personal opinions through my own experiences.

            The posts I will be creating for this blog will be a combination of beer facts and information I have gathered through research and my previous knowledge as well as conversations with friends and family and my personal experiences. The main focus of this blog will be to create a fun and interesting forum for fellow beer advocates to read about my personal experiences, conversations, and stories about beer, as well as beer related information I have learned and practiced, while providing a place that sparks responses and discussions for my readers to partake in. I will post about nights that started with a few beers and ended up creating stories myself and my friends will not soon forget. I will share how beer helped introduce me to people, and cement life-long friend ships. I will let my readers in on little-known tips about beer games that I have acquired over the years, as well as safety advice when drinking beer.

Hops to it is a not only a blog for those who love to drink beer, but also a source of other various information relating to a plethora of subjects. For example, I plan to focus at least one post on the explaining the role of beer in the social construction of a college campus and the fulfillment of student’s social needs that beer can offer. The subject of beer is one that I am extremely passionate about, and have been for years, and I will not hold anything back from my readers. Everything I know about beer and every memorable experience that I have had with beer will be open to my followers and fellow beer enthusiasts.

Since this blog relates so much to my personal life, I want to know about the people who also have a love and passion for beer... you guys! 
Tell me about yourselves! why do you love beer?

Running Low on Ca$h?

Hey Guys! So I decided to focus this post on the monetary aspect of being a beer enthusiast, especially for twenty-somethings....It is No secret that college students are notorious for being low on funds and absolutely horrible at budgeting money.

             Ever find yourself saying "I'm broke" or "I only have like three bucks in my bank account." I know for a fact I do!! Whether buying beer for the weekend or going out for a night at the bar.... beer doesn't always come cheap....unless you know where to look!!

 So in the interest of helping all those avid beer drinkers out there who find themselves constantly without the funds to buy beer, I complied information about the cheapest way to buy the most beer.

Myself and my nine roommates, all of whom love beer as I do, conducted what we refer to as research for the most financially sufficient way to buy beer..... 

During the summer and the first couple weeks of school we found ourselves buying on average about 1 1/2 30 racks every two days (generally Bud Light or Keystone Light because they are two of the cheapest beers). Once we realized how quickly we were blowing through our money, and that having a house off campus presented us with new opportunities, we collectively decided that we needed to figure out a new system. After talking with a few friends and going to different liquor stores we discovered a few useful tips about buying beer, and here they are.... Hope they help your guys out!!

The Beer Ball:

For those who don't know, a beer ball is sort of like a keg but smaller, more portable, and in the shape of a ball. Myself and my friends were ecstatic to find out that a Bud Light beer ball holds 55 beers and only costs $35, while two 30 racks of Bud Light costs around $50 and only has five more beers.

Beer balls can be found at Schwabbys and Pier Liquor's!

The Keg:

The keg, most commonly purchased for large groups of people or parties, can also serve as a way to save money if you truly are a big beer drinker. Kegs hold 150 beers. A keg of Keystone Light only costs $60, with a $30 dollar deposit (which is reimbursed upon returning the empty keg). This may seem like a lot of money to spend without having the intention of having a party and charging people for cups to drink your keg, a common practice on college campuses, but it can actually be a great way to save money! Think about it... you can keep a keg until you have finished all of your beer and drink it for pre-gaming before going out or a night in with a couple of friends!  Kegs can be found at the majority of liquor stores around the URI area, but if its a weekend, plan ahead and get your keg early! Trust me, I know from experience if its a Friday night near a college campus they go faster than you would imagine.

Tips for preserving your beer (and money):

1. Whether you have a beer ball or keg, ALWAYS remember to un-tap it before you head to bed for the night!! If you don't, your beer will go flat, and every beer drinker knows how upsetting it is when that happens.

2. Always hold on to your taps (beer ball or keg). Keep them in a safe place so the next time you buy a keg or beer ball you don't have to pay for a new tap. In fact, last weekend my good friend Gary misplaced our house tap and we were left without the means to drink the remaining beer in our keg. So guys remember.... hold on to your taps, its never a bad idea to have a tap laying around... you never know when it could come in handy!

3. When drinking out of a keg or beer ball with friends it is a good idea to fill a pitcher up with beer and use that to fill up cups while playing games or hanging out. This might sound odd, but it is a good method to preserve your beer. I learned this too many times when I find half finished cups of flat beer in my living room the next morning, a sad waste of beer.

4. If you feel that there is no need to purchase a full keg, and a beer ball doesn't appeal to you, quarter kegs are also offered at the majority of liquor stores. Buying a quarter keg is a great opportunity to buy a large amount of quality beer for good price!

Beer Drinking Games: Always a Good Time

Hey fellow beer enthusiasts!! I have a few questions for you!

Have you ever found yourself at a party looking for something to do? Or at home with friends on a weekend night wishing you had an alternative form of entertainment? Or found yourself sitting on your couch, waiting for the hand on the clock to hit 10 so you can head out to the bar? Have you ever found yourself just simply bored?

I know most of you have encountered at least one, if not all, of these situations, but not to worry! I have created a list of entertaining, social, and most importantly cheap drinking games to jump-start what is sure to be a fun night.

1. Beer Pong or Beirut?

The first drinking game on my list, and probably the most celebrated on college campuses across the country, is known by two names: Beer Pong or Beirut. Which ever name you choose to use, if you drink beer you are bound to run into this particular game. All you need are 4 participants, 2 ping-pong balls, at least 20 cups ( red solo cups are the most commonly used brand), a table to play on, and of course some beer.

How To Play:

1. Create teams of two players

2. Set up ten cups on each side of the table in a pyramid-like format

3. Fill the cups up about half way with beer

4. The game begins with an "eye-to-eye" shot in which one player from each team attempts to land the ball in one of the other team's cups while looking into the eyes of the opposite shooter. This continues, alternating shooters, until a cup has been made, determining which team goes first.

5. Each player shoots once in turn, until a cup is made.

6. Once the ball lands in the cup of the opposite team, that cup is taken out of the rack and one of the opposing team members must drink the beer remaining in the cup.

7. This continues until one team has successfully gotten rid of every cup on the opposing team's side.

Rules:

Although the rules for beer pong, as well as pretty must every drinking game, vary depending on who is playing these are the general rules that myself and my friends follow:

1. "On Fire"- If a player successfully lands three cups in consecutive turns, then that player is allowed to keep shooting until they miss.

2. "Wrist/ Elbow Rule"- While shooting, every player must stand at a far enough distance so that neither their wrist or their elbow cross the edge of the table.

3. "Behind The Back"- If a player shoots and misses a cup but the ball is rebounded back towards them, and they snatch it before it hits the ground or a member of the other team grabs it, they are allowed an extra shot, but must throw the ball behind their back.

4. "Re-Rack"- each team is allotted two re-racks per-game, meaning they can ask the other team to rearrange the cups.

5."Bouncing"- If a player bounces the ball off of the table and into a cup, the opposing team must take away two cups from the rack in front of them.

2. Flip Cup

Flip cup, a drinking relay race, is by far my favorite drinking game. It is my drinking game of choice because its fast, fun, loud, competitive, and forces you to drink a good amount of beer in a short period of time. Unlike beer pong, there is not limit to the number of participants, very few rules, and little skill involved. In my opinion, flip cup is by far the most social and entertaining game on my list.

How To Play:

1. Create teams of as many people who want to play, as long as the teams are even.

2. Everyone has their own cup in front of them and fills it with beer to the half way mark.

3. The game begins when one person from each team, generally two people directly across from each other cheers to set of the race.

4. Then one at a time each player chugs their beer as quick as possible, places their empty cup right side up on the edge of the table and lightly flips it until it lands on the other side.

5. The next person in the chain can only begin to drink when the teammate before them successfully flips their cup.

6. The game ends when one team has completed the relay.

3. Card Games

Drinking card games are also extremely popular in social settings as well as in smaller gatherings. The main benefit of card games is that they provide a fun way to drink beer, while being able to talk to the people around you, as opposed to flip cup which tends to get pretty loud and competitive. The most commonly played card game is Kings. The rules to this particular card game vary from place to place. But the general idea is that all of the cards are placed face down on a table and one player at a time picks up a card. Each card represents a different action. For example, if a player picks up a "4" then every participant must touch the floor, and the last person to do this must drink. The game ends when all of the cards have been chosen and the players have had an awesome time!

A= waterfall, 2=you, 3=me, 4=floor, 5=guys, 6=chicks, 7=heaven, 8= pick a date, 9= busta rhyme, 10= categories, J= never have I ever, Q= questions, K= make a rule.

Other fun and easy to learn drinking card games:

Up the river, down the river

Sevens ( one of my favorites- no strategy and lots of beer)

Purple

High or Lower

I'm always looking for new ways to have fun with my friends, so if anybody has any fun, social, and cheap drinking games please post them here and share your thoughts! 

To be honest, I don't think playing games while drinking beer will ever get old!

Yuengling: More Than Just Your Average Beer

Hey everyone, so last week was probably the toughest week of my semester so far. With studying for my first exam of the year, picking up two extra shifts at work, scrambling to collect money for rent, and the of beginning the tedious and time consuming process that is fall Greek recruitment, I was in desperate need of an outlet for my stress. Normally that relief would come in the form of a few cans of Budlight, my general go-to-beer, but on Friday i arrived home to fantastic and much needed surprise, Yuengling. 

Yuengling was the first beer I ever tasted and has remained my top choice of brews since becoming a beer enthusiast. After just a few sips of this particular brand of beer I found myself with my feet up on the coffee table, a mind free of worry and anticipation and participating in an enjoyable, and much needed, evening with my closest friends. As I looked around my living room at people I love laughing and making plans for the night, each with a bottle of Yuengling in hand, I got to thinking about the extraordinary, and seemingly effortless, way something as simple as a bottle of one's favorite beer can turn your entire day around.

At least in my case a bottle of Yuengling, a beer I not only love but grew up with, is not just a my favorite beverage, but actually acts as a remedy for stress. Unfortunately, Yuengling is not sold in Rhode Island. Having growing up in New Jersey, where Yuengling is found in all liquor and convenience stores, you can imagine how excited I was when I saw a case of this particular beer on my dining room table. The nearly euphoric feeling that I experience when sipping on Yuengling, surrounded by friends that I consider as close as family not only inspired me to further my knowledge of Yuengling, and create a post about it, but also got me wondering if other beer drinkers, avid or not, have a certain brand of brew that surpasses all of the others and has the abilty to force your feet up on your coffee table and put your mind at ease with a simple swig.

So I ask my readers: What is your favorite beer?