Recession Proof: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Drink

Apparently we all want to dull the pain a bit.  That seems to be the common wisdom explaining why alcohol sales go up during a recession.

The EconoMuse, who also works in the wine industry, remembers clearly a call-in radio show on NPR before the holidays that was exploring bright spots in this dismal economy.  The host wanted to hear from those whose business was booming.  Since the EconoMuse was knee-deep in musing about the best way to give wine as holiday gifts, her ears pricked up when a caller claimed his premium beer distribution was having its best season ever.  This led to the inevitable "dull-the-pain" theory, and it got the EconoMuse thinking, "What the ?" (to quote my little friend Davey M.)

Oprah may have her "Aha" moments.  The EconoMuse has her "What the ?" moments. She could understand that people tend to drink more during tough times.  All the beverage analysts are saying that (so it must be true, right?).  But this caller was selling premium beers, and no, Joe Six-Pack, that is not Coors Extra Gold. We're talking $15-20 per bottle!  How could this possibly be a good time for that?

Well apparently it isn't.  Ms. E-Muse thinks the caller was drinking a bit too much of his own merch over the holidays, and he has probably woken up this February with a big post-holidays hangover.  According to Jerry Hirsch of the Los Angeles Times ("Recession Reshaping Drinking Strategies"; January 20, 2009), this recession is hurting alcohol sales more than previous downturns.  Apparently people are trading down from premium brands and stepping away from the cabernet.

Muse Lynne gave Ms. E-Muse some of her own anecdotal evidence.  Apparently Lynne has friends in high places (that would be K&L Wine Merchants to all you Bay Area types, aka Mecca for those who want to have fun trying interesting wines at lower price points.  P.S.: they do ship.)  Anyhoo, Lynne reported that holiday sales were brisk at K&L.  The big diff this year?  Price point.  People are running to the less expensive brands.  The EconoMuse thinks this is a damn fine idea because almost anyone can make a decent cabernet for $80-100.  The real fun begins when you find a great wine for $20-30.  Or even less.

So, with this in mind, the EconoMuse would like to make Recession Proof a recurring feature of this blog. Each week (or so) she'll explore the joys of drinking for less.  But it is not as much fun to drink alone, so please, send the EconoMuse your own frugal finds.  

Recession Proof Sip of the Week

The EconoMuse is starting off by alienating all her wine-drinking friends and throwing down with a beer. And for good reason.  This beer saved her life on Super Bowl Sunday.  Its one of her new faves, Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock.

For just $7.99 a six-pack at BevMo, this beer can keep Ms. E-Muse and her fellow Blonde Bock fan Muse Maria entertained for a whole evening!  That's a measly $3.995 each!  And seriously, when you are thinking about good value during a recession, it doesn't get much better than that. Apparently, bock beers were originally brewed by monks in the 1600s to minimize hunger pangs during fasting periods.  (Could that be Renaissance Recessions?)  You've gotta admit that's a lot of history and--no doubt--a lot of experience with dark days.

But it isn't all doom and gloom with our friend the Blonde Bock. This is a golden, medium-hopped beer with a deep, malty flavor and a rich creamy head.  Apparently blondes do have more fun in a recession. (Foreshadowing Alert--future blog post!) 

And just how did this beer save The EconoMuse's life on Super Bowl Sunday?  Well, she had a bit of the belly bug but still rallied for the annual party.  Since there was no ginger ale to sip, she thought maybe a beer would be OK.  It was more than OK!  The light fizz and the creamy consistency soothed her tummy as well as that pink stuff could. Plus she won $100 from the half-time score, reconfirming that it is OK to be watching football and drinking beer with a belly bug.  (But please, try this at home.  It probably isn't a smart idea to road test the theory at a party with a lot of people you don't know like The EconoMuse did.)