Week after week I read articles in the INDY about the craft beer movement and the apparent “hipness” associated with it (“Voting and drinking,” June 17).
I understand the new breweries, beer festivals and growler fill-up stations popping up all over the Triangle are great for business, and motivate people to get out of their homes to more social environments. However, I worry about the long-term costs to individuals and their families with respect to health and alcohol dependence.
As someone who grew up with a family member who abused alcohol, I am very weary of this new wave of craft beer that on the surface appears to be relatively innocent. Craft beers often have colorful labels, fun names and are at times brewed locally, which makes them seem less harmful but in reality, like all alcoholic drinks, can easily be abused, especially considering the social acceptance and widespread appeal that surrounds the movement.
I am not advocating for abstinence. Rather, I hope to raise awareness toward the pitfalls of alcohol abuse and addiction.
Ryan Pietropaolo, Durham