Organic Alcohol and You: An Introduction

Whilst perusing Gourmet.com for new things to cook, I came across a drink recipe for The Brad Pitt:

2 wedges of organic lime
2 thin slices fresh organic cucumber
Sprig of organic mint
2 oz (1/4 cup) Crop Organic cucumber vodka
3 to 4 oz seltzer

Because only an "organic" adult beverage created in your honor can ease the searing pain caused by six screaming children, while simultaneously offsetting the fact that your family goes through enough diapers every 3 days to fill a dumpster. It's all about the carbon footprint, brother.

So--Organic alcohol, huh? It's an interesting concept, albeit one that has not entirely convinced me.

I attempted to Google "organic alcohol facts" but of course, like any good organic product, the most thorough and convincing statistics and "facts" are right there in the caption of the stock photos of the dazzling organic spirits.

TRU Vodka has the best arsenal of information answering the question, "Whats the point?" According to the post Is organic liquor more pure or just pure hype? from the TRU blog, "In 2008, the U.S. consumed more than 184 million cases or 2.2 billion bottles of distilled spirits. That took more than 1.1 million acres of farmland to produce, which is slightly smaller than the state of Delaware." They go on to detail the amount of fertilizer, pesticides and water it takes to conventionally farm this area, which is to say A LOT. By cultivating the crop organically, they eliminate chemical fertilizers and pesticides from the equation. Additionally, TRU uses special recyclable bottles and soy-based ink for the labeling and oh, by the way-- they also plant a tree in South America for every bottle they produce. (So, are they actually turning a profit?)

More telling, perhaps, is an FAQ for the Advertising, Labeling and Formulation Division of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. As we get more obsessed with living "greenly", companies obviously realize that if they're able to advertise with some sort of organic claim, they're likely to see an increase in profit. Here are the four basic National Organic Program Categories for alcoholic beverages:

1. “100% Organic” has all organic ingredients with no chemically added sulfites.
2. “Organic” has at least 95% organic ingredients with no chemically added sulfites.
3. “Made with Organic [Ingredients]” has at least 70% organic ingredients and may contain chemically added sulfites.
4. Products containing less than 70% organic ingredients and products that are not processed by a certified organic handling operation may only disclose organic content in a non-conspicuous “Ingredients Statement”.

Good to know, huh? You never realize that to be labeled an "organic" product you don't even need to have purely organic ingredients. I often wonder why the code is necessary, though--couldn't you just write "95% organic ingredients"? God forbid we use the package label to accurately disclose what the product contains. One time in high school, I got into a heated argument with a classmate about the nature of marketing and how it is evil and misleading. I may have suggested that grocery stores simply print the name of the food item on the package and nothing more. Example:
Simple, tasteful, uncluttered by health claims. Looking back, I may have been *bit* unreasonable in my Stalin-esque need for simplicity and uniformity. Still, should we have to decipher 1,000 different carefully worded claims to health? What's the point of having such specific labeling regulations if the average consumer has no idea what the hell anything means?!

Whoa. Sorry. Moving on.

So far I've only mentioned organic liquors, but the organic wines and brews are probably more popular. The Organic Consumer's Association offers a bit more information on organic wine, and specifically about sulfites, which are used as a preservative. Interestingly, Real Green encourages consumers to drink organic beer, wine and spirits not only because it's good for the environment blah blah blah, but also because it tastes better. Hmm. This is a claim I cannot personally confirm or deny, but I'd like to volunteer to participate in the taste tests.

As with any organic product, health claims also arise. A NY Daily News article from last summer suggests that the reason you should ingest organic alcohol has less to do with your carbon footprint and more to do with your sorry ass the morning after a bender. Writer/drinker Sean Evans conducted a "scientific experiment" where he drank a lot of organic alcohol one night and then two days later drank a lot of regular alcohol.

The morning after the organic binge:

And it wasn’t that bad. There was no headache, and at first everything felt groggy. But despite being slightly slow, after a quick shower nearly all symptoms had dissipated. There was no nausea, no stomach pain; no normal hangover feelings.

The morning after the regular alcohol binge was a bit rougher, to say the least. However, a post at Fermentarium responding to this so-called experiment points out some important facts about hangovers:

Hangovers are caused by dehydration, the breakdown of ethanol, and natural by-products from the fermentation of the beverage... Ethanol dehydrates your body. When you drink a lot, you tend to urinate a lot. The removal of water from your system causes headaches, nausea, and makes you tired. The only possible way organic alcohol could have less of a dehydrating effect would be if it had less ethanol. The author claimed he matched the alcohol content for his drinks in his experiment, so there should be no difference in the effect.

Touche. Despite how the grain or grapes or whatever is cultivated (conventionally or organically), alcohol is produced by the same biological process. It seems unlikely that organically grown fruit or grain would have a huge effect on the impact of alcohol on the body. More likely, the Fermentarium points out, Evans just wanted the NY Daily News to pay for two nights of drinking and he had to come to SOME conclusion.

Lastly, let's talk about price. How does the organic wine, beer and spirits compare cost-wise? According to a quick Google, the organic varieties compare pretty favorably. No, you're not going to be able to pick up a handle of organic vodka for $7.99, but there appear to be some brands in the $20 range. Also, one brand appeared on the website of my favorite Boston-area liquor store chain, Blanchard's, so hopefully it's something I can pick up in the store if I feel so moved. (Which I probably won't, but the chances are higher if I can actually see and touch the bottle. Because let's be honest: what self-respecting 24-year-old would buy alcohol off the internet?! The S&H fees alone could pay for like 2 meals.)

So that's the 411. I'd like to try some of this organic booze, but cost and availability are big issues. Does anyone have any experience they'd like to share?

P.S. Speak of the devil-- The North American Organic Brewers Festival is taking place in 2 weeks in my lovely hometown of Portland, Oregon: June 26-28. Follow the link for more information and tell me how delicious the beer was if you make it!

Is abstinence ever an effective marketing tool?

... except with this someecard. Theres no greater thrill than babysitting-slash-chauffeuring your intoxicated, non-Irish pals. Gee, thanks!

I had planned to write some sort of booze-themed post about St. Patrick's Day, but it was a poor, half-hearted attempt. I'll admit that much. And now it's over a week later.

Oh well! Get over it! I'm still talking about St. Patrick's Day and you're going to read it and love it.

Actually, St. Patty's got me thinking about abstinence-- that is, abstaining from alcohol, not sex. The concept of sobriety, if you will. And what better holiday to muse about a lack of alcohol than the booziest holiday of the year? Pass the green O'Doul's.

There are lots of people who don't drink alcohol or who don't consume large enough quantities to get "crunk", or whatever the kids are calling it these days. It's funny though, because you never hear about Sobers People once you're out of college. Sure, a recovering alcoholic will bring up the concept on occasion, but the real Period of Crisis seems to be during the college years when people go way overboard (or they want to pretend like they do via retarded pictures).

Naturally, many college health centers offered "safe drinking tips", which, much like safe-sex tips, always begins with the obligatory pleading to abstain from drinking at all.

"There's no such thing as risk-free drinking," said a counselor in University of Michigan's DrinkWise program.

This quote seems unnecessarily foreboding, and depends a lot on your definition of "risk", which will be relative to the amount of alcohol consumed and the context of the situation. For example, if I drink a glass of wine while I watch TV before bed, the foreseeable risks are few to none. I'm not going to get roofied and be sexually assaulted, I'm not going to pass out and asphyxiate on my vomit, and I'm surely not going to fall down a flight of stairs. The major risk will be plaque, because I will become so relaxed and sleepy, I'll be too lazy to get up and brush my teeth. Gross.

Obviously there are some real risks (without the quotes) that go along with pounding brews, but there seems to be a huge difference between the perceived risks and actual risks for novice drinkers. When kids are unfamiliar with the effects of alcohol on their sober bodies, they can surely do stupid things.

For the people who'd like to prevent the occurrence of these stupid things, the promotion of alcohol abstinence is a favorite tactic. One college website (which I stupidly neglected to bookmark) displayed pictures of students wearing a t-shirt proclaiming, "Kiss me, I'm sober!" for the students who prefer to leave no doubt.

Another option is the sober party. Royal Purple offers a blueprint for the typical Anti-Whatever Sober Party, which always boils down to eating a lot and watch movies. Instead of getting fat off beer, get fat off pizza!

To me, the message of sobriety is aimed at a very specific group--namely, Christian white kids--and is a totally inappropriate way to begin a productive discussion about responsible drinking. Yes, underage drinking is illegal, but the fact is it happens, so let's accept it and deal with the actual issue at hand.

Abstinence from alcohol's sister programs have fared equally terribly in the world. You know them as abstinence-only sex education and the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.

The first has been researched extensively and time and time again, abstinence-only sex ed has been shown to "run the serious risk of leaving young people, especially those at elevated risk, uninformed and alienated." (2002 study) We're FINALLY taking the hint on this one, but it's taken 4ever.

The second has been a complete waste of time and money! Launched in 1998, the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has had no effect on youth marijuana usage, and there is some evidence that "exposure to the campaign messages was related to pro-marijuana cognitions"! (2008 study) Glad the government spent billions of dollars on that crap.

Does telling people to abstain from something ever work?! I'm thinking the answer is a resounding no.

In the case of drinking, yes, alcohol can be dangerous and destructive when consumed irresponsibly! Yes, drinking and driving is bad! But is the answer never EVER drink?

There has to be a better way to promote the responsible consumption of alcohol without being so judgy and religious about it.

Hell, even Bristol Palin agrees abstinence is a crap shoot.

Resolutions: Why bother?

I've never been big on the New Year's Resolutions. Maybe it just seems like a weak reason to make significant changes in your life. A new year? Who cares. A new day starts in about an hour and a half and I'm pretty sure it's going to be a lot like the one that just ended.

However, a lot of people buy into the "resolution" industry. A poll on Vitamin G shows that 64% of Glamour readers (whoever they are) always make resolutions and 36% said "No--there's too much pressure!"

According to About.com the 10 most common resolutions are:

1. Spend more time with family and friends.
2. Work out.
3. Lose weight.
4. Quit smoking.
5. Enjoy life more.
   
6. Quit drinking.
7. Get out of debt.
8. Learn something new.
9. Volunteer.
10. Get organized.

And surprisingly (randomly?), USA.gov has a list of popular New Year's resolutions as well. They've added save money, get a better job, get a better education, take a trip, and reduce stress at work and in life. Just in case you needed ideas, the government is here to help!

I have to admit, I made one resolution last year: to stop drinking to excess.

This was a retroactive measure taken in response to a particular situation. I brought in 2007 with a handle of tequila and subsequently spent the following day and a half lying on the floor of the bathroom. I made an ass of myself and was totally ridiculous. I thought, "I'm too old to be doing this!" Seriously, it's not attractive AT ALL. I don't care how hot you are or how short your skirt is. Once those eyes roll back in your pretty little head and you vomit all over yourself, it's over. Disgusting.

And what's the status of my resolution? 366 days (leap year!) and still going strong. No more pukey nights for Chloe.

Britain putting end to cheap happiness and fun

The Associate Press reported today that Britain is considering a ban on “happy hour” discounts at bars and restaurants to curb youth drinking. The ban could go as far as to include drinking games and speed-drinking events in pubs. Sorry, British people! No more cheap pints at the pub!

The British Liver Trust, a national charity for adults with liver disease, summarized the statistics released by the Office of National Statistics. Over 40% more young people aged 25-29 have been killed by liver disease than in previous years.

The figures, just released for the year 2006, also show an increase in deaths from alcoholic liver disease of almost 7% - to 4,450. There is also more confirmation of the worsening picture with increased deaths from liver disease overall, up by 5.7% to 7,281. With liver cancer and other liver-related conditions included, 38 people die of liver disease each day.

Trust spokeswoman Imogen Shilito explains that , “This is the progression of the epidemic we and the medical profession have been predicting for several years… These figures reinforce our call for urgent work to improve early diagnosis and encourage prevention.”

The Trust website reports that liver damage is

often silent, taking up to 15 years to develop, but when symptoms appear it is often too late. Hepatologists (liver specialist doctors) are regularly seeing people in their 20s and 30s with cirrhosis caused by alcohol in much higher numbers, cases they would in the past have seen in much older people, in their 40s and 50s.

I checked out the stats for the US and the most recent numbers are at the National Center for Health Statistics from 2005. In that year, the death rate for all liver disease was 9.0, with a total of 27,530 deaths. Alcoholic liver disease, or cirrhosis, comprised 12,928 deaths at a rate of 4.2. Side note: Interestingly, the death rate for men was almost triple that for women (12.4 and 5.8, respectively).

So how do we measure up? For overall death from liver disease, the US has a raw number almost four times as great as Britain (27,530 vs. 7,281), but according to the 2006 revision of the World Population Prospects from the UN, the population of the US is nearly five times as large as Britain (299,846 vs. 60,245). The US has more people, but Britain has a higher rate of death by liver disease. Yes, I’d agree that’s something to be worried about.

I don’t think the issue is completely cut and dry, though. It sounds like young people in Britain drink more, but we should also consider the fact that the drinking age is lower (18 more or less), and that Britain has different cultural attitudes about alcohol consumption.

Personally, I had no idea that “happy hour” was so prevalent in Britain… and I think I should visit before this potential ban occurs. I’ve been complaining recently/always about the cost of cocktails at bars, but I never thought that “happy hour” could be a public health concern. Guess I’ve got a lot to learn.