Category: For your information

  • Ad to Pennsylvania lawmakers: Keep booze in liquor stores or children will die

    Ad to Pennsylvania lawmakers: Keep booze in liquor stores or children will die

    I’ve seen some fear mongering ads in my time, but this one takes the cake. The ad is paid for by a union that represents liquor store employees, and while it talks a little about the revenue that liquor stores bring to the state of Pennsylvania, its main focus is to scare mothers and fathers into believing that selling beer in grocery stores is the path to death for at least one child per week.

    http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1

    What do you think? Does this ad go over the top, or do you agree with its message?

  • Alcohol Myths Debunked

    So much is said about the consumption of alcohol, that it may be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Study these myths to understand more about drinking.

    Alcohol is the devil. Alcohol kills brain cells. Alcohol will make you gain weight. Don’t drink that with this! Don’t worry, you can just drink a bunch of coffee to sober up. These are all famous alcohol myths propagated by years of rumor and scare tactics. But what is the truth?

    Beer Before Liquor, You’ll Get Sicker – Liquor Before Beer, You’re in the Clear

    If this were true, no one would ever have a bad morning after. The fact is, it doesn’t matter what type of liquor you drink, the percentage of alcohol in your blood, or your blood alcohol content (BAC), is the real factor in how drunk you get. A single serving of beer or wine and a shot of liquor all contain the same amount of alcohol. Too much of any combination will make you sick.

    I Can Sober Up Whenever I Want

    Time is the only thing that can sober you up, no matter how 15 cups of coffee, a long cold shower or a big breakfast from Denny’s make you feel. Typically, the liver can process about one ounce of alcohol per hour, based on pure alcohol.

    Drinking Makes You Gain Weight

    A beer belly is not a beer belly after all. Weight gain from excessive use of alcohol is one of the most believable myths out there. However, research shows that alcohol does not cause weight gain in men, and actually contributed to a weight loss in women.

    Alcohol Kills Brain Cells

    During the temperance movement, it was often said that alcohol will kill brain cells. Throughout the decades, this myth has persisted, but scientific research has shown that the moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with better cognitive skills and memory than abstaining from alcohol. In other words, moderate drinking actually improves thinking, reasoning and memory.

    People in the United States Drink More Than Other Countries

    Many people believe that the United States drinks far more than other countries. In fact, the U.S. isn’t even close to the top 10 alcohol consuming countries. The ingrained promotions of the temperance movement that proclaimed that alcohol was bad, as well as having clean drinking water contribute to the U.S. being rank between 32 and 35 on the list.

    The Top 10 alcohol consuming countries are:

    Portugal
    Luxembourg
    France
    Hungary
    Spain
    Czech Republic
    Denmark
    Germany
    Austria
    Switzerland

    Alcohol may be a part of daily life in the United States, but it is not as large of a problem as much of the general public believes it to be.

    The myths of alcohol are often given life in order to scare the general public, promote new thinking or to give excuses for drinking too much. But alcohol can be enjoyable and good for you if consumed moderately. By carefully researching facts and separating myths from truth, the use of alcohol can become more enjoyable. As always, when drinking, be responsible. Drink in moderation and use a designated driver, just in case.

  • The Best Hangover Cures

    hangover-curesAfter a long night of overindulgence, many people experience the dreaded hangover. Headaches, nausea, body shakes and, sometimes, a feeling of dread or regret, are all things many people experience the day after. If taken care of correctly, hangovers can be avoided or cured with almost little to no difficulty.

    Avoiding the Hangover

    The main cause for a hangover is that alcohol dehydrates the body by increasing the amount of urine production in the drinker. Dry mouth, shaking and headaches are caused from dehydration, and will persist until the body is hydrated through drinking water or other hydrating beverages.

    A hangover may be avoided by limiting oneself to drink a set amount of cocktails during the night. Once the limit is reached, water or another non-alcoholic beverage should be substituted. Drinking a glass of water between each drink is also an excellent way to keep oneself hydrated.

    For many people, eating greasy foods or taking vitamins prior to drinking also works, but may not be the end-all-be-all. Over drinking, no matter what precautions are taken, will most likely cause a hangover.

    The simplest way to avoid a hangover then is to not drink, period. This eliminates the chance of dehydration and any other negative side effects that consumption of alcohol will cause. Any unfortunate behavior associated with alcohol that causes the psychological hangover can also be avoided.

    The Psychological Hangover

    On occasion, some drinkers will be faced with a psychological hangover. This hangover will not cause headaches, dry mouth or nausea, but will leave the drinker with a feeling of regret or shame. There may or may not be a reason for the person to feel regret or shame, but they feel it nonetheless. The most likely explanation for this is that alcohol is a depressant, and will give the drinker symptoms of depression. It is also likely, since alcohol lowers the inhibitions of the drinker, that bad choices were made the night before and there is a reason for the regret.

    Curing a Hangover

    There are many solutions for curing a hangover. Most experts agree that time, ibuprofen, rest and hydration are the best ways to overcome the sickness of the next day.

    However, there are alternate ways of curing a hangover, including the following:

    Food

    Number one on the list of hangover cures is eating. According to Lifehacker.com, researchers in Britain found that eating concentrated doses of carbohydrates and protein after overindulgence can speed up your metabolism and provide the amino acids needed to start feeling better. Translated, eating foods like a bacon sandwich, eggs and toast or a greasy burger will make a hangover go away faster.

    The Hair of the Dog

    It’s also been suggested that having a drink, such as a Bloody Mary, will take the edge off. While this may allegedly work for some, it’s actually putting the body back into the state prior to the hangover, rather than helping to take it out.

    Having an Orgasm

    A lesser known and possibly more fun cure is to engage in sex, or more specifically, have an orgasm, while hung over. It will release oxytocin, which will increase the body’s pain threshold and make the hangover less severe.

    Exercise

    Exercise may also be helpful. Many people may not want to get up and move when experiencing a hangover, but sweat will help cleanse the body of toxins by increasing circulation. Do not overdo it, however. Too much exercise may increase dehydration.

    Although the best way to avoid a hangover is to keep hydrated while drinking, or by not drinking at all, it is possible to cure a hangover by eating correctly, resting and drinking plenty of water. It may also be possible to use alternative methods to alleviate the sick feelings after a night of drinking. It is important to remember, however, that there is no magical cure, and that only time will truly fix what ails you.

  • Apple Jack: The failed experiment

    apple ciderFor those of you who were on the edge of your seats (yeah right) waiting to find out how the Apple Jack experiment is going, I’m here to tell you, it’s over.

    “What? But your experiment was so fool proof!” you might say. You bet.

    Well, in the end, we let the apple cider sit too long before freezing it, and it turned into vinegar. The jars also leak a little bit, causing our freezer to currently smell exactly the way you would imagine apple vinegar would smell.

    So, that was two years of time spent that ended badly, again. Haha. I think it might be safe to say that Adrian and I aren’t necessarily cut out for making liquor, although I suppose it won’t be the last time we experiment with this kind of thing. For now, we’ll stick to beer and wine. Our track record is quite good there.

     

  • What Does On the Rocks Mean?

    whiskey-High_quality_HD_Wallpaper_1920x1080While some drinking terms are commonly known, sometimes even the most basic terms need an explanation.

    Knowing bartending terminology is an essential for any good bartender. By learning these basics, both old and new bartenders will have an easier time taking on new recipes and ensuring the best quality drinks. The more you know, the more customers will notice and continue to patronize your services and suggest that their friends do so as well.

    When ordering a drink it’s also important to know the correct vocabulary to use in order to get exactly what you want. Saying straight-up when you really wanted your whiskey on the rocks might be frustrating, but can be easily deterred if you learn what each of these terms means.

    On The Rocks

    Liquor served over ice with no wash (note: wash is another term for “mix“).
    Example: Scotch on the rocks.

    Neat

    A drink served neat is liquor served straight from the bottle without ice or wash.
    Example: Jack Daniels neat.

    Straight Up

    A straight up drink is liquor served up without ice or wash.
    Example: Vodka, straight up.

    Up

    A drink served up should be mixed with ice and then strained so there is no ice in the drink when it is served cold.
    Examples: Martini and Cosmopolitan

    Wash, Mixer

    A wash, or mixer, is a non-alcoholic beverage used in mixing cocktails.
    Examples: Cola, orange juice, sweet and sour mix, soda water, or tonic.

    Rim

    To rim a glass, coat the rim of a glass with salt or sugar.
    Examples: Margarita and Lemon Drop

    Chaser, Back

    A beer or non-alcoholic drink served alongside a strong shot or cocktail is called a chaser or a back.
    Example: Bloody Mary with a beer chaser

    Twist

    A twist is the peel of a lemon or lime twisted into and placed on the rim of a cocktail glass, or dropped into the drink.
    Example: Scotch, on the rocks, with a twist.

    Splash, Dash

    A splash, or dash, is a small amount of liquor or mixer added to a drink.
    Example: Add a splash of grenadine

    Muddle

    Muddling involves crushing and mixing ingredients to release flavor.

    Float

    To float, poured a small amount of alcohol carefully on a drink so that it will float on the top.

    Layer

    Layering means to pour liquor in a drink in layers, usually with the heaviest on the bottom.

    Jigger

    A jigger is a shot-sized cup used to measure alcohol.
    Example: Add a jigger of peach schnapps

    Pony

    A pony is a measurement in mixology that equals one ounce.

    Shake

    When shaking, you use a cocktail shaker to mix ingredients together more thoroughly.

    Blend

    To blend, mix cocktail ingredients in a blender with or without ice.

    Garnish

    Garnish by adding a vegetable or fruit to a cocktail for additional flavor or decoration.
    Example: Garnish with a wedge of lemon.

     

     

  • The rise of the beer can

    It’s National Beer Can Appreciation Day, and a celebration is in order! Rising up from its reputation of classlessness, the beer can has made its way into the hearts of minds of the beer elite, proving itself to be the next big thing in craft beer.

    Dales.RoyalPint1Oskar Blues

    Most of the craft beer industry has taken a long time to embrace canning beers. The exception to the rule has always been Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyon, Colorado. In 2002, they launched their first packaged beer, Dale’s Pale Ale, in 12 oz cans. From then on, every beer that has come from Oskar Blues has been packaged in cans and kegs, no bottles allowed. They’ve since expanded their can selection, selling some beers in 16 oz tallboys, others in resealable cans with twist-off caps, and most recently a 19.2 oz “stovepipe” can. Their brewpub in Lyon, CO also serves “Crowlers,” which are basically canned growlers.

    Benefits of Canning

    bottle-vs-canWhile no one else takes their canning to this extreme, the trend of canning craft beer has exploded over the last few years. To date, 381 breweries can 1352 beers in the United States. Canning beer has benefits that bottles just don’t offer. They protect beer from light and oxygen, and are airtight and oxygen-free. While dark bottles keep most light out, there is still the potential for light to degrade the taste and scent of the beer, giving it that skunky taste you so often hear about. With bottles, there’s also the potential for oxygen to get under the cap and ruin the taste. With an air tight, properly sealed can, the problem is alleviated.

    Beer cans are also ideal for storing. A standard six-pack of 12 oz cans takes up less room than a six-pack of bottles. More room = more beer, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

    Beer Can Takeover?

    It seems unlikely that all craft brewers will completely switch from bottles to cans, but it’s clear that many breweries will add cans to their line ups in some way. This could potentially bring craft beer to people it’s never touched before, and maybe even bring the beer elite and the Big-Three loving masses together.