Well, it isn't an exact science...and for the record it is my first poll. I assumed there would be some folks who have hard and fast rules (which it seems there are), and, to your point, there are folks that would say it depends. Not sure how to best poll that, or if a poll is even necessary. It seems like a grey area with some definitive outliers (like most things in life).
The main reason I asked the question in this thread was because, when I started brewing, I assumed this would be a relaxing, drinking-friendly hobby (which it is and can certainly be). However, for me personally, I make the best beer when I'm sober and focused - work hard play hard, which is rewarding and justifiable for me.
Because of this change of perspective, I wanted to take a sample of folks to see where they fall on the matter...