Drinking at work?

I used to work at an investment firm (just three years ago) in the accounting office which was located next to the lunch room where they had social gatherings.
Once a month they'd have a "social hour" where investors could come up and enjoy a beer with the team.
I partook once, but decided against it after that.
Just wasn't my style to socialize with co-workers...felt really weird.
I also didn't care for their selection of beverages (If I'm gonna put poison into my body, it at least has to be higher quality poison).

Reminded me of advice I was once given:
"Don't :poop: where you earn a living"
Not quite the same but when I worked DIY at AAP, Saturday or Sunday afternoon some shade tree dude, smelling of beer and grease would lean over the counter, booze and fixing cars don’t mix !!
 
Been there, done that. I worked at a startup company where we would celebrate milestones with Champagne. We'd occasionally have Friday wine and cheese. Company even paid for a few visits to local restaurants for a drinks and appetizers. CEO was there and we could order anything we wanted within reason. Once I sat in the parking lot in my car listening to the radio for an hour before I felt right enough to drive. But in between I figured I needed coffee so I went in, the bartender remembered I was from a large group that tipped well, he figured out that I needed to work off the buzz, and the coffee was on the house.
 
I will add that I did join them a couple of times. Wouldn’t have been appropriate for me, in my position, to regularly socialize, but I also felt it was important that I accept the invitation at least once or twice.
If possible, can you expand on this point?

There have been numerous occasions where middle (to upper) management has joined after-hour socializing events. From a leadership perspective, how (and where) do you think boundaries should be set?
 
Maybe a brewery? Don't they have beer coming out of the water fountains at Budweiser?
Ab saint louis remember when they had fridges in break rooms and around the plant . Had crews going around filling them. What was shocked me was factory workers going out to lunch to a taverns around the plant and pay for their beer.
 
If possible, can you expand on this point?

There have been numerous occasions where middle (to upper) management has joined after-hour socializing events. From a leadership perspective, how (and where) do you think boundaries should be set?
My perspective is military, not corporate, so, the circumstances might be different. I was carefully avoiding fraternization.

In the military, the concept of "fraternization" is well-understood. If socialization happens between senior and subordinate, it gives the appearance of favoritism, and it undermines the impartiality and moral authority of the leader. That's fraternization. It is a punishable offence under the UCMJ.

Commanding officers have been relieved of command for inappropriate relationships with subordinates.

So, for me, I was being careful. They were all great folks. I couldn't be their friend, however. I could only be their CO. They got my very best effort, and my greatest respect, but there was a boundary.
 
Ab saint louis remember when they had fridges in break rooms and around the plant . Had crews going around filling them. What was shocked me was factory workers going out to lunch to a taverns around the plant and pay for their beer.

What were they filled with? Granted I remember visiting one of their breweries. They were brewing/bottling some of the their acquisitions like Elysian Fields and selling 10 Barrel in the tasting room. At the beginning of the tour we had our choice including something from Kona Brewing (I guess since AB owns Craft Brewers Alliance).
 
When I was at the Porsche plant years ago they drink beer on their breaks in the building.
I've heard about restoration shops finding beer caps pushed into factory seam sealer on older Porsches, so I guess they drank them on the line too.

I know a place that fired a person that brought a rum cake in and the people that unknowingly consumed it too, what a mess.
 
One place that I worked would pass around beer / wine if they had a good sale.

Well, to everyone but IT. We didn't count as helping make money for the company, so we didn't get any.
 
What were they filled with? Granted I remember visiting one of their breweries. They were brewing/bottling some of the their acquisitions like Elysian Fields and selling 10 Barrel in the tasting room. At the beginning of the tour we had our choice including something from Kona Brewing (I guess since AB owns Craft Brewers Alliance).
Budweiser ,Bud light, Michelob this was way before inbev. Even outside contractors could drink back in the 1970s. 7 minutes an hour line would shut down for a beer break.
 
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Budweiser ,Bud light, Michelob this was way before inbev. Even outside contractors could drink back in the 1970s. 7 minutes an hour line would shut down for a beer break.

Well - I took the tour at the Fairfield brewery. Pretty cool too as I could combine it with Jelly Belly about a mile away for the kiddo. That five bucks (two for the kid with obviously no alcohol) got me multiple samples and basically anything I wanted at the end of the tour, although I had to drive and cashed it in for a can of Coke. But some of the stuff they made there was basically just the same as any microbrew, just made on a bigger scale. I've heard brewers say that their technical skills are such that the could make anything, but they choose to make Bud.

They closed down the tour, the gift shop, and the tasting room though. Not sure why other than maybe it wasn't getting enough business.

I was there once for their 4 PM beer break where they supposedly join with other brewers at their breweries around the country and have a sampling. They even brought out free samples, which I suppose are allowed in California if they're tiny. They had them in 2 oz plastic cups. I guess that is kind of annoying in California in that free alcohol samples are extremely limited. I was cut off at three at a specific brewery and told it was a regulation. They also had free tours that day, but no alcohol like the paid tour. It was a special event with the Clydesdales.
 
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