Read the full story at CNN.com


Nov. 22, 2002
Coffee, Tea or Mead?

By Vicky Hallett. A few thousand years ago, a beehive got caught in the rain, and its contents fermented. "Then along came an early human, who took a taste, got a mind-altering effect, and started honey hunting," explains Patrick McGovern, editor of The Origins and Ancient History of Wine. Thought to be the oldest form of alcohol, mead was once known as the "nectar of the gods." The beverage fell out of favor around the turn of the first millennium as the price of honey increased, but now it appears to be coming back into vogue.

Despite its image as the drink of rowdy warriors, the golden liquid has a range similar to that of grape wine. "Mead can be dry or sweet, still or sparkling, just honey or with fruits and spices," says Julia Herz, who runs honeywine.com. The Viking pedigree appeals to beer drinkers while the taste suits wine aficionados.

Read the full story at USNews.com


Nov. 06, 2002
Beer You Can Bet On

by Rick Armon. The Penfield company that brought the world super-caffeinated cola and water laced with alcohol is betting that its new poker-themed brew will shake up the beer industry. Poker Beer -- created by Wet Planet Beverages -- is geared toward the party crowd and folks who enjoy an occasional wager.

Every bottle carries a label with four different playing cards of a five-card poker hand. The final card is hidden under the bottlecap. About 1.7 million hands are available, thanks to variable printing. "We have a genuine desire to bring innovation into all segments of the beverage industry," said C.J. Rapp, president of New York-based Wet Planet. Wet Planet expects people to play games with the beer -- such as the loser buying the next round. Rapp said he's aware of the potential for criticism, but Wet Planet is not encouraging drunkenness. "There are laws out there that deter people from drinking too much alcohol."

Read the full story at Democrat and Chronicle


Nov. 05, 2002
Cheers To Beer Drinking Degree

The Bachelor of Arts course in Local and Regional Studies at Bradford University offers a final year module for part-time students in "drink and society." A degree course which explores the history of beer drinking in England has been defended by the government.

"You will examine the place and significance of alcoholic drinks in society in the period 1750-1920, principally in England, but also including international comparisons," a course overview says.

"By the end of the module you will be able to explain the main developments in the history of drink in the period, and demonstrate an understanding of drink within its overall social context in the period."

Read the full story at BBC News


Nov. 01, 2002
Bitin' gators: Getting a taste of swamp critters

By Deborah S. Hartz. If you think alligator tastes like chicken, it doesn't. If you think it's fishy or gamey, it doesn't have to be. "It's a very versatile meat because not only does it taste like red meat, but it's lower in fat than chicken or fish," says Lindy Brookhart Stevens of Tampa. She's written The Gourmet Gator Cookbook.

Stevens, who grew up in a family where hunting and fishing were common, sees nothing strange about eating alligator. And many others agree with her.

The Rustic Inn Crabhouse in Fort Lauderdale serves 60 pounds of the breaded and fried nuggets each week. "I think it's locals who are ordering it -- not just tourists," says kitchen manager Jimmy Murano.

Read the full story at SunSentinel.com


A beer is a beer is a beer...

By Karren Mills, Associated Press. MINNEAPOLIS - A beer is a beer is a beer if it carries the same favorite label, right? Not always, say researchers who are investigating how growing conditions and locations can affect hops, barley and other ingredients and change the flavor and aroma of a brand of beer from batch to batch.

The Department of Agriculture has awarded a $300,000 grant to a subsidiary of Brooklyn Center, Minn.-based Mocon Inc. to study how variables affect beer ingredients and to develop a high-tech instrument that will adjust the beverage to a brewer's standard.

If successful, the technology will mean a customer can expect a beer brand to taste the same in the dead of winter while watching a hockey game as it tasted on a hot summer day lounging in the hammock.

The aim of the beer study, once the aroma and flavor components have been identified, is to create a quality control detector that can adjust the components to a standard level and is easy to use on the production floor.

Read the full story at Macon.com