Monthly Archives: January 2024

History, Scholarship, Social Drinking

Drunk

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Drunk is both an adjective and a noun. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the former as “having the faculties impaired by alcohol”, and the latter as “one who is drunk”. Drunk is also the name of a book written by Edward Slingerland. The full title is “Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization”. It is a fascinating book and one I have just finished reading. The author, Slingerland, is Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Canada. While Slingerland is an academic, Drunk is a book that is written for a general audience.

The front cover of “Drunk” by Edward Slingerland

The basic thesis underpinning Slingerland’s treatise is that alcohol has played, and continues to play, an important role in society; a role that is generally beneficial both to the individual and to society as a collective entity. A key characteristic of alcohol is that it triggers the release of endorphins whose effects include enhancing a person’s overall mood, while decreasing anxiety and stress levels. In our transformed, more relaxed state, alcohol helps us “with the communal demands of being human” (p. 106).

Central to Slingerland’s thesis is that part of the human brain called the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which “plays a role in regulating emotions in interpersonal relationships and social situations.” Alcohol, however, temporarily disarms the PFC, the locus of rational thinking and self-control, and make us more playful, creative, emotional, and trusting. As a result, consumption of alcohol facilities social bonding among people who may not otherwise be pre-disposed to bond and work cooperatively. As noted by Slingerland, alcohol “functions to bind together non-related individuals” (p. 257) Indeed it has fulfilled this role for thousands of years.

One of the many examples given by Slingerland is Göbekli Tepe, a Neolithic archaeological site (home to the world’s oldest known megaliths) in eastern Turkey where disparate and otherwise unconnected groups of hunter-gatherers periodically met for the purposes of ritualistic feasting. Brewing vats and images of festivals dating to around 10,000 BC have been discovered at Göbekli Tepe.
The ancient beer that was brewed played a central role in the feasting that took place there. According to the Archaeologist Oliver Dietrich and his colleagues “at the dawn of the Neolithic, hunter-gatherers congregating at Göbekli Tepe created social and ideological cohesion through the carving of decorated pillars, dancing, feasting—and, almost certainly, the drinking of beer made from fermented wild crops.” This pattern of feasting and consuming alcohol was replicated in many ancient pre-agricultural societies throughout the world.

Göbekli Tepe in eastern Turkey, an ancient site of feasting and drinking of beer made from fermented wild crops

Slingerland provides numerous more contemporary examples of the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. He talks about visiting the Whiskey Room on a Google campus where coders retire with colleagues to have a wee dram and engage in creative back-and-forth of ideas. He also tells of getting together with his graduate students and faculty members, post-seminar, in a pub on the UBC campus. Much of the conversation revolved around research ideas, with the end result being the establishment of a new research center, a multi-million dollar grant, and a slew of high impact research projects.

It should be noted that in addition to the real-world examples of the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, Slingerland does cite and discuss many laboratory-based scientific studies which provide support for his central thesis. With respect to maximizing creativity, how much alcohol is beneficial? That particular sweet spot is a blood alcohol content of 0.08, or the equivalent of two beers with an an ABV of around 5%.

Slingerland is an advocate of social drinking. Indeed, in his final chapter he warns against the dangers of drinking alone. He cites the work of Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist. In 2017, Dunbar co-authored a paper in which he explored the functional benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. In particular, he found that people who have a pub they they frequent on a regular basis “tend to be more socially engaged, feel more contented and are more likely to trust other members of their community than those who do not drink at all”. Visiting the same pub on a regular basis often results in engaging in social drinking with other regular customers, thus providing patrons with a strong social network. Summing up Dunbar’s findings, “moderate, social drinking brings people together, keeps them connected to their communities, and lubricates the exchange of information and building of networks (p. 192).

Slingerland also touches on a topic that is close to my heart as a professional academic – the value of attending an academic conference, as opposed to participating via Zoom or a similar communication platform. As he so eloquently states, “a unique intellectual benefit provided by in-person academic or professional conferences is the networking, brainstorming, and idea-honing that goes on over meals, over coffee breaks, and most of all informal venues, as the day draws to an end and the intoxicants come out” (p. 180). Indeed it was at an academic conference in New York City in 2012 that a conversation, over a beer, with a colleague from Kennesaw State University was the catalyst for my first paper on the craft beer industry; thus The Beer Professor was born. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many scientific organizations offer hybrid conferences, whereby participants can choose to participate in-person or virtually. Sadly, those who choose the latter option miss out on the added value that in-person attendance bestows. As Slingerland observes, “even the best videoconference is a poor substitute for the visceral buzz of interpersonal chemistry, catalyzed by chemical intoxicants, that comes from in-person socializing in pubs and cafes” (p. 181).

While Slingerland’s book outlines the benefits of drinking alcohol, it is important to note that he warns against its excessive consumption. Indeed, his final chapter is devoted to the dark side of consuming alcohol, with a discussion of topics such as the negative health consequences, drunk driving, and the role of alcohol in contributing to violence against women. He also discusses the discovery of distillation, by which humans were able to produce spirits whose Alcohol By Volume levels are significantly higher than that of either beer or wine. According to Slingerland, “the many functional benefits of alcohol notwithstanding, distillation radically increases its danger to both individuals and society” (p. 237). During the Industrial Revolution in Europe, beers such as Guinness were considered a temperance drink, while high potency distilled spirits were not. As noted by Mark Schrad , writing in Foreign Policy, the growing availability of distilled spirits in early 19th century Europe meant that “once jovial communal celebrations devolved into drunken riots“, while “murder, other crimes, and arson all increased”. This became a concern for European Socialists who saw the devastating effects of spirits on the working class, while lining the pockets of profit-minded and predatory capitalists. In Germany, the Social Democratic Party called for a nationwide boycott of schnapps but not beer. Emile Vandervelde, leader of the Belgian Labour Party and President of the Second International (a collaborative network of European socialist parties) held the position that there’s “no real difference between the moderate use of fermented beer or wine and the complete abstinence from alcohol.” Spirits, not beer and wine, were the real problem.

Slingerland’s book is a lively read. It is well written and follows a logical flow. Anyone interested in the history of alcohol and its role in societies, ranging from ancient to modern, will find it a worthwhile purchase.

Further Reading:

Dietrich, Oliver Dietrich, Manfred Heun, Jens Notroff, Klaus Schmidt, and Martin Zarnkow. 2012. The role of cult and feasting in the emergence of Neolithic communities. New evidence from Göbekli Tepe, south-eastern Turkey. Antiquity, Volume 86, Issue Number 333, Pages 674–695.

Dunbar, Robin I. M., Jacques Launay, Rafael Wlodarski, Cole Robertson, Eiluned Pearce, James Carney, and Pádraig MacCarron. 2016. Functional Benefits of (Modest) Alcohol Consumption. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, Volume 3, Pages 118–133.

Schrad, Mark Lawrence. 2021. How Europe’s Temperance Movement Saved Beer. Foreign Policy, September 26.

Slingerland, Edward. 2021. Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization. Little, Brown Spark Publishers.

Craft Breweries, Gentrification, Neighborhoods

Barrio Logan – Gentrification or Gentefication?

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The role that craft breweries have played in the revitalization of distressed urban neighborhoods has received a significant amount of attention in both the popular media and academic literature. Indeed, it is a topic I have addressed several times in previous blog entries (for example see here and here). The relationship between craft breweries and neighborhood revitalization is a complicated one. In some neighborhoods, the introduction of a craft brewery may be the catalyst for revitalization of the neighborhood, while in others craft breweries arrive after the revitalization process is already underway. An example of the former includes the Ohio City neighborhood in Cleveland, OH, while the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte, NC provides an example of the latter. Some see the revitalization of a distressed neighborhood as a positive development, while others view it through a negative lens. The latter group point to the displacement of incumbent residents and businesses who can no longer afford the higher rents that inevitably come with a revitalized neighborhood. – the term gentrification is often used to describe such a process. Gentrification can be defined as the “a demographic and economic shift that displaces established working-class communities and communities of color in favor of wealthier newcomers and real estate development companies.”

No large American city is exempt from gentrification. This includes the city of San Diego, CA where approximately 30% of census tracts have undergone gentrification since 2000. Late last year I had the opportunity to visit Barrio Logan, a San Diego neighborhood where gentrification has been an issue of ongoing debate.

Barrio Logan is a community of approximately 4,800 people in south central San Diego. Just over 70% of the population are Hispanic. Indeed the neighborhood has been predominantly Hispanic since the early 20th century when refugees from the Mexican Revolution settled there.  The neighborhood is bordered by United States Naval Base San Diego to the southeast, Interstate 5 (built in 1963) to the northeast, and the San Diego Unified Port District and bay to the southwest. A central focus of the neighborhood is Chicano Park, which has been described as “the geographic and emotional heart of Barrio Logan” and “one of San Diego’s most culturally significant landmarks.” Established in 1970, the park is located beneath Interstate 5 and the on-ramps for the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. With over 80 murals, the park has the largest collection of outdoor murals in the world. The murals focus on Chicano culture, “ranging from Mesoamerican influences to local San Diego Chicano struggles”. In 2022, Time Out listed Barrio Logan in its top ten list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods.

Barrio Logan (Source: Barrio Logan Community Plan)
Many of the Chicano Park murals have been painted on the pylons that support the Coronado Bridge
One of the most famous murals is “Hasta La Bahia. Translated, this means “All the way to the bay,” refers to a campaign throughout the 1970s and ’80s to extend the park to the San Diego Bay

On my recent visit there, I had the opportunity to participate in a group walking tour of the Barrio Logan neighborhood. Our tour guide was David Favela, owner of one of the neighborhood’s breweries, Border X Brewing. We started our tour at Border X, where David provided us with a history of both the brewery and its relationship to the neighborhood.

Since its opening in 2013, the brewery has served as a community gathering spot, a neighborhood Third Place if you will. In a recent interview David also noted that “We’re serving the community that exists today. We’re not waiting for a new community to displace them.” The last statement is a nod to gentrification, a topic that is discussed in more detail below.

David Favela, owner of Border X Brewing, tell us about the history of the brewery

After sampling four different beers at Border X, David took us through a transect of the neighborhood, at the conclusion of which we arrived at Mujeres Brew House. Mujeres is owned by David’s wife Carmen Velasco-Favela and her business partner Esthela Davila. It is a brewery with an interesting origin story. In 2019, a survey revealed that 60% of Border X’s customers were female. This gave Velasco-Favela, who was then BorderX’s marketing director, the idea to start a women’s brew club. The brew club functioned primarily as an educational forum, with guest speakers covering every conceivable topic from the history of beer to how the stuff is made. The speakers’ series proved highly successful and soon the idea of opening a female-owned brewery was mooted by Velasco-Favela. When a vacant building became available in the neighborhood, the idea quickly evolved to become a reality. On July 1, 2020 Mujeres Brew House opened its doors.

David talking to our tour group at Mujeres Brew House, with the freeway on-ramp as a backdrop.

Many of the beers at both Border X and Mujeres Brew House are inspired by David and Carmen’s Hispanic heritage. For example, at Border X we sampled their Blood Saison. This particular beer, whose ingredients include the leaves of the hibiscus, is inspired by Agua de Jamaica, a hibiscus iced tea. At Mujeres, the La Jefita Tamarindo Hefeweizen includes fresh tamarind pulp which is imported from Mexico. Both David and Carmen are running breweries which brew great beer and appear to be contributing to the vibrancy of the Barrio Logan neighborhood. More formal recognition of David’s efforts came in 2020 when he was a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Award in the Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer category. The objective of the awards is to “is to recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.”. Although he never won, being a semi-finalist was a recognition of the what David has achieved at Border X.

David Favela in front of one Barrio Logan’s murals

One of the issues that I raised with David during our tour was that of gentrification. Rather than experiencing gentrification, David suggested that the neighborhood had actually underwent a process he called ‘gentefication’. According to one definition, “Gentefication happens when college-educated, upwardly mobile Latinos invest in neighborhoods they’ve grown up in.” In short, the difference between gentrification and gentefication is that in the former it is outsiders with no ties to the neighborhood who invest, while in the latter it is people with ties to the neighborhood (and in some cases current residents) who invest. The word gentefication is derived from “la gente” (“the people” in Spanish), suggesting “grassroots, Latino-led redevelopment of the community.”

While gentefication has undoubtedly occurred in Barrio Logan, so has gentrification. And indeed, both may be having a similar impact. In a paper published in 2021, Emanuel Delgado and Kate Swanson suggest that both processes (not just gentrification) have contributed to increased rents, making it difficult for some longer-term residents and businesses to remain in the neighborhood. They cite the cases of Mesheeka and the Chicano Art Gallery, two local galleries, closed due to escalating rents. Local residents such as Maritza Garcia, who works with the Environmental Health Coalition, are fighting back against further gentrification. The city appears to be listening. The 2023 Community Plan for the neighborhood “seeks to limit the displacement of residents”. Policies identified in the Plan to facilitate this include working with development applicants to provide very-low and low income affordable housing, promoting homebuyer assistance programs for moderate-income buyers, and encouraging compliance with State and local affordability requirements to ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing. But residents are not depending upon the City to address gentrification. The Barrio Logan Community Land Trust Committee has been established to purchase land, with the objective of using it in a way that is beneficial to the community. Community Land Trusts are recognized as one of a number of best practices when it comes to fighting gentrification. I have visited Barrio Logan twice in recent years. As an outsider, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the state of play with regards to the changes which have taken place in the neighborhood in recent years. All I will say is that I enjoy visiting Barrio Logan, and find it a vibrant and friendly neighborhood. And, of course, it has two wonderful breweries.

One Barrio Logan resident makes their feelings on gentrification clear

Further Reading:

Delgado, Emanuel and Kate Swanson. 2021. Gentefication in the barrio: Displacement and urban change in Southern California. Journal of Urban Affairs, Volume 43, Number 7, pp. 925-940.

Rosen, Martin and James Fisher. 2001. Chicano Park and the Chicano Park Murals: Barrio Logan, City of San Diego, California. The Public Historian , Volume 23, Number 4, pp. 91-111.