What is the correct plural form of the noun "beer"?

Question

It has always bugged me when my friends ask me, "Hey, do you want to drink some beers tonight?"

I think that "beer" would be like the noun "deer" in plural form (Look at all the deer. Not: Look at all the deers.) However, the argument is made that it is incorrect to say, "I drank nine beer tonight."

So does anyone know the correct plural form of "beer"?

Answer 1

When I first read your question, I thought it's obviously "beers" but "beers" is a colloquial shortening of [containers] of beer. Beer itself, like water, oxygen, iron, etc is an unquantifiable resource and therefore doesn't employ a plural suffix.
idtshadow - you buy a case of wine, not wines. It doesn't really prove your point, does it?

Answer 2

Deer is a countable noun - the singular and plural form are just identical
a deer - many deer
a sheep - many sheep - is another example

Beer is an uncountable noun, however you may say 'a beer' meaning 'a bottle of beer' or 'a can of beer'. Some uncountable nouns have come to be treated as countable because they are associated with a specific container and containers are usually countable:
a coffee (a cup of coffee) - two coffees (two cups of coffee)
a beer (a bottle of beer) - two beers (two bottles of beer)

Answer 3

Beer as the liquid, abstract substance is singular. "Do you want some beer?" is correct because it's some of however much is here. However "a beer" is one glass, can or bottle full--one unit of measurement. So you can "go out for a few beers" meaning a few glasses, bottles or cans full.
Both are correct depending on context.

Answer 4

no...you are right tht is incorrect. you would have to say i drank nine bottles or nine cans of beer tonight. you keep it beer. just plain ol' beer. b/c in the dictionary it doesn't show a reference to a plual option. hope this helps

Answer 5

beer. Do you drank to drink some beer tonight? Maybe I drank nice beer cans tonight.

Answer 6

It depends on whether you're talking about 'servings' of beer, or 'containers' of beer. The phrase your friends say sounds terrible! But it's not REALLY wrong ... it jars on the senses though!

I drank one beer last night. I drank 6 beers last night.
I drank one can of beer last night. I drank 8 cans of beer last night.

In Britain we normally cut the nonsense by just saying;
I drank one pint last night. I drank 7 pints last night...!
Or perhaps
I had a swift half!
; )

Then of course, you can talk about varieties;
There are many different types of beer available these days / there are many different beers available these days!

Answer 7

Well, if you're writing a report for college or something, it might matter. Otherwise, American English is often changed to what we WANT to say, and not what is proper. We are Americans, after all, not English! LOL Carry on and have some more beers!

Answer 8

You can order 6 beers (but what you are really asking for is a quantified beverage).
You can look at all the beer (but what you are really saying is, look at all the beer bottles, or taps).

So it doesn't really matter.

Answer 9

It's beers

Answer 10

it's beers, i promise.

look it up in a dictionary.

www.dictionary.com