“Under what conditions do you consider it appropriate for an elderly ‘lady’ to drink beer directly from the bottle?” asks a reader of the syndicated Miss Manners column today. The reader goes on to describe the situation: The scene is “an upscale retirement facility” where there is happy hour before dinner. Residents often bring their drinks from happy hour to the dinner table, which is fine, but the dining room is “very nice.” The complaint? “One woman (age 70 to 75) brings a beer and drinks it from the bottle during her dinner. I contend that anyone who brings the beer with them should have it poured into a glass — particularly an elderly woman.” Miss Manners answers, “chug-a-lugging is not becoming in such circumstances… For anyone of any age or gender.” But Miss Manners — if that is her real name — is forgetting something very important: