Given the response it sparked, it was a perfect question.

I can’t speak for the reporter, but I expect a question like that to trigger a memory in a person. A memory of that great time last month, where you got together with some old friends, you had a couple of beers, had tons of fun watching some stupid thing, and you did that other thing where everyone just laughed and laughed. This memory is the foundation for the response.

Or, it sparks nothing, because this memory doesn’t exist at all.

Professionals usually shouldn’t be caught off guard by any question. A proper dishonest politician has to dissect every question as it is spelled out. Then you respond instantly with a filler, while you mentally pick the correct memorized response to lead into.

Either he has nobody to drink beer with, is unprepared, or secretly an alcoholic or non-alcoholic.