Oberon Release Day Is Here!

Some people call it the taste of spring, but most just call it Oberon. For those who have not been exposed to the delicious beer, Oberon is a beer made by Bell’s Brewery of Kalamazoo that is a mix of wheat and wild fruity aromas. This beer is a Michigan staple that has been making its way around the country and creating an enthusiastic fanbase. It is set to hit shelves and local bars again, today on March 26! Because Oberon is a seasonal beer, that is only on the shelves and bar taps for six months in the State of Michigan, people around the country and Oberon celebrate the day Oberon is released as a holiday!

Oberon celebrates Oberon Day with festivities at local breweries that sell their beer, which include locations in Ann Arbor, Bay City, East Lansing, and Kalamazoo. Oberon fans will be delighted with the bountiful pub crawls that will be taking place to celebrate Oberon Day. Oberon Day isn’t a night time event either. These events, pub crawls, and festivities will be taking place all day. Ann Arbor’s pub crawl starts at 11AM, and the last bar on the list is at 8:30PM. Where in Kalamazoo, at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, their celebration starts at 9AM for fans who are ecstatic to drink the seasonal brew.

Laura Bell, CEO of Bell’s Brewery said, "We will continue to push the boundaries and celebrate what makes Bell's unique and innovative. As with this year's release calendar, we still reserve the right to announce a few surprises here and there."

This is indeed a big year for Bell’s Brewery, as they plan to release four new beers throughout the year. The first of the lineup is Road to Hell, which will be released in July, followed by Hell Hath No Fury in September, Sympathy for the Devil in November, and a re-release of Sparkleberry Ale which is a fan favorite ever since it debuted at Kalamazoo Pride in 2013. It’s a Belgian-style Tripel brewed with raspberries, and will be released in June.

While many may be excited to take part in the Oberon Day festivities, it’s important to remember to drink responsibly. Drinking all day and into the night can severely impair anyone’s judgement. As such, those who are celebrating Oberon Day should take measures to ensure that they won’t be drinking and driving. Oberon Day is an event people greatly look forward to every year and driving under the influence and causing a car accident may have people celebrating next Oberon Day behind bars.

Drunk Driving car accidents can lead to serious injuries and even death. The Michigan Law Firm, PC specializes in cases that involve all types of motor vehicle accidents. If you or anyone you know has been involved in a car crash, please contact The Michigan Law Firm, PC by calling 844.4MI.FIRM today for a free consultation.

Study Claims Midwesterners Are More Likely To Drive Drunk

As exciting as Oberon season is for Michigan residents, some people might need to consider cutting back, especially if they plan on driving. According to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, people who live in the Midwest region are most likely to drive drunk. An estimated 30% of drivers in the Midwest admitted to driving while inebriated. The three leading Midwest states are Nebraska, North Dakota, with Wisconsin and Iowa tied for third. Though Michigan ranks near the bottom of the region, the rate of self-reported alcohol-impaired driving episodes is still a whopping 497 per 1,000 people. Therefore, Michiganders should keep the beer at the lake and the tailgate, and make other driving arrangements if they find themselves drinking before getting behind the wheel.

Following the Midwest in the study is the Western region, with an estimated 20% of driving respondents admitting to driving while intoxicated. The Northeast region comes in at the lowest with about 11.3% of admitted drunk drivers. If Boston sports fans can pull themselves together and make the responsible decision to not drink and drive, we Detroiters need to step up our game!

The drunk driving study goes on to reveal that the majority of those drivers who admit to driving drunk are between the ages of 21 to 34. Another factor in the study was the number of binge-drinking episodes a person had undergone. Binge-drinkers admitted to drinking four alcoholic beverages a month, accounting for 85% of alcohol-impaired episodes. This is an alarming number, especially when taking into account the risk for severe injury or fatality from being involved in a motor vehicle accident where drunk driving was the cause.

Simply having just two drinks can affect a person's judgment. The CDC states that having a blood alcohol content of 0.2% can affect anyone's ability to perform two tasks at the same time, as well as cause a change in mood and a decline in visual functions. Having three drinks can affect muscle control, reduce coordination, lower alertness, and a release of inhibition. All the more reason to just stay sober if one plans on driving home.

The important distinction to make here is that driving after any amount of drinking is not a good idea. Most of the public doesn't consider buzzed driving to be drunk driving due to their belief that a few drinks doesn’t impair their judgement. These people do not realize that it only takes one drink to impair a person’s ability to drive. The CDC's drunk driving study has highlighted the gap of misinformation and lack of education the public has when it comes to drunk driving. With 28 people dying every day from intoxicated drivers, police officials and communities are informing people about the serious consequences for alcohol related car accidents on the road. 

Michigan has a lot to be proud of, but being a member of the most-likely-to-drive-drunk region is definitely not an honor. If a person plans to drink, they should take safety precautions beforehand to help reduce the number of drunk drivers in the Great Lakes State. Calling a taxi or an Uber, or taking turns among friends to be the designated sober driver are some safe driving methods to lessen the number of drunk driving car crashes. Tigers fans may have to duck out after the 7th inning, but at least everyone can count out causing a drunk driving accident on the way home.

Buzzed driving is drunk driving. The best practice to avoid getting a DUI and to avoid being involved in a drunk driving car crash, is to avoid driving even after consuming just one drink. If you have been drinking, have a designated driver ready, take public transportation, or call for an Uber or a friend, to avoid any fatal drunk driving accidents. If you or somebody you know has been the victim of a drunk driving crash, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our firm is experienced in handling accidents caused by negligent drivers. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.