Would you ever lend a relative or beer friend $6k?

No. Unless I was filthy rich and planned on not seeing it back.

No I would not NEVER

I have, some as a gift and other as a loan. Most of the time money was returned, at other times I let it go. 

no of course not....they can work...I h8 beer so no beer friends

My boss

a good friend of mine

owes me $11,000 right now...

not in back pay

but

in money that I have lended to him.

It depends on what they needed it for and whether or not I had it to give. But I'd consider it a gift, not a loan. That way it wouldn't ruin the relationship when they inevitably failed to pay it back. 

I would never lend the town drunk 6k. That is throwing away money.

Even if I had that money, no