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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: liquor

liquor stories: 18 news summaries

barhopping
(Newser) - For those who associate "rum" with Captain Morgan, it might be time to put away the 2-liter bottle of generic cola. The perennial pirate fave is clawing its way up to the top shelf, writes John Mariani for Bloomberg, and giving whiskies, brandies, and Scotches a run for their... More »

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Beer's New Role: 
Cocktail Mixer 

New drinks throw away rules about mixing alcohol

(Newser) - The days of keeping your beer and liquor separate are over, with bartenders crafting crossover drinks that mix beer with other spirits—even wine. “Other countries have been doing this for a long time,” one beer connoisseur tells the New York Times. Creations range from the “Muddy... More »

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Utah Drinkers Get in Touch With Bartenders

New law knocks down barriers, hands-off policy in restaurants

(Newser) - Under a new law that went into effect yesterday, restaurants that sell alcohol no longer need to separate patrons from the people serving them drinks, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. “Not having these barriers is going to save us a lot of time, especially with out-of-state visitors who... More »

 Surprise! JT's Tequila Is Good 

Self-described 'tequila geeks' give pop star's creation thumbs-up

(Newser) - Tequila aficionados were shocked to discover Justin Timberlake’s 901 tequila is in fact quite drinkable, the New York Daily News reports. “It’s actually a really nice product,” said one bar owner. A bartender added, “I gotta admit, I’m a little surprised.” The experts... More »

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OPINION

 Kentucky Bourbon 
 No Backwoods Booze 

Sophisticated stuff sees popularity spike

(Newser) - Bourbon is sweet, but that’s no reason to call it unsophisticated, as one lover of the stuff learned on a trip to Kentucky. Making the whiskey is a process so complex and nuanced that master distillers are few—and the job often stays within families, writes spirits expert and... More »

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On the 7th Day, States Look to Down Blue Laws

Economy tanked, some seek shot of revenue in Sunday booze sales

(Newser) - Recession blues could swallow blue laws, Time reports. State legislatures in Georgia, Connecticut, Texas, Alabama, and Minnesota hope lifting a ban on Sunday alcohol sales will boost revenues. But Christian activists oppose the move, saying cash-strapped families are already feeling pressure. “I don't think we need to add even... More »

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(Newser) - The airwaves are getting a lot more mature. On Sunday, 15 cities saw an Absolut Vodka ad during the Grammy Awards, the first time in years that a liquor commercial has run in prime time on a network-owned station. Other ads not suitable for innocent ears (K-Y Jelly, anyone?) are... More »

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Glossies

 World's Strangest Liquors 

From Pizza Beer to Lizard wine, gimmicks and folklore attract the curious

(Newser) - Necessity may have been the mother of invention for these traditional brewers, but a good marketing scheme has never hurt sales, either. (Remember the worm in the mescal trick?) Travel and Leisure gives us the world's most bizarre liquors:
  • Pizza Beer (Illinois): A chef couple wanted a beer to
... More »

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Hike Booze Tax to Save Lives: Study

Alaskan fatalities from alcohol-related diseases plunged when levy was raised

(Newser) - Higher liquor taxes may reduce deaths related to alcohol consumption, the Chicago Tribune reports. A new study examined Alaska’s alcohol tax rates over a 30-year period in conjunction with deaths from alcohol-related diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver. When taxes were raised, such deaths decreased by as much... More »

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 Distillers Like Taste
 of Bourbon Boom 

Weak dollar, rising exports help fuel spike in sales

(Newser) - Kentucky bourbon is popular in the likes of Russia and China as drinkers worldwide flock to the US drink, the AP reports. A weak dollar, rising exports, and a bourbon trend among young Americans are also fueling the boom. "Younger consumers are interested in drinks that were, you might... More »

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 Booze Flows in Baghdad 

Despite security risks, business is booming

(Newser) - Iraq may be a war-torn nation with deep-seated sectarian divisions, but things are picking up for a certain thirsty segment of the population. That’s right: booze is flowing again in Baghdad, McClatchy Newspapers reports. Though a predominantly Muslim nation, Iraq, even under Saddam Hussein, permitted any citizen to sip,... More »

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The Scourge of Morning After

Deconstructing the hangover—and the folk remedies that are still the only hope

(Newser) - Hangovers have afflicted the recently drunk since the Stone Age, yet a dependable remedy remains elusive. A hangover takes hold just as the body succeeds in eliminating the alcohol from the blood stream, Joan Acocella notes in the New Yorker. It results from a pileup of insults the system sustains... More »

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 World's Best
 Whiskey Comes
 From... Japan? 

Yoichi is first non-Scottish brand to win top award

(Newser) - For years, Japanese whiskey has struggled for respect and praise; now, it’s on top of the world. A brand called "Yoichi 20 years old" has been voted the best whiskey in the world by Whiskey Magazine, the industry’s main publication. No non-Scottish spirit has ever won before,... More »

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 Absinthe's Secret Revealed 

Mind-altering effect is really just the booze talking

(Newser) - Absinthe's "Green Fairy,” which spurred the likes of van Gogh and Picasso to creative heights, may have been more of a drunken sprite than psychedelic pixie. A study of century-old bottles of the green liqueur revealed that its potency most likely stems from its 70% alcohol content—making... More »

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Not Your Parents' Russian Vodka

Premium imports, in fancy bottles, begin to arrive on US shores

(Newser) - If a shot of Georgi isn’t your style, Russian vodka makers are rushing to sell a new wave of premium bottles, the Los Angeles Times reports. Vodkas from France, Finland, and the US have gained popularity stateside over the past few years, but buyers couldn't find anything Russian... More »

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Absolut Cans Bottle Ads, Sees Sales Soar

Iconic campaign dumped after high-end vodkas steal brand's thunder

(Newser) - Absolut is selling a lot more vodka now that it's dumped one of the world's best-known ad campaigns, Advertising Age reports. The Swedish brand and its arty ads featuring the iconic bottle had been a big hit since entering the US market in 1979, but sales were flat before the... More »

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Absinthe's Back but Thrill's Gone

Hallucinogenic ingredient has all but disappeared

(Newser) - The "Green Fairy" may have led Van Gogh to cut off his ear, but don't expect newly legal absinthe to cause anyone to do the same, reports Time magazine. New federal regulations allow the anise-flavor liquor only a trace of thujone, the chemical from wormwood that supposedly causes... More »

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Best Places to Knock Back a Few

Finding a good bar is about the atmosphere— otherwise you might as well imbibe at home

(Newser) - You know a great bar when you're in one, Esquire posits. The magazine knows more than a few, from "Christ-this-is-a-dive" dives to classy cocktail lounges. He're a sample of their favorites, from around the country:
  1. Mac's Club Deuce, Miami Beach, Florida
  2. Callaghan's Irish Social Club, Mobile, Alabama
  3. The
... More »

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18 Stories