Beer

Maybe I'm just sheltered, but beer is a much bigger thing here than anywhere I've ever been. The first sentence on the Student Resources page of Hebrew University's overseas website starts with "There's nothing like a beer after a long day of studying." At the lecture on Sunday night, the main rabbi of the JSSC asked if anyone wanted a beer. Last night I sat down in a park and a guy sat down next to me with a beer (and offered me one). I went to a social event at the Jerusalem Open House, and it was a "beer and pizza" night. I got on the bus to go home and there were two guys in the next row with beers. Today I went to a lunch & learn at Hebrew University's synagogue, and the rabbi announced that there were "cold beers in the fridge if anyone wants." JSSC has a Shabbaton this weekend, too, that's advertised as rafting/zip-lining/all-you-can-drink. Even though I'd like to go rafting, I'm skipping the Shabbaton because of that last part--I'm not ready to be stuck in a hostel with a bunch of drunk college students for Shabbat. Somehow, I've managed to avoid doing that so far, even after two years at Brandeis.

I know that the legal drinking age is 18 here, but I still can't believe how visible things are. It seems like everywhere I turn there's someone drinking and/or offering beer. Is it like this in the US, too, once you're 21? Are there rabbis offering beer?