Enjoyment vs. Value

A Discovery News article, about a study done where the more expensive the wine, the more people enjoyed it--even through neurological scans, not just by a rating scale.

Yes, this study was done about wines, but there's no doubt that the point of it extends to other consumable products. Or does it? To me, a huge reason to pay an extra dollar a bottle of beer (and, you know, not buy beer in cans) is because of the additional taste. The thickness of taste, the extra texture. I could tell the difference. And I've paid $4 more for a bottle of beer that was imported, and really liked it--but I haven't better enjoyed a beer at a bar when paying $4 more than the cost.

Comments?

Lagunitas' IPA -- Four Beers

This is an excellent IPA. "Suicidally hoppy" is right. Nothing but hops, all the way down, in this one, but by no means in a bad way. Even with such a powerful hop kick, it's still gentle enough to be light and leave only a little aftertaste. It has what I think of as a "tight" carbonation too, where you don't feel bubbles or excess gas in your mouth, but there's a tingle all through your mouth, as if the bubbles were just smaller than usual somehow. More like champagne than pop. I don't remember the price, but I'll check later. A four if it's cheap, a three otherwise, and it'll definitely become a regular for me. [Update: now that I'm rating out of six beers--what was I thinking rating out of five beers and not six?--it's a four either way.]

[Label text:
-Thanks for choosing to spend the next few minutes with this special homicidally hoppy ale. Savor the moment as the raging hop character engages the IMperial Qualities of the Malt Foundation in mortal combat on the battlefield of your palate!
-Life is Uncertain, Don't Sip!]

Anderson Valley's Boont Amber Ale -- Four Beers

Anderson Valley's one of my favourite breweries, ever. Every beer is packed full of flavour, even if I don't necessarily like all of them. But, I can talk about those in another post. For now, I'm drinking the amber ale. Like I said, I don't always like the flavours. It's not malty or hoppy, just amber. But it's a pleasant amber, feeling full in your mouth without any of the negative side-effects like sweetness or bitterness that others might, though there is some toastiness right at the end that I really like. I'll give it a four, but really it's probably more like a three because it costs the same as the other fantastic Anderson Valleys (not an incredible amount, but still enough), but without all the greatness of the others.

[Cap texts:
- One a day is all we ask
- Because beer is not a spectator sport
- Comfortingly expensive
- Once you hop, you can't stop]