"That put a quiver in my liver." -Dukes of Hazzard

I recently found this really interesting map from The Economist showing global alcohol consumption in liters per person based off data from 2003-2005. As high it seems from this chart, I can’t help but imagine that the chart that would be created from maybe 2009-2011 would be even higher due to the difficult economic and personally trying times that have been upon us. The description mentioned moonshine consumption which causes the data to be estimated in some places. This sparked a curiosity to look into moonshine because all I’ve ever known about moonshine is that it was produced in series Dukes of Hazzard, supporting the reputation that moonshine has always carried.

Essentially, moonshine is any illegally distilled beverage. Moonshine is produced by using an unlicensed still typically made of copper. A simple recipe can be found by Googling moonshine, despite the fact that it is illegal. The basic ingredients are corn meal, sugar, water, yeast, and malt. A sugar source is used to produce ethanol and is extracted through distillation in the still. Moonshine can be harmful because the materials used can contain toxins or other impurities which can also impact the flavor along with making it dangerous to ingest. Moonshine can also contain methanol, a toxic alcohol that is very dangerous to consume.

Documentaries have been made recently showing that moonshine is still being produced. An example I found is one called “Still Making Moonshine” which shows Jim Tom making moonshine from a still he has set up inside his camper (see clip here). He states “he loves to make it” and it’s clear he has no intention on stopping regardless of its illegal status.

After learning just a little bit about moonshine, its clearer how the map estimated that 30% of the world’s alcohol consumption is accounted for by moonshine based. Not only is the information readily available on the internet, it doesn’t seem like a difficult process to obtain alcohol, regardless of the possible risks involved.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder." -Anonymous

This weekend is one of the most anticipated weekends all year for the students of A&M. It’s finally time for Chilifest! Chilifest is a country music filled weekend with a chili cook-off contest that takes place in Snook, Texas and the proceeds go to charity. However, in most students’ eyes, it’s the drunkest weekend of the year. Beer flows freely all day and I’ve heard it be referred to as a “redneck’s Woodstock” by professors this year. With the mass quantities of alcohol available, it’s no surprise that one can find themselves in a lot of trouble Chilifest weekend. Last year, The Eagle reported that the police “made 41 arrests and 167 citations were issued” in relation to the two day festival.

People line up and camp a month before Chilifest for “team” signups which enable groups to have tents and participate on the first day (Friday night) of Chilifest and those with normal tickets can only participate one the second day of the two day party. Needless to say, it’s a huge deal in College Station and the police are in full force. They cover the festival grounds as well as make an extra effort to watch out for people driving under the influence.

Tips I’ve heard for staying safe and out of trouble at Chilifest are remaining in team tents while enjoying an adult beverage and never leaving a tent with a drink in hand if you do not have a 21 and up wristband on, and taking the shuttle from the Texas Hall of Fame to the grounds or arranging for a safe, sober ride to avoid putting people in danger from drunk driving. 

Those participating in Chilifest, whether of legal age or not, need to be responsible and exercise self control! As much fun as the weekend can be, people need to remember to be safe and drink responsibly! No one wants to endanger others and I’m sure no one wants a fine of $500 or more.

Give . . . wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Proverbs 31:6-7

As fun as the times drinking can bring, the aftermath is typically not fun in the lease. The dreaded hangover is known all over the world, and in most cultures. Each culture has their own saying for it, and there are so many rumored “cures” that I had to investigate. A great article on what exactly a hangover is and an explanation for all the remedies for that god awful feeling post drinking is from The New Yorker: A Few Too Many. I really enjoyed this article because it took some of the topics I’ve already covered and put them all into one piece.

I love how the article begins stating how easy a hangover can be avoided altogether by simply not drinking: “It is a preventable malady: don’t drink. Nevertheless, people throughout time have found what seemed to them good reason for recourse to alcohol.” Reasons like relaxation or causing less inhibitions, or trying to make things seem less grim by getting one’s mind off it are examples for why people may seek alcohol even though they know the possible consequences. 

Another great part of this article is explaining what a hangover actually is. It reminds the reader that alcohol is a dangerous compound for the body. When the body breaks down alcohol, it causes toxins to be released, which may be even more toxic to the body than alcohol. To top it all off, if the nausea and body shakes aren’t enough, hangovers also impact the mind. People who are suffering from hangovers aren’t able to focus as well (they may be focusing too much on not throwing up) and have delayed reaction times. The article raised a great question regarding drinking and driving: we all know how dangerous drinking and driving is, but have we ever thought about how dangerous driving with a hangover could be?  

  

The article also includes many “cures” for the hangover that are from multiple cultures and their folklore from ages ago in some instances and how people still use some today. If you find yourself suffering the morning after, try some out for yourself! It’s pretty hard to make yourself feel worse, right?

Though it’s a long article, I really recommend reading through the entire thing because it’s full of so much information but is highly entertaining because it’s presented comically. Definitely made me stop and actually think about what really happens when you drink and wonder if it’s all really that worth it.

"The whole world is about three drinks behind." -Humphrey Bogart

Two weeks ago I explored about how alcohol is embedded in American culture. This fueled my curiosity about how other cultures see and use alcohol. A really informative website on this topic is http://www.sirc.org/publik/drinking6.html , which gave a wide overview on multiple cultures and their different views on alcohol and where it fits into their lives. Though some cases are the same or very similar to how Americans view alcohol, I found some interesting differences.

One that I found very different was the “Statement of Affiliation” and if a native refuses what is viewed as a national drink and “to choose, serve - or indeed refuse - one’s national beverage can be a powerful expression of one’s loyalties and cultural identity.” This is very important in several cultures, like the Scottish Highlanders. By not accepting their national or local drink, they can be see as rejecting the values their culture holds. In America, generally we drink a particular drink based on the occasion or simply what one wants at the time rather than remaining loyal to a specific beverage. 

Some societies have an extremely open relationship with alcohol and it’s a part of their everyday lives. Places like Greece, Italy, and Spain have “uninhibited” and completely visible drinking areas because its socially acceptable whereas in other countries it’s the complete opposite and there are some “secretive” places to hide the consumption of alcohol. I feel that the US is in between these two extremes: we are generally accepting of alcohol, but only in the appropriate environment. For example, it’s acceptable to drink at a public restaurant or an outdoor event, but it’s not acceptable to walk downtown leisurely sipping a beverage.

A view that would be absolutely unacceptable in America is a belief in Peru in which alcohol should be “consumed before any work requiring strength or energy” is done. Frankly, if people drank before they went to work in America they’d likely be fired if discovered. Alcohol affects mental capacity and physical coordination, so I find this belief very odd to say the least. I’m sure they have more fun on the job than Americans do because they get to “liven up” before clocking in.

Despite the varying views on alcohol in different cultures, it’s become clear that alcohol is a part of most cultures, whether viewed as acceptable or not.

Teen drinking is very bad. Yo I got a fake ID though

I saw a very interesting story on the TODAY show last week that I found very relevant to my blog. The story was about whether or not parents allow their teenagers to drink alcohol at home to learn how to drink responsibly.  The best part to me was reading all the viewers responses online; clearly there is not an agreement between the two different sides.

The basis for the story is from a new study the government conducted which “found that nearly 6 percent of 12- to 14-year-olds said they had drunk alcohol in the past month – about 700,000 kids. Of those, 16 percent said they got it from a parent or guardian.” Personally, I feel that the children who were allowed to try it from their parents are not an issue compared to the other percentage of these young children who have consumed alcohol not provided by their parents. I can’t even imagine why children that young would drink or how they even go about getting any alcohol! I think those are the children that would end up with an alcohol abuse issue over the children that are given small amounts of alcohol so they can be educated about what it really is and how to enjoy it responsibly.

It’s fairly common for parents to tell or forbid their children to do something, so naturally they want to do whatever they aren’t allowed. I can see how completely forbidding a child to have any contact with alcohol before they turn 21 (or these days go away to college) can result in binge drinking habits because they are away from their parents and can go “crazy.” Either way, I definitely feel that the decision to expose teenagers to alcohol is the parent’s decision.

You had some of the best times you'll never remember with me

Culturally, alcohol is embedded in our lives. As Americans, we associate beer and football together and champagne and celebrations together. Alcohol is just something that goes hand in hand with anything we do it seems. In fact, alcohol has such a presence in our lives that it has overtaken some holidays! Time Magazine wrote an article compiling the "Top 10 Drunkest Holidays" with New Year's Eve topping the list. Holidays are portrayed as a chance to drink and its perfectly acceptable because we are celebrating! Right? Here’s a look at a few other cases of how we as Americans use alcohol:

Many drinks are symbolic:

The type of alcohol and the brand names says a great deal about a person on first impression. Regardless of what one may actually wish to drink, many choose to drink some in particular because it may raise their status. This is common in business settings especially. By ordering only the best, most expensive beverage of choice is a way to show power and money to prospective clients or potential business partners perhaps.

Drinks can also show class:

On a date, if a man knows what fine wine to order with each course, his date will most likely assume he has class and knowledge of some of the finer things in life which scores him serious points. If he were to order a Bud, she might think a little differently in that setting. 

Celebratory drinks/Losing drinks:

“If they win, we drink! If they lose…we still drink!” I know I’ve heard this multiple times in regards to our dear Aggies. Either way, everyone heads up to Northgate after a home game. Winning means partying, but so does losing! But people also may drink to celebrate a bonus or a promotion, while some might bust open the liquor cabinet after getting laid off. We also drink to celebrate the start of a weekend, or need a drink after Monday because the week got off to a good start. 

No matter what the reason, holiday, event, sport, TV show, etc., Americans sure know how to drink.

Show Me the Money

By this point, we’ve established that alcohol causes money flow; it flows between manufacturers to store and bars, and eventually to the consumer. But up until now, it never dawned on me just how much a city can profit from alcohol. 

According to the Chamber of Commerce here in College Station, the census from 2000 showed that the average median age of the residents is a mere 22 years and that 79% of the population is between the ages of 0 and 34. Having such a young population, the city must benefit quite a bit from the adventures of the youth here. Here’s the annual report for the Chamber for 2009-2010 which is full of interesting tidbits: http://www.bcschamber.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=na%2bD8mf2JP8%3d&tabid=3690&mid=6168

But thinking along the lines of revenue or benefits from a young population with alcohol usage, the city gets income from property taxes of the businesses (which probably aren’t cheap in areas like Northgate), the income from the pricey metered parking all along the Northgate area, along with money from citations which can include minor tickets and driving under the influence. Those citations lead to a hefty fine the offender must pay, along with a court fee and several other consequences. Almost always community service is involved, so the city gets free work done. And in severe cases, imprisonment occurs and the city may receive bail money along with the ticket fine and court fee. Meanwhile the taxpayers pay for the upkeep of the courts and jail system adding even more revenue into the mix. All these figures add up pretty quickly…

Though it can be troublesome, I’m sure College Station appreciates the business its young citizens provide, as do all other college towns.