All this time I thought the reason I was never big on bottled water was because of the sheer absurdity of bottled water (H2o + absolutely nothing) costing more than pop (H2o + high-fructose corn syrup + artificial flavors), and it turns out it’s a cultural thing too.

Pretty much I’d co-sign that whole article, both about the meaning of bottled water & the place of beer as a key to interaction.  Though, along with the obvious social aspect of beer, lately I’ve come to deeply appreciate the unpredictability and diversity of brews (this obviously applies more to the smaller-scale craft brewers).  It’s a relatively simple process once broken down, yet so many different aromas & flavors can come from so few ingredients.  I even socialize with complete strangers when drinking in public, but sometimes I like to have a good beer by myself, either while reading something or just letting my mind casually stroll off to nowhere.   Who says beer can’t be an introspective lubrication?