I must admit, often times I pick up the newspaper or turn on CNN strictly out of a sense of duty to erudition.  Besides the fact the objective journalism never ceases to take a back seat to sensationalism, everything is just so negative…bad news sells.  So as I begrudgingly relaxed with a copy of The Wall Street Journal, I was delighted when my eyes skimmed past the countless articles prognosticating the implosion life, liberty and the pursuit of capitalistic happiness to a single, glorious word…BEER.

Alas, the article turned out to be nothing more than yet another despairing attempt to scare the reader into believing that the end is near, and that they ought to feel horrifically guilty for participating in indulgences that are crucial to the problem.

What is the problem?

American over-consumption of water.

In a nutshell, the author of the article, “Yet Another ‘Footprint’ to Worry About,” slams producers and consumers for egocentrically and carelessly drinking more than their fair share.  Don’t get me wrong…I am all for moderation when it comes to natural resources (and beer!) the Creator has placed in our care.  Nonetheless, I do not want to be persuaded into panic through the utilization of exaggerated journalism.

The first phrase in the Wall Street article states, “It takes roughly 20 gallons of water to make a pint of beer…” Immediately, my joy at discovering an article with beer in the content faded.  Having just finished brewing a batch of beer, I had to laugh at the unqualified statement.  From start to finish, after all the sanitizing, steeping, and cooling of the wort, my home-brew required a maximum of 12 gallons of water, yielding 57  twelve-ounce bottles of beer worthy of  veneration.  That is a far cry from 20 gallons/pint.

Now I know that mass production of any product produces waste, even in the case of beer.  But twenty gallons!?!?

Here’s my postulation…the author, who cited no sources to support his water-wasting claim, spent hours searching for eye popping evidence of waste in the brewing industry.  That example included every aspect of water usage…the water for the beer, the sprinkler system, the toilets, the employee drinking fountain, and that pipe that burst in the brewery basement, spilling thousands of gallons at the horror and expense of the company.  This number was divided by the number of bottles yielded by the brewery, and POOF…a guilt trip worthy of the Wall Street Journal.

There is a point here.  Since I could not take the first phrase employed by the article, the entire content was unsubstantial.  So as I pause midsentence to sip on my [long drawn out pause] homemade brewski, I am guilt free.  I do not believe everything I read.  Do you???