Durham just had a Breathalyzer test, and our blood alcohol content is well below .08%. According to Men’s Health magazine, our fair city ranks as the seventh least drunk city in the U.S.

Our sobriety was topped only by Newark (who needs booze when you have guns?), Miami (only because tanning lotion is zero proof), Salt Lake City (Surprise!), Rochester and Yonkers (Cold enough to freeze liquor?) and believe it or not Boston.

Boston? Now, my mother’s family is from Beantown, and I have first hand knowledge of the city’s tippling tendencies. The city least able to hold their liquor: Frenso, California. I blame it on Schwarzenegger.

So just how did they come up with these “scientific” results?  They looked at fun stuff like death rates from alcoholic liver disease, the body count from booze-fueled car crashes, DUI arrests and the number of admitted binge drinkers. Fair enough. But judging by these statistics, it’s not that Durhamites don’t drink, it’s that we’re darn smart about it.

Whether it's a whiskey at Whiskey, a PBR and a show at the Pinhook, a game of pool with Jack and his buddy Coke at the Tavern, or a pint of some of that wacky European football at Bull McCabe’s, Durham knows how to guzzle responsibly.

P.S.

The cost of all these drinks? Cocktail peanuts considering we’re one of the top five most affordable cities in America. Bottoms up!