Articles

Alcohol Prohibition Penalties.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

Alcohol Prohibition Penalties.

Harold listening to a podcast on his earbuds spoke up loudly like he is deaf. “Wetbrain! People are getting whipped for having a drink of whiskey. W.T.F.”.

Through the history of alcohol there were alcohol prohibitions in certain countries. These days mostly prohibition is in Muslim territories with severe penalties.

There is a small town in Alberta, Canada. Raymond, Alberta with a population of 4000 has a type of alcohol prohibition where you can not possess or purchase alcohol or be fined.

Then there is the famous United States Alcohol Prohibition from 1920 to 1933 where there will be NO manufacture, sales and transportation of any alcohol products. First offence had a penalty fine up to $1000.oo and up to 6 months jail. 2nd offence we are looking at $5000.oo fine and up to 1 year imprisonment. $1000.oo in 1927 is now worth $23000.oo. WOW!

Most of the alcohol prohibition places still these days have the punishment for drinking alcohol in public are flogging, fines, imprisonment or death. Below are countries I will never visit!

   Countries these days with alcohol prohibition and the penalties.

Pakistan – In 1979 Muslim citizens caught drinking alcohol would get painful 80 whips or 2 years in prison. For having a shot of whiskey! What is wrong with these people!

Sudan

Saudi Arabia – God forbid if you sold alcohol to a Saudi national. You would be looking at 3 to 9 months in jail. Flogging would be involved.

Somalia

Libya – No whipping here but there is some jail or a fine.

Iran – July 8, 2020, a man was executed for drinking alcohol. W.T.F.

Kuwait – Do not get caught drinking alcohol here. A fine is $1700us to 3.4 million. Jail is 6 months to 5 years. Plus, deportation or a death sentence! When is the next plane?

Bangladesh

Afghanistan – Only 60 lashes here or imprisonment. Just a little better than Pakistan. W.T.F.

 

Dr. Wetbrain thought about these ridiculous punishments. The whole world is going nuts with the wars and international fighting that are going on now. The wrong people are getting the lashes.

Cheers!  

Social Media Made Guinness Beer Scarce.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

 

Social Media Made Guinness Beer Scarce!

Did social media have a play in the scarcity of Guinness Beer?

Right now, there is a shortage of that fine tasting Guinness Beer. This beer devastation is not from climate change with droughts and floods effecting the barley harvest. Or lack of fresh water. No, the desolate depletion of Guinness Beer was brought on by a marketing campaign which lasted for a few years in the UK, along with a social media hype. The main group devoted were women and Gen Zs. Guinness Beer is getting sold out. “No drops of stout left in my stein me laddies!”

 

Guinness Beer produced by Diageo for 265 years, limited the purchase on how much British pubs can get. Usually half of their regular orders. One pub owner noted that we must have Guinness for the Six Nation Rugby Championship which kicks off January 31, 2025! These nasty limits only apply to pubs in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Also, the Irish security stock of Guinness Beer was commandeered for the UK shortage. North America will also suffer from the lack of Guinness in the pubs due to Diageo putting a large shipment on standby. Diageo spokesperson thanked customers for their patience due to the demand at unprecedented levels and working hard to increase the volume.

Arthur Guinness on December 31, 1759, signed a 9000-year lease on the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. The Guinness Beer was born. Is Guinness still paying 5 cents a month??

This brewery is now owned by Diageo a multinational alcohol beverage maker based in London, England. Out of their over 200 brand names include Smirnoff, Baileys, Captain Morgan and Gordon’s Gin.

Very sad for the Guinness Beer shortage especially for the Six Nation Rugby Championship. Life is life but marketing and social media does not always help.

Update: 35200 pints of Guinness Beer were just stolen due to the shortage.

Health and Culinary Products Made With Beer.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

Health and Culinary Products Made With Beer.

One day Harold mentioned to Dr. Wetbrain how much he loved crispy Walleye fish in beer batter and recently tried a beer can chicken dinner. Both dishes were YUMMY!

Dr. Wetbrain had to educate Harold.

So many other products are made with beer. Such as BBQ sauces, body lotions, soaps and hair shampoo. You can even make bread and cake.

Apparently BBQ a beer-can-chicken also. Never tried this, but what it looks like is a cooked chicken with a beer can up its ass.

“Yes it actually does,” Harold replied giggling.

Beer has medical benefits from the hops for all these products with vitamin E, B6 and C. Besides vitamins, beer also has restorative nutrients such as antioxidants and protein. Excellent for your immune system and helps to detox your hair and skin. Cleanse, repair and protect your hair and skin without harsh chemicals.

Drinking beer on the other hand has no evidence for medical benefits and making your hair healthy, shiny and looking great.

Remember ‘Body on Tap’ Shampoo, which was launched in 1978. Made with a natural beer produced by Anheuser Busch, better known as Budweiser.

There was the TV commercial aired in July 1978 starring Kim Basinger. “Made with one third real beer, but don’t drink it.”

‘Body On Tap’ Shampoo Commercial.

So, Harold besides getting drunk, beer is great for health and culinary uses. I also love eating Walleye fish in beer batter. Funny to note that there is even Beer Belly Lotion available. You should take note Harold.

WTF, Microplastics Are Now In BEER!

Wetbrain 1 Comment

WTF, Microplastics Are Now in Beer!

WTF! Microplastics are now in BEER!

What are microplastics, Dr. Wetbrain thought.

Well apparently, everything made these days are made with these tiny little plastic beads and everything of no use is thrown away as garbage which breaks down through time and turns back into these tiny plastic beads.

The microplastics are into the whole environment such as air, water, sea water and soil. We are all consuming this plastic for our survival, like eating and drinking. Also, wildlife is dealing with this human caused fate.

These nasty beads can cause in humans and animals a variety of cancers, digestive problems, defects to respiratory, reproductive and immune systems.

The microplastics were first detected in shellfish and other fish used for human consumption. Ends up that the average human ingests 11,000 plastic particles a year. WTF!

These tiny plastic beads are in everything we drink like bottled water, soda, juice drinks and BEER. Water is needed to grow and raise all we eat. Vegetables, fruits and grains all have plastic particles. So do poultry, pork and beef, which are eating the microplastic added grain. A tasty T-bone steak on the BBQ will have microplastic in it. So sad.

How do these microplastic beads get into the system?

These tiny 5mm plastic beads are sourced from discarded clothing, plastic bottles, cosmetics, paint and detergents along with tire wear and more, which all eventually gets back into our drinking water through sewers and water treatment plants. These beads still get through in the treatment plant even though ultraviolet lights, chlorine and micro filtering is used to prevent this.

WTF! Microplastics are now in BEER!

“Maybe that’s why my face looks so shiny,” Dr. Wetbrain thought after and acting like a robot.

Star Wars Bar Drinks on Movie.

Wetbrain 1 Comment

Star Wars Bar Drinks on Movie.

 Dr. Wetbrain walked into the living room and saw a weird hairy creature. “Harold, why are you dressed like a very short Chewbacca?” The Dr. questioned.

“It’s May 4th. May the 4th be with you.” Harold replied.

“Sick. You are all ready for the Star Wars marathon tonight.” Wetbrain mentioned and continued.

I love the bar scene from the movie Star Wars, A New Hope, Episode IV.

On the planet Tatooine there is an alien filled, dimly lit tavern with very cool looking aliens, strong drinks and modern jazzy music.

The famous bar is named ‘The Mos Eisley Cantina’ and filled with unique alien customers listening to a song called ‘Mad bout Me’ and performed by Bith aliens called, ‘The Cantina Band’.

The patrons in this space bar consisted of…

Ariel Schous – the wolfman with glowing eyes.

Hem Dazon – big eyes and a head with big round head sides.

Kardue ‘sai’ Malloc – you devil you.

Many more alien creatures like Myo, Little Kabe, Momaw Nado and let us not forget the bartender Wuher. The list goes on. Find more at screenrant.com.

Star Wars Drinks on Movie 

Drinks on the menu at The Mos Eisley Cantina tavern on the planet Tatooine…

Tatooine Sunset – fermented fruit and tea. Warm brown colored drink suitable for Humans.

Blue Milk – Bantha Milk which is a blue liquid produced by female Banthas.

Tatooi Junko – a powerful Hutt beverage.

Parkellan Sling – a brown beverage from the planet Takodana.

Med Nog – this drink gives you a buzz and helps heal war wounds faster.

Spotchka – this drink is made from a killed creature called a Krill. Safe to consume for Humans and Klatooinians. Bring it on.

Ruby Bliel – Anakin Skywalker loved this drink in his younger days. This non-alcohol drink is, believe or not, still a gooey tasty beverage. WTF. Many more drinks noted for the Mos Eisley Cantina at Wookieepedia.com.

“So, Harold, you tiny Wookie. I’m going out to warm up the truck. Off to the movie marathon we go.” Dr.Wetbrain excitedly concluded.

The Kraken and Rum.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

The Kraken and Rum.

In the 1700’s large merchant ships were attacked by huge sea creatures that had large heads and long fat octopus like tentacles. Stories would tell that this huge sea creature would quickly swim around the ship to create a whirlpool thus sinking the boat then eating the floating crew members.

“So, Harold.” Dr. Wetbrain blurted out. “You know how much I love stories about cryptids.” Harold sighed and replied with, “yes, I do.”

Of course, I had to look further into the Kraken and rum story.

The rumor of the Kraken started in 1700 somewhere in the Norwegian Sea between Iceland and Norway. Described somewhat by Italian Catholic Priest Francesco Negri.

Same Kraken description was given in detail in 1734 by Hans Egede, The Apostle of Greenland.

Description of The Kraken:

Huge sea serpent which has many heads, several claws and the body measured many miles in length. OK… too much rum.

In reality the first written account of the Kraken was in 1180 by King Sverre of Norway.

The Jules Verne’s novel, ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ was influenced by giant squids sighted by fishermen. The giant squid theory came into true view in 2005 with film footage from Japanese oceanic researchers T. Kubodera and K. Mori.

View Kraken Footage

Note: The name Kraken comes from the Norwegian ‘Krake” which is closely related to a German word for Octopus.

So, what got me thinking about the Kraken was me wondering around the liquor store seeing what’s new. Came across a bottle of Kraken Black Spiced Rum and went into a deep cryptid thought for about 15 minutes until the store worker shook me and said, “Are you alright sir?”

After gathering his faculties, Dr. Wetbrain replied with, “yes”.

This Caribbean black spiced rum of 47% alcohol made by Proximo Spirits of New Jersey, turned out to be quite tasty with a splash of apple juice.

Kraken Rum story is that a lone ship carrying barrels of spiced rum across the Caribbean Sea was attacked by a Kraken. One barrel survived, thus the Kraken Rum Company.

Note: At 47% alcohol, if you drink too much Kraken Rum in one night you may turn into the Kraken. Dr. Wetbrain snickered.  

Artificial Intelligence Changes Brewing Beer.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

Artificial Intelligence Changes Brewing Beer.

 

Artificial Intelligence is really getting into too much of our human lives. These days A.I. is involved in medicine, art, music and duplicating people’s image along with their voice and even bars. Scary!

And now A.I. is used to make great tasting beer by redesigning the recipe. Remember that a computer does not have taste buds! Also, with all the senses us humans have and the nonsenses that the internet has, would artificial intelligence make better tasting beer? Dr. Wetbrain had to investigate this crazy idea.

A.I. has a large data base on the beloved beer which links chemical data with sensory features to accurately predict a beer’s taste and smell, apparently.

Beer has basically 4 main ingredients of hops, yeast, grains and water. What I have seen is that A.I. beer brewing can predict how beer tastes from its chemical make up and then comes up with great recipe ideas, but the ingredient numbers are off. That’s where the human touch comes in to make the beer perfect. Otherwise, bad tasting, 2% beer.

KU Leuven Brewery in Belgium developed an artificial intelligent model which works with expert beer taster’s decisions, 180,000 public ratings and measurements of 226 chemical compounds. The end results still needed tweaking from their brew master.

Dalen Landis, owner of the Grain Bin Brewing Co. in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada wanted 100% A.I. made beer. Still, they needed staff to tweak the technology.

Vancouver Island Brewery in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada wanted to do the same as Grain Bin. Yep! The internal brew master had to fix the brew.

Co-owner Alan Norman of Tire Shack Brewing Co. in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada used Chat GPT to come up with a recipe. Their new A.I. beer is called Garden Party, if you want to try it.

Dr. Wetbrain investigated further by tasting some of these A.I. beers and concluded that the extra human touch made a much better tasting beer. But I could see that beer with the new artificial intelligence is an interesting novelty to try. Human made beer is the best.

180,000 public reviews can be found on RateBeer.com

Check out ‘Eight Different Robotic Bartenders’.

I Cry For Whiskey and Rye.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

I Cry, For Whiskey and Rye.

I, Dr. Wetbrain, pledge a solemn oath to whiskey and rye. Rye and water are my favorite poisons. So, I know a little bit about whiskey and rye.

The word ‘whiskey’ comes from the Gaelic uisge beatha, meaning ‘lively water’ or ‘water of life’. Interesting to note how also the American Natives use to call whiskey ‘fire water’.

Whiskey, rye or bourbon are more of a European, American and Canadian made spirit compared to the rest of the world.

I very much enjoy a glass of whiskey or two, usually with two thirds of the glass with cold water added as mix to the rye. Mostly in movies, on the other hand, people will down about two ounces at once in a shot glass. Holly, cow! Must have been watered down.

Whiskey is made by distilling fermented barley, rye or wheat grain in large stills and then aged in charred wooden ‘aging’ barrels.

Difference between Whiskey and Rye. 

Whiskey is an American and Canadian based libation made with either wheat, corn, barley or many other grains.

Rye is a type of whiskey, made the same way, but with at least 51% rye mash.

Scotch is made from fermented barley.

Irish whiskey must ferment with added yeast. I’m sure that each distillery has their own tricks of the trade with the production of these spirits by using other additions and processes and aging times. No matter what, each finished product is like a piece of art. 

Bourbon is a whiskey which is fermented with at least 51% corn mash.

Brief History, On Whiskey

Whiskey’s distilling tricks of the trade were brought on by monks between 1100 – 1300 AD to Scotland and Ireland.

At one time beer made with barley was distilled into hard liquor. Medicine they all thought. Speaking of medicine, in the dirty thirties (Prohibition time), over a million gallons of whiskey was prescribed by dignified doctors to sufferers of many unique ailments.

In 1794 during the American Revolutionary War whiskey was used as currency for room and board, bullets, boots, etc.…

      Moonshine, white lightning, hooch is usually made by refining 100% corn mash and distilling this mash in a contraption called a ‘still’. Totally illegal to manufacture this moonshine in its time, production was done in secrecy.

This high proofed alcohol was in high demand during the prohibition era (1920 – 1933). During this era, the speakeasies bought moonshine and watered it down for more profits.

“Harold sounds dignified when he drinks whiskey, when I have seen others go snake crazy drinking this spirit”, Dr. Wetbrain remarks.

Toast History – Cheers!

Wetbrain Leave a comment

Toast History – Cheers!

   “‘Nats daroia’ Harold!”, Dr. Wetbrain yelled holding up his beer into the air. Harold stood up and clinked his beer with him and had a drink. Harold yelled ‘Napidabora’, trying to imitate the doctor.

“You said it wrong”, Dr. Wetbrain stated. Time for toasting ‘Cheers!’ history and language lessons.

Two people and a clink of a drink from their glasses, also a yell of ‘Cheers’ in honor of a toast perhaps at a wedding, a good business deal, an honor of congratulation or to a special person. “Here’s looking at you kid”, Humphrey Bogart to Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. Clink!

Merriam-Webster dictionary has a great definition for a toast – A shout of hope, applause, or encouragement.

History of Cheers

   In the 1st century BC, the Roman Senate decreed to all to have a drink to the health of Emperor Augustus at every meal. Harold apparently tries to do this all the time.

The first recorded ‘Toast’ in England in the 12th century was by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He wrote that Renwien, daughter of British King Vortigern declared ‘Waes Hael’. Which meant good health. The Saxons continued the ‘Waes Hael’ toast every holiday with a bowl of wine. Awe the good old days.

Some thought the drinking toast began in ancient Greece, honor the Gods. Or there is the Medieval Ages where clinking 2 glasses one of them would spill some of its poison into the other glass. Mysterious murder perhaps. How sneaky!

The praise word ‘cheers’ was from the 18th century French ‘chiere’, meaning face or head, used to express happiness and encouragement.

Toasting Cheers! In different languages.    

   English – Cheers – Cheers! To your health, bottoms up.

Costa Rica – Pura Vida – poora vida – Cheers.

Filipino – Tagay – Ta gay – Drink.

Finnish – Kippis – kip piss.

German – Prost – prohst – Cheers!

Greek – Yamas – Ya mas – Good health.

Italian – Salute or Cin Cin – Cheen cheen – Cheers.

Japanese – Kanpai – Kan pie – Cheers or Empty the glass.

Mandarin – Ganbei – Gan bay – Cheers, dry cup or bottoms up.

North Korea – No cheers there! They don’t even drink or smile for that matter.

Portuguese – Saude – Saw oo de – to your health.

Russian – Nahz Drovia – Natz drovia – Cheers!

Spanish – Salud – sah lud – Good health.

Swedish – Skal – skawl – Cheers!

A personal drinking toast somehow brings people closer to each other. Cheers! Clink!

The Beer Bottle Saga.

Wetbrain Leave a comment

The Beer Bottle Saga.

sha.org/bottle/beer

Dr. Wetbrain was reminiscing one day while sipping on a beer bottle. His thought drifted to the “Stubbie’s”. Beer bottles never had a tall neck at one time. It was in the 1980’s when the tall neck became popular. Twist top cap bottles were already used in the 1960’s but never got popular till much later. Thanks to the tall neck bottles. I remember using lighters and seatbelts for stubby bottle openers. Seen people using boards and their eye socket to open beer bottles. What the??!

Commercial beer bottles started in the late 1600s but were not a big thing then. Even though carrying a case of glass bottled beer is better than walking down a cobble stoned street toting beer filled bowls or large covered steins in each hand. Noted that both would have been filled from a barrel spout.

In the late 1600s these new beer bottles were made with clear glass at first. But were soon realized buy the faithful guzzlers that the beer was sour, skunky tasting after sitting in the sun for a short spell. According to scientific research ultra-violet rays damage the acids found in the hops. Thus, the brown tinted bottles. Which were made to prevent the nasty UV rays from damaging the hops. No more skunks! Green beer bottles are made, but the UV protection is not as good as the brown bottles.

Since 1975 a Japanese company called Kirin Holdings tracked the global consumption of beer. 185 million Kiloliters in 2021. 74000 Olympic sized swimming pools. Dr. Wetbrain thought the numbers would be higher. Thank you Visualcapitalist.com for 2021 data on global beer consumption in different countries.

So let us talk about divots on the base or bottom of a beer bottle. I always thought that it was the number of how many times that bottle was recycled. Which does not make sense for the bottle is molded only once. These dots or ‘heel codes’ are for production equipment to read the size of the bottle. That’s it.

Unfortunately recycling bottles is a problem where more than 28 billion bottles annually do not get recycled. It’s good to know though that the average beer bottle gets reused 15 times in its life span with a strict process of inspection and sanitation.

Beer consumption has gone through a long history from covered Beer Steins to cardboard cases of 24 bottles of beer to carry home.