For those who think that people who drink mass-produced, inexpensive beer are less likely to be politically inclined than their craft-beer drinking brethren, a study released in Calgary this week may serve as ultimate proof.
The GAS Index - short for Give A S$#!T Index - was compiled by data firm Stone-Olafson for Calgary microbrewery Village Brewery and shows that those who enjoy a craft brew are much more likely to vote in the coming municipal elections, are more likely to consider themselves happy in their communities and are more likely to vote for popular Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi.
It also cuts across drink lines and reveals that those who drink micro brewery suds, as well as wine and coffee are more likely to have liberal leanings than those who drink inexpensive beers, or soft drinks or milk.
"A veritable cornucopia of data, cross-tabulations, trends and guesstimates with a smorgasbord of pundits, analysts and prognosticators weighing in with insight, predictions and psychic readings have basically been telling you the same thing… plus or minus three percentage points," reads a statement by Village Brewery, adding that none of the data being provided actually give any insight into voter engagement or what they care about.
On the other hand, the brewery poll looked, "at what Calgarians drink in relation to where they are leaning in the upcoming election, how civically engaged they are and where they fit on the political spectrum.
"They looked at voters, non voters, the engaged and the disengaged. Who are these people? What makes them tick?"
Among other things the GAS Index found that the type of beer one drinks may show which way one may vote.
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The Political Beer-Drinking Spectrum
The poll also looks into the lifestyles and traits of those most likely to be engaged politically and in their communities - see slideshow below, as well as how do beer drinkers see Nenshi.
Moosehead drinkers gave the savvy politicians the highest approval, with Pilsner drinkers coming in second and Village Brewery connoiseurs finishing third.
But there was little love coming from Labatt Blue or Coor and Coors Light drinkers. They gave Nenshi the lowest marks. However, it was only Labatt Blue fans who gave the mayor a failing grade.
"Village Brewery encourages Calgarians 18 and over not to be the village idiot - to get out and vote and drink responsibly."
