Alcohol-Free and Unashamed — by Matt Salis — One Year No Beer

“Grab me a beer, son, and I’ll give you a sip,” my father requested on many Saturday afternoons of my youth. He drank cans of Budweiser back then. So the first time he took me to the Indianapolis 500 at age five, I rooted for Mario Andretti. I didn’t pick the driver because he was arguably the best racer in the world. Instead, I chose to root for him because he drove the bright red Budweiser car.

One of my clearest memories of vacations to visit my family in the summers of my childhood is of the drips of condensation trickling down the side of my grandfather’s fancy Michelob bottles with the tapered sides and gold foil label. When my father returned home from a hard day of work, priority number one was to greet his family. Priority number two was to pour himself a gin and tonic — each and every single night of my childhood.

My early years

My father and grandfather are both very successful men who love their families and provided for our every need. They both nurtured us and cared for us unconditionally, and taught us about life and responsibility. They were my role models, and I love them very much. So when they taught me to associate alcohol with success, celebration, commiseration, stress management, manhood, relaxation and daily routine, I paid attention.