Updated March 19: Discarded Alcohol Containers: What Can They Tell Us?

Discarded alcohol containers. They’re a by-product of life. I suspect no city or town in the world is without them. One of the banes of the cyclist, and one of my banes particularly when I lived and rode in the Southwest is broken beer bottle glass scattered in the shoulder of the road. Just why this problem is more prevalent in the SW is fodder for another of my entries perhaps.

In terms of beer containers – be they bottles or cans – what kind are you picturing right now? What brands?

I’ve noticed something on this topic since living here in the Pacific Northwest – specifically the Seattle area:

Below are a few pics from a walk I took today.

Evidence of the PNW being a major hub for high quality microbrews? Evidence also of the town/area in which I live and walk being affluent? (I may live on Bainbridge Island but I ain’t). It’s clear that the discarders favor stronger brews. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Full disclosure: I did also step over some Busch and Budweiser cans. I suppose those are present everywhere. It is the presence of the pictured – which were by far the most numerous – that raises the questions I present for your consideration.

Remember, these pics were snapped during just one brief walk. More pics from this walk will follow, including one of a cider bottle. Also, a picture I am trying to track down depicts a bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag sitting empty atop a newspaper rack in town. The bottle? A 22 oz. Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA. Sadly, I think that picture died with my Blackberry phone. (See my blog post on that event).

Whatever the implications, I do wish (in vain) that the beer-vessel-tossing doorknobs would stop chucking the bottles from their moving motor vehicles, leaving the  broken glass in the bike lanes.

Racer 5 IPA from Bear Republic

Outburst Imperial IPA from Pyramid

Maximus, a strong brew from Lagunitas

Torpedo “Extra IPA” from Sierra Nevada

22 oz. Ridgetop Red from Silver City Brewing

22 oz. Crispin Hard Cider

As I upload these last pics, I am again amazed that all these bottles were photographed during one single brief walk.

Perhaps we need to start a program akin to the needle exchange program. The government could make available to folks reveling with bottles after dark recycling bins where bottles could anonymously be deposited. Speaking of needle exchange programs, I did come across a hypodermic needle in the vicinity of where I found the cider bottle.

I need thicker boots.