Back in early 2007 Bill and I were discussing the inaugural issues of Beer Advocate magazine, our general consensus was that it’s an uneven but well meaning magazine (with a lot of ads.) But one thing really threw us, in the April 2007 issue of the Beer Advocate magazine Jason & Todd Alström reviewed the Shotgunator in the Beer Ware section of the magazine. (If you’re unaware of the practice of shotgunning, here’s a wiki page describing the activity.)

We were confused that a magazine that has “Respect Beer” in big red letters on it’s front cover would even take the time to review something as disrespectful to beer as the Shotgunator. If they are going to review the Shotgunator where do they stop? The beer hat? Beer pong sets? How do these items help to elevate the beer culture in America and get people to truly “respect beer?”

The reason I bring this up is because I’ve been given the opportunity (which I respectfully decline) to test out something called The Official Beer Glove. It’s not unlike one of these kitschy items that I mentioned previously as it’s nothing more than a glove with “The Official Beer Glove” written on the outside. Thanks, but no thanks.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no prude, I enjoy everything my beer has to offer which includes the side effects. But that doesn’t mean I need to revel in the alcohol like the products I mentioned above do. There’s so much more to beer than the ability to get drunk. When I have a good beer in my hands the last thing I’m thinking is, “how can I drink this as fast as I can?” Instead I make the effort to enjoy every last drop.

Sorry Beer Glove, but I don’t need your gripper fingers to enjoy my beer, if it’s a good enough beer someone would to have to pry it from my hands.