Wow, one or two bottles of wine a night? That's a lot. I still drink on weeknights, but never more than one drink. I like beer, so I buy macro-brews in 30 can cases for $24, which works out to 80 cents per can. Honestly, when it comes down to it, there really isn't much difference between macro-brew and micro-brew other than price and hipsterism, plus it's usually easier to find macro-brew in cans. Canned beer stays good longer because it isn't impacted by light like bottled beer, canned beer is cheaper, and it tastes better as long as you pour it into a glass for drinking so you don't smell the metal of the can (which is usually the reason many people think canned beer doesn't taste as good.) I make a case last a month and it is really nice and doesn't affect my financial plans in the slightest.
Wow, lets see. A bottle of wine between 2 people might sound like a ton to Americans, but it's the norm in a lot of countries where people live longer than we do (see France and Italy). You're only talking 2.5 drinks a person.
It's hard to argue about what tastes good with another person, some people chose McDonalds over a freshly ground grass fed chuck burger cooked over oak. I tend to think they're philistines, but again, who am I to judge. Same goes with beer. I tend to think beer shouldn't be made out of things like rice and corn, that good beer has an assertive flavor, that it isn't simply an ice cold (which numbs your taste buds) alcohol delivery device. In fact, if I could buy Dogfish Head 90 min IPA without alcohol (but still with the same flavor) I'd drink it for breakfast. Well made spirits, food and other consumables are IMHO placed on this planet to reinforce why life is such a gift. Bud, Miller, Coors simply reinforces the idea that alcohol is a means of achieving altered states, not a celebration of flavor and life. I don't think that's hipster, and most of the people I see in my local brewpub are 50+ overweight guys wearing pleated Dockers.
You can buy LOTS of microbrew in cans. Oskar Blues, Avery, Ska, my local microbrewery all produce cans of good beer in the Denver area. I find these are best for situations like camping or park drinking where it's difficult to pack beer in and out. Yes, clear bottles will skunk beer. Dark brown bottles don't really let light in though, especially if you keep them in a box until you're ready to use them. I have some 4 year old Applewine that I bottled and keep in my basement, it still tastes great. Ditto for a lot of the homebrew I bottled before I had a keg setup.
You can drink good beer on the cheap. I made 5.5 gallons of Bavarian hefewieizen for about $30 (and I could have made it cheaper with a few hacks). I did 5 gallons of IPA for about $35. I think that's cheaper than even BMC suitcase offerings.
