Is "beer" already plural?

Question

I've heard it used both ways. Can you say, "i had two beers" or what about, "I had some beer"

Answer 1

You've heard it both ways because it is one of those words that WORKS both ways.

1) It can be used as a "non-count" noun of a "mass noun", that is, to name a substance that you are thinking of collectively, not as individual items -- compare furniture, gold, hair (as in "I'm combing my hair" = all the hair on my head). Note that all of these are grammatically SINGULAR - "The furniture here IS very expensive". "My hair WAS a mess".

2) It can, like most nouns, be used as a "count noun", meaning I can speak of "one beer, two beers, etc". In this case, of course, the reference is to an individual serving of recognized size. (Compare the dual use of "hair" -- "I combed my hair", but also "I found five white hairs in my comb!")

see also:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1105/p18s03-hfes.html
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Talk:mass_noun

Answer 2

It depends upon the context.
One definition of beer defines it as a specific liquid drink. A beer lover (not beers lover) would like beer regardless of quantity.
Another definition of beer is a can or bottle of the drink. You would tell the bartender that your wanted two beers not two beer.

Answer 3

No, "beer" by itself is not plural. The plural is indeed "beers," though both your sample sentences are grammatically correct. (They just mean slightly different things, and "beer" is not plural as used in the second of them.)

Answer 4

If you're talking about two different brands, it's "beers". if you're talking about multiple servings of the same product, it's "beer".

1. We went to Germany, and sampled ten different beers!

2. I had ten bottles of beer. He had ten glasses of beer. She drank more beer than both of us, together!

Answer 5

If you get pulled over and tell the cop you had two beers, he just might let you off the hook. If you tell him you had two beer, you're probably headed to the slammer.

Answer 6

beer isnt plural. u can say both tho.

Answer 7

Nope

Answer 8

I believe it's beers from www.dictionary.com