They are selling Butterbeer... in Orlando ... to children...

[SunnySong]

For those who don't realise what complete wankers the New York Times can be here is a related article of concern.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/health/28well.html?_r=2


Seriously how tight does your ass havve to be to get riled up... whats next banning root beer in school?

[kentauros]

1. I haven't read that, but would guess someone will want to rename root beer.

That's acceptable if they go back to Sarsaparilla, but only if they use that flavor. So, no root beer, no birch beer and no ginger beer. Someone needs to teach their children how to swear in return

[haele]

2. We found a recipe for ButterBeer that could probably be made non-alcoholic-

2 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
6 - 8 oz good Cream Soda


You get a smooth, bright, butterscotch flavor and that slightly beery look.

If you replace the Schnapps with syrup, I can easily see it served to kids.
On edit - the article was complaining about English drinking habits. Most English, like Europeans, think that drinking is okay in moderation, and encourage kids to learn to drink responsibly so they're not tempted to binge-drinking (unless, of course they're Football Hooligans) once they leave home.
My understanding is that the first real alcohol kids drink at around 8 or so are Shandies; half pilsner and half lemon soda. I imagine the Harry Potter "Butter Beer" is a similar type product.

Haele

[TheMightyFavog]

7. You can get shandy here stateside...

Leinenkugel's in Wisconsin makes a very good shandy.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Not only is the article a year old, but...

it's quite well-balanced, particularly for an American audience awash in the propaganda that a drop of alcohol in anyone under the age of 21 spells the end of civilization as we know it.

[SunnySong]

4. Well they are no selling Butterbeer at the Orlando theme park

and it is proving quite the hit.

[SoxFan]

5. Stick-up-the-ass neo-prohibitionists

Sick of these people. Instead of worrying about real problems (eg, repeat DWI offenders), they are horrified that someone, somewhere, might actually be having a good time.

[dr.strangelove]

6. I really thought butterbeer was non-alcoholic

I thought firewhisky was the hard stuff.

[SunnySong]

9. It is non-alcoholic. It's the toy guns argument all over again.

[MajorChode]

8. They did ban root beer at my son's school

At least the homemade variety. I made a batch of root beer with my son and I told him it would make a great science project for school. He told me his teacher was all for it, but the school administration vetoed. Homemade root beer does have a very small alcohol content, but you would have to drink several liters of the stuff just to get a slight buzz and would probably throw up well before the alcohol effects ever kicked in.