It's Beer Week in San Francisco. While I do love that delicious hoppy beverage, I don't think that it deserves all the fun. Beer technically only gets one week (one incredibly epic week filled with so much crafty beer goodness), but let's face it, every week is Beer Week in SF and I say don't let it have all the fun. Instead, let us also check in on the other grain-distilled beverages that have made the news recently:  

Photo by hankjames215

This week bourbon producer Maker's Mark announced that they will be watering down their beloved beverage. In order to keep up with their high standards, Maker's Mark bourbon must be aged at least two years. However, because it is so popular, consumers are drinking the brown water faster than it takes to make it. To allow for more stock, Maker’s has decided to take their product from a solid 90 proof to a mere 84 proof. I’m really going to miss those six points.

Photo by Esteban

If beer or bourbon simply aren’t your thing, maybe it’s vodka. But no one drinks vodka straight (unless you’re Russian and/or you're drinking to stay warm in subzero weather). If you're watching your figure and you’re a sissy, you probably drink it with diet cola. Turns out diet drinkers aren't such wusses afterall. According to a recent study, those who consumed their vodka with diet soda had breath alcohol concentrations 18 percent higher. If your only goal is to get sloshed, do it with diet.

Photo by M @ X

San Francisco has a long time love affair with the digestif Fernet Branca. Outside of Buenos Aires, San Francisco consumes more Fernet then anywhere else in the world. On a recent episode of the Nerdist podcast, indie music and movie darling Jason Schwartzman revealed that long time funny man Bill Murray also enjoys a little Fernet from time to time. While dining together (when Jason was the ripe age of 17), Bill expressed his love of the herbaceous goodness. Since then, Jason has ordered the shot whenever he goes out. Despite the Coppola’s cultured background, Jason learned something that we San Franciscans have known for years.