Category: Alcohol

Beer may stay up till six months. If you store a chilled beer unrefrigerated then it may last only for couple of hours. But if you intend to store it for longer, then it should be kept in the freezer. If the beer is stored properly, as in, under cold temperature and away from sunlight then it can stay good for longer. Though it is said that if a bottle-conditioned beer is stored properly it stays good for up to 5 years, but the truth is, its taste starts changing after few months itself. Only if you opt for beer with high-content alcohol then it may stay good for up to 5 -10 years.

According to researchers, red wine is very beneficial for the heart if taken in moderate amounts. However, a foul red wine can do you more harm than good. Red wine, if unopened, can last for as long as 150 years. However, a 50 year old red wine is considered to be the best. Once opened, it is necessary to keep the bottle red wine in the fridge to prevent it from going bad. If the cork is put back on after every time it is opened, refrigerated red wine can last up to a month.

Red wine is a rare alcoholic drink which is good for the heart when had in moderation. As in the case of all wines, the older the red wine is the better. However, once opened, red wine does not have a very long shelf life. Ideally, red wine lasts for only two to three days.

MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW ALCOHOL affects their bodies, but we rarely talk about the effects of alcohol and tobacco on our oral health. With all the parties and gatherings with friends and family during the holidays, it’s a good time to learn more about it.

Consider What You’re Drinking From Your Mouth’s Point Of View

• Acidity – Most alcoholic drinks are very acidic. This is especially true for drinks that are mixed using sodas and fruit juices. All of this acid can really eat away at your teeth.
• Staining – Red wine, especially, can stain your teeth. And remember that bonds and newly-whitened teeth are very vulnerable to staining.
• Extra Sugar – The bitterness in many alcoholic drinks is counteracted with extra sugar, which you may not even notice.
• Sipping Dangers – After an acidic, sugary drink your mouth works hard to re-establish its pH balance. If you’re sipping drinks over a long period of time, your mouth struggles even more to keep a good balance. It’s like a war zone all evening long.

Some Helpful Suggestions

Being more aware of these issues will help you be smart. Here are some ideas:

Clues To Your Overall Health Can Be Discovered In Your Mouth

DID YOU REALIZE THAT AN ESTIMATED 90% of systemic diseases can have an oral manifestation? Your mouth is loaded with helpful information about your body’s overall health.

Fortunately, most of your mouth’s “stories” are related to minor issues. However, some can actually be signs of more serious problems.

Your Teeth

If you have worn-down teeth it can mean that you’ve been grinding your teeth—probably in your sleep. Grinding can be a symptom of TMD (temporomandibular disorder) which may also lead to chronic headaches.

If we notice that your tooth enamel is thin, it could be a sign of a condition such as acid reflux or bulimia because both regularly bathe teeth in stomach acid.

Your Gums

Occasionally, we all may have swollen, sensitive gums. But if it persists, even when you’re taking really good care of your mouth, it could be an early sign of something serious like diabetes or leukemia. Sometimes it may simply be a sign of vitamin C deficiency. But, it’s good to consider all the possibilities.

In addition, modern research and many health experts continue to draw lines between gum disease and other whole-body health issues including lung disease, cardiovascular problems, and even early-term labor.

Your Tongue

There are a few odd tongue conditions like hairy black tongue (which is pretty much what it sounds like) and geographic tongue (random-shaped, smooth red patches) that have various causes but are not considered serious—although they can cause discomfort. However, what IS serious are early signs of oral cancer which often show up on the side of your tongue first, in small red or white spots. If you have a sore on your tongue, cheek, or elsewhere in your mouth that doesn’t go away in a reasonable amount of time, have us check it out right away.

Nutritional Imbalances

Nutritional deficiencies are often reflected in your mouth where the soft tissues are renewed quickly. An Academy of General Dentistry study shows that oral tissue sensitivity can be a sign of deficiencies in iron, zinc, and folic acid which can show up as gum disease.

Here’s One More Important Thought

Most people don’t know that regular drinking can spike your oral cancer risk. According to an American Cancer Society study a person who consumes alcohol is six times more likely to get oral cancer than someone who doesn’t consume alcohol, and 75-80% of patients with oral cancer are frequent alcohol users.

Oral cancer is a serious killer—so use your good judgment. And, make sure that you have regular oral cancer screenings.

Questions Or Comments?

Do you have any questions about alcohol’s impact on your oral health? Do you have any tips of your own about how to keep your teeth healthy during that holiday night out? Comment below or on our Facebook page! And if you ever have questions, please ask us.

When you’re job hunting for any job it’s important to have a complete and professional resume to give to your potential employers so they can see all of your skills and abilities up front. The reason this is important is because sometimes even though they won’t hire you right away because they don’t have an open spot, most times employers will hold on to these resumes so that when a spot does open up they already have some possible candidates for the job. They hate doing interviews just as much as you do, so if they can skip that part they will. Here I’m going to teach you how to make a convincing bartender resume for when you are just starting out.

According to mobile Austin bartenders, Austin Bartending Co, if you’ve never made a resume or just haven’t done one in a long while, then here is a quick refresher. If you’re familiar with the layout of a resume then feel free to skip to the next paragraph. A resume consists of about 7 or 8 sections depending on your situation. These sections consist of Objective, Key Qualifications, Expertise, Achievements, Relevant Experience, Education, and Other Skills. I’ll go over each of these sections below in the order they should appear on your bartending resume.

Objective

Basically, the objective section of the resume should be a brief sentence or two about what it is you want out of a job in bartending. Don’t be too cheesy just be honest, and then move on. You don’t want to sound like you’re trying to overcompensate for lack of experience or skill. If you’re stuck, then here are some examples you could use:

If you are a newbie or don’t have too much experience, try something like this:

“To obtain an entry level position as a bartender at *insert employer name here* in order to develop my skills further and learn as much as I can about bartending.”

For a more experienced bartender, something like this could be suited better:

“Looking for a bartending job at *insert employer name here* that I can use my extensive bartending skills to help better serve customers. I would also like to further challenge myself and grow as a bartender.”

The objective is the shortest but also sometimes the hardest part of a resume because it’s hard to come up with something other then “I want a job so I can have money to buy stuff.” Some people just skip it completely because everyone’s objective is the same, to get a job. So you can choose to include it or not include it just use discretion based on the job you’re applying for.

Key Qualifications

This part is easy, this is where you list your reasons for being qualified to be a bar tender. It can just be a numbered or bulleted list. Some examples of what you can include in this list are:

• # of years of bartending experience.

• Any training or classes you’ve taken related to bartending.

• Experience with cash handling and cash register services like Micros.

• Customer service skills.

• Computer skills like Microsoft Word or Excel.

• If you can drive and have a vehicle of your own.

• Organization skills.

• If you are bilingual, definitely include it.

• Plus any other qualifications you may have.

There are probably lots more but those are the most popular ones. Remember to only add qualifications that are relevant to bartending, they aren’t going to care if you had an office job prior to this or if you can play guitar.

Bartending Expertise

This should be a short and sweet list of the areas of bartending you are best at. If you know hundreds of recipes off the top of your head, include that here. Also include things like being able to take drink orders quickly and accurately and being able to suggest drinks based on customers tastes. But remember, only include things that you are actually really good at, otherwise once you have the job they will see you actually lack in these areas rather than shine. This section can also be a bulleted list, no need to write out a paragraph.

Achievements

List here any awards or achievements you have earned related to bartending or customer service. This list may be very short or even non existent, that’s okay, don’t make something up just to have it here. It’s just something extra to include and isn’t absolutely necessary. Awards can be anything from employee of the month to a certificate in outstanding customer service.

Relevant Experience

Here is where you would list any prior bartending experience starting with the most recent. Be sure to include the months and years that you worked there, the company name and location as well as the specific tasks you were responsible for during your work there. This should also be a bulleted list. For the tasks part, don’t just say “bartending” be more specific, including things like cash handling, clean up, opening or closing the bar, preparing garnishes, and anything else you were actually responsible for at your previous bartending jobs.

If you don’t have any bartending experience, then include what other jobs you have had and explain to the employer at your interview that you don’t yet have any job experience with bar tending but that you’re confident you could succeed at it. Never completely leave out this section because even if you don’t have relevant experience, you don’t want it to look like you have no job experience what-so-ever.

Education

List any education you’ve had after highschool, highlighting areas that are relevant to bartending. By that I mean if your college offered any bartending or hospitality classes or courses, be sure to mention that. Also include the years you attended the school, the name of the school and your GPA. You can throw in any other bartending schools or classes that you’ve attended too. Workshops might be able to fit in here too depending on how much weight they carry.

Additional Skills & Capabilities

Include here a list of any other skills you posses, things that may or may not be related to bartending. Attention to detail, communication skills and knowledge on certain subjects can all be included. If you feel that you covered everything in the qualifications section, then it’s okay to leave this part out.

References

It’s good to include some work references from your previous employers, even if none of them are actually contacted by your employer sometimes they just like to see that you have them. Keep the list short, 3 or less is perfect.

Other Stuff & Formatting

One more thing you should include is a header, in this header should be your full name, phone number, cell phone number and mailing address. If you don’t have this info how is any employer supposed to contact you?

As far as formatting goes, it’s really simple. Type everything out in your preferred word processor, Microsoft Word is great but an awesome free version is Open Office. Center the heading, everything else should be aligned to the left. Make a heading for each section. Double check your bullets and lists look okay and then save it. Here is an example of a finished bartending resume, yours should be formatted somewhat similar to this, but it’s okay if it varies a little bit. The most important part is the information so don’t worry too much about how it’s formatted. If you need an example, check out this completed bartender resume sample.

There, all done! Now you’re ready to print it out and go get yourself a job! If you have any questions please feel free to leave me a comment below, I’d be happy to help you!

Alcohol Overdose Statistics and Facts. Approximately 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year in the United States. Knowing what the symptoms of alcohol poisoning are and responding appropriately to such alcohol poisoning symptoms can help avoid a fatal alcohol overdose.

Alcohol Poisoning and Blood Alcohol Level Factors

Alcohol poisoning, also known as an alcohol overdose, is a dangerous and sometimes deadly result of drinking significantly more ethanol alcohol than the human body can process.

It is worth emphasizing that it is not necessarily the amount of alcohol a person drinks but more accurately the amount of alcohol that an individual can metabolize that is critical when discussing alcohol poisoning symptoms.

The effects of the alcohol on your body depend on the amount of alcohol in your blood (known as blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

• A person’s blood alcohol concentration is affected by the following factors:
• How much food is in the individual’s stomach at the time he or she drinks
• How strong the alcoholic drink is
• How quickly the person consumes the alcoholic drink
• How fast the person’s body metabolizes the alcohol

Common Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

Typically, one of the first symptoms of alcohol poisoning is nausea, followed by vomiting. These alcohol poisoning symptoms are warning signs from the brain and from the body informing the person that he or she has consumed more alcohol than his or her body can metabolize. The following list characterizes some of the main symptoms of alcohol poisoning:

• Unconsciousness (passing out)
• Absent reflexes
• Slurred speech
• Seizures
• Erratic behavior
• No withdrawal from painful stimuli (for instance from pinching)
• Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
• Feeling very ill, including protracted vomiting
• Confusion
• Inability to make eye contact or sustain a conversation
• Difficulty awakening the person
• Slow, shallow, or irregular breathing

What To Do

The Bottom Line When Experiencing an Alcohol Overdose. Due to the fact that almost 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning are reported each year in the United States and since alcohol poisoning can be fatal, it is important to be able to identify the typical symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Knowledge of these alcohol poisoning symptoms and knowing how to quickly and properly react to such symptoms (that is, by calling 911) can help avoid a fatal alcohol overdose.

Conclusion: Alcohol Poisoning Symptoms

Keep in mind that if a person experiences an alcohol overdose, he or she is an alcohol abuser. As a result, this person needs to keep the following in mind: the more that alcohol is consumed in an abusive manner, the more likely it is that the drinker will become an alcoholic. If this describes you, then you need to be honest with yourself and admit that you have a drinking problem.

Once you have taken this step, consider making it a priority to talk with an alcohol abuse and alcoholism professional about getting alcohol treatment as soon as possible.

When investigating alcohol from an historical viewpoint, one of the key alcohol facts is that people have known about alcohol and have been drinking alcoholic beverages for the better part of 10,000 years.

Even though alcohol has been used in a number of different of ways throughout human history that can be called “beneficial,” it was, nonetheless, understood thousands of years ago that excessive drinking and abusing alcohol can lead to significant social and personal difficulties.

Since these alcohol facts have been known for many centuries, why, therefore, is it that so many individuals worldwide suffer from the deleterious, unhealthy, and at times deadly consequences of alcohol poisoning, chronic alcohol abuse, and alcoholism?

Looked at from another perspective, what is it about drinking that leads so many people to engage in abusive and irresponsible drinking behavior?

Do problem drinkers really need more information about alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts so that they can drink more moderately or quit drinking entirely?

A Basic but Significant Question: What is Alcohol?

The alcohol that people drink at bars, parties, or at other social functions is called ethyl alcohol or ethanol.

Ethyl alcohol is produced by fermentation, a process in which yeast fungus feeds on starches and/or sugars in different grains (such as rice, hops, or barley) or fruits (especially grapes) and excretes alcohol along with carbon dioxide (CO2).

Simply put, ethyl alcohol is a depressant drug and not a stimulant as advocated by many people. Maybe this fact helps explain why so many people become depressed when they drink to an excess.

From a different vantage point, this may also help explain why so many people exhibit alcoholism and depression at the same time.

The concentration of alcohol in most drinks varies quite a bit depending on the type of drink.

For instance, while hard liquor typically has an alcohol content of 40% and can go as high as 95%, wine and beer, on the other hand, usually have an alcohol content between 5% and 15%.

From the least expensive beer to the most costly after-dinner wine or liqueur, all alcohol is made from the same basic fermentation process.

The various strengths, flavors, colors, and tastes, however, come from the different vegetables or fruits that are employed as well as from the by-products, additives, and the diluting substances used in the fermentation process.

As a note of interest, the fermentation procedure used in alcoholic beverages is the same process that will take place with grape juice, apple juice, orange juice, or other fruit juices that are left to sit without being consumed.

When an individual drinks an alcoholic beverage, approximately 80% of the alcohol is absorbed in the small intestine and roughly 20% is absorbed in the stomach.

The type of drink, concentration of alcohol, and whether the stomach is empty or full influence the speed at which the alcohol is absorbed.

After the alcohol is absorbed into the tissues, it affects a person’s brain and their body.

It typically takes about 20 minutes after having an alcoholic drink for an individual’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to increase. After the alcohol is absorbed, it exits from the body in three ways: via the kidneys, the lungs, and via the liver.

A Brief Historical Perspective About Alcohol Use and Alcohol Facts

Even though it not known precisely when alcohol was first consumed, the discovery of late Stone Age beer jugs, nevertheless, shows that deliberately fermented alcoholic beverages existed at least as early as 10,000 B.C.

This means that people have known about alcohol and have ingested alcoholic beverages for at least 10,000 to 12,000 years!

Other historical references include the following:

In ancient Greece, by 1,700 B.C. wine making was so common that, similar to other places in the old world, it became an important component of religious rituals, it was used socially, it was used for medical purposes, and it became a commonly used with daily meals.

In ancient China, it was believed that the consumption of alcohol in moderation was prescribed by heaven.

In Sumeria, wine and beer were used for therapeutic reasons as early as 2,000 B.C. In Babylon, as early as 2,700 B.C, the Babylonians worshiped wine deities. Moreover wine and beer were used on a regular basis as offerings to the gods.

In Ancient Egypt, the Egyptians believed that Osiris, the god of wine, also invented beer, a beverage that was so much a part of Egyptian culture that it was brewed daily in the home.

The Bible, (Genesis 9:20) states that Noah planted a vineyard on Mt. Ararat.

The Abuse of Alcohol

While alcohol has been used in a variety of ways that can be called “positive,” it was, however, realized thousands of years ago that abusing alcohol and too much drinking usually led to personal and/or social problems.

For instance, the writings of Plato and Aristotle show that both of these famous philosophers were critical of drunkenness. And recently in China, a manuscript was found that originated approximately 650 B.C.

This document discussed how hard it was for people to do without beer and also included warnings of the “abuse” of beer!

The Negative Effects of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Moving forward to Europe, in 1596 in France, an adviser to Henri IV announced that too much drinking ruined families and homes.

In a document published in 1647, a Greek monk articulated that excessive drinking was damaging to the brain and to the nerves and significantly contributed to numerous medical problems such as paralysis, trembling, convulsions, and uncontrolled bleeding into the brain or into another organs of the body.

It is interesting to point out that more than 350 years ago in Europe, a few insightful people actually documented information about the results of excessive alcohol ingestion that in modern-day terminology would be classified as “alcohol side effects,” the “DTs,” “alcohol overdose,” “alcohol withdrawal,” and “alcohol poisoning.”

In 1667 in France, a medical thesis was written that discussed the beneficial aspects of wine and also focused on characteristics that are damaging to a person’s health such as trembling hands, memory loss, gawking expression, sleep disruption, lethargy, ulcerated eyes, and erratic gait.

Even though this document contained a variety of clinical observations that were justifiably associated with excessive alcohol ingestion, unfortunately, the knowledge and information in this manuscript about the deleterious consequences of excessive drinking did not become widespread.

Fast forwarding to 1920 in the United States, this time period marks the beginning of Prohibition. At this time the 18th Amendment to the Constitution had been officially ratified with the intention of ending the dangers related to drinking.

For instance, around this same time one writer stated that excessive drinking was similar to “Grappling with the Monster” and called abusing alcohol the “Curse.” According to this writer, the only cure was total abstinence.

It is interesting to point out that the dangers associated with drinking excessively during the 1800s and the early 1900s in the United States were essentially perceived from a social orientation.

More to the point, excessive drinking was seen as related to crimes, family violence, poverty, public disorder, and incompetence in the workplace.

It must also be articulated that some individuals, however, did think that excessive drinking, especially rum, could result in death. Even though a few people proclaimed warnings about excessive alcohol ingestion, their voices, unfortunately, were not heard.

Information About Alcohol Facts and Alcohol Statistics

Many of the dangers of alcohol abuse and alcoholism do not fully make an impact on people’s awareness until some relevant information about alcohol facts and alcohol statistics are explicitly stated.

It is with this in mind that the following alcohol facts and alcohol statistics are included. For instance, according to a study initiated by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University in 2005, the following alcohol statistics and alcohol facts were revealed:

56% of students in grades 5 through 12 say that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

Alcoholism research statistics show that the 9.6% of adult alcoholics drink 25% of the alcohol that is consumed by all adult drinkers.

In the United States during 2004, 16,694 deaths occurred as a result of alcohol-related motor-vehicle crashes. This amount was approximately 39% of all traffic fatalities. This amounts to one alcohol-related death every 31 minutes.

Those who suffer from chronic pain can face more immediate problems from the use of alcohol, especially if they are taking some other form of pain-killing drugs — even those that can be purchased over the counter.

According to a 1999 Federal Trade Commission study, alcohol placement has occurred in PG and PG 13 movies where the primary audience included a large number of children and teens.

Since alcohol poisoning happens at least 50,000 times in the U.S. per year it is important to know what to do if you experience someone who is overdosing on alcohol.

Approximately 9.7 million current drinkers in the United States are between the ages of 12-20. Of these young drinkers, 18.7% are binge drinking and 6% are heavy drinkers.

Excessive drinking contributes to illness in each of the top three causes of death: strokes, cancer, and heart disease.

Every year in the U.S., 1,400 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related accidents and injuries, including vehicle accidents.

The 25.9% of underage drinkers who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is consumed by all underage drinkers.

Underage drinking is a major national problem, with estimates suggesting that by the 8th grade one-fourth of all adolescents have consumed alcohol to the point of intoxication.

It is alcohol facts and alcohol statistics like these that give almost immediate impact to the destructive, unhealthy, and at times the fatal consequences of alcoholism, alcohol poisoning, and chronic, abusive drinking.

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Alcohol Deaths

Chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism can lead to a number of alcohol deaths. In some instances, chronic and abusive drinking leads directly to a fatality (such as death via alcohol poisoning) while in other instances, such as cancer, the association may be indirect, but fatal nonetheless.

In other words, repeated excessive drinking may lead to cancer, which eventually leads to the individual’s death.

The key point in all of this is the following: alcohol deaths are responsible for thousands if not millions of people every year losing their lives directly or indirectly due to chronic, abusive drinking.

Alcohol Deaths From a Direct Causation Perspective

In some instances, alcohol abuse and alcoholism are directly responsible for alcohol deaths. Examples include alcohol-related traffic fatalities, alcohol-induced organ malfunction, and alcohol poisoning. It appears that many people do not realize the danger that is involved in drinking excessively only a few times per year.

The “alcohol facts” are, however, that engaging in binge drinking even once can result in an alcohol overdose. Indeed, approximately once every week, someone in the U.S. dies a needless and fully preventable death due to alcohol poisoning.

Alcohol Deaths From an Indirect Causation Perspective

In most instances, abusive and excessive alcohol consumption indirectly leads to alcohol deaths. Keep in mind, however, that this does not mean that chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are any less responsible in the outcomes.

Indeed, if alcoholics drink hard enough and long enough, it is almost a guarantee that they will lose their lives to an alcohol-related medical condition, illness, or disease.

The following list represents the various kinds of cancer that are directly or indirectly caused by chronic alcohol abuse and/or alcoholism. Keep in mind that death is not inevitable with a person who has cancer. The point of emphasis here, however, is on people who have died from cancer that was directly related to long-term alcohol abuse and/or alcoholism.

• Kidneys.
• Colon.
• Rectum.
• Stomach.
• Liver.
• Throat.
• Esophagus.
• Larynx.

The following is a list non-cancerous medical conditions, diseases, and illnesses caused directly or indirectly by alcohol abuse and/or alcoholism.

Again, the point is that chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism lead directly or indirectly to the following medical conditions and illnesses, all of which can and do result in fatalities.

• Diabetes.
• Kidney and urinary tract infections.
• Brain damage.
• Pneumonia.
• Ulcers from the perforation of the stomach and the intestines.
• Cardiovascular problems such as strokes, cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle), heart failure, and high blood pressure.
• Organ and system malfunction.
• Wernicke’s disease (a memory disorder).
• Infections.
• Kidney failure.
• Cirrhosis of the liver.
• Pancreatitis.
• Coma.

The point in the above discussion is this: chronic, excessive, and abusive drinking has observable and predictable negative consequences and many of these negative effects result in alcohol deaths.
Linking Medical Problems to Alcoholism

Focusing on the consequences of excessive drinking from a medical standpoint received a major shot in the arm from an American doctor named E.M. Jellinek.

In 1937 Dr. Jellinek developed the now famous taxonomy of medical problems observable in chronic alcoholics. It is interesting to note that Dr. Jellinek was involved in some of the early alcoholism research studies initiated by the World Health Organization.

In fact, it was essentially due to this working relationship that the World Health Organization in 1952 utilized Dr. Jellinek’s definition for the term “alcoholic” in their own documents: “Alcoholics are those excessive drinkers whose dependence on alcohol has attained such a degree that it shows notable disturbance or an interference with their bodily and mental health, their personal relationships and smooth economic functioning or who show prodromal signs of such a development. They therefore need treatment.”

Based in large part on Dr. Jellinek’s pioneering work, it can be concluded that information about alcohol facts and concepts such as alcohol treatment and alcohol rehabilitation were being stated and developed in the United States nearly 70 years ago!

A great deal of the early work by Dr. Jellinek and others who possessed a special “alcohol awareness” has been greatly influential in many of the current programs and policies concerning the chronic use and abuse of both alcohol and drugs.

Not only this, but the work of Dr. Jellinek and some of the other early alcoholism pioneers has given input into the creation of some of the drug and alcohol laws that currently exist in the United States.

It is also evident that Jellinek’s work had more than a little impact on modern concepts such as “blood alcohol content,” “blood alcohol level,” and the entire alcohol testing movement.

In a word, many of the alcohol facts and the alcohol statistics discovered by Dr. Jellinek define many of the current focal points in alcoholism research and in the treatment of alcoholism.

Alcoholism: Doctors in the 1950s and Doctors Today

While it can be concluded that doctors in the 1950s were cognizant of the association between alcoholism and diseases such as hepatic cirrhosis, gastritis, and the breakdown of the liver, doctors today are more informed about the many diverse ways in which the different organs of the body are adversely affected by chronic, long-term alcohol dependence.

Today’s doctors are also more knowledgeable about other important alcohol-related problems such as fetal alcohol syndrome.

Conclusion: About Alcohol Facts

When looking at the study of alcohol from an historical perspective, one of the key alcohol facts is that even though alcohol has been used in a number of different ways throughout much of human history that can be called “useful,” thousands of years ago some observant and insightful people also realized and articulated some of the damaging and dangerous consequences of heavy drinking and alcohol abuse.

For example, a recently discovered Chinese document written around 650 B.C. not only stated how difficult it was for people at that time to do without beer but it also provided warnings about the “abuse” of beer.

About two or three hundred years later, two great Greek philosophers, namely Aristotle and Plato, were explicitly critical of public displays of drunkenness.

It is, therefore, with a certain sense of irony that in spite of the fact that basic information about alcohol facts such as the negative effects of abusing alcohol has been known for centuries, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence continue to devastate human lives in our “enlightened” and “aware” society.

As outlined above, there are many alcohol facts and alcohol statistics about the negative consequences of repetitive and chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Clearly, these alcohol statistics and alcohol facts reveal the debilitating, destructive, and far too often, the fatal effects of alcohol poisoning, binge drinking, and long-term alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

As a case in point, consider the many alcohol deaths that are directly or indirectly related to alcohol dependency and to chronic and abusive drinking behavior.

In conclusin, as sophisticated and as knowledgeable as our society is, negative alcohol effects such as binge drinking, alcohol abuse, and alcoholism are experienced by millions of our citizens. Moreover, various alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts have been listed above that give a more realistic picture of the destructive and devastating nature of excessive and abusive drinking.

The important point to keep in mind regarding this article is the following: The more alcohol is consumed in an abusive manner, the more likely it is that the drinker will become an alcoholic. If this describes you, then you need to be honest with yourself and admit that you have a drinking problem.

Once you have taken this step, consider making it a priority to talk with an alcohol abuse and alcoholism professional about getting alcohol treatment as soon as possible.

You have to hold onto the lawn with one hand to keep from falling off the earth.
Job interferes with your drinking.
Haven’t stopped drinking since Kennedy got elected.
Beer Ain’t Working Anymore.
The back of your head keeps getting hit by the toilet lid.
You get angry when someone asks if you have drinking problem.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case – not a coincidence?
You have a beer theme webpage
They say “Norm!” when you enter the bar.
You can’t remember where your family is… or if you even have a family.
When you can see better with one eye closed.
The parking lot seems to have changed while you were inside the bar.
All woman you see have a twin.
Your favorite drink has a skull and two bones on the bottle.
You discover in the morning that all your liquid cleaning products have mysteriously disappeared.
Your two sons are named Barley and Hops.
Have a “Spuds McKenzie” tattoo.
Believe a six-pack of beer has just as many calories as a good dinner!
Alcohol: it’s not just for breakfast anymore.
Your only friends are Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Jose Cuervo.
Vampires get tipsy after biting you.
You find you have shaved your head and sell flowers at the airport.
You believe the only drinking problem you have is not having a drink right now.
At twelve step meeting when its your turn to talk you say: “Hi, my name is…uhmmm…”
Your idea of cutting back is less soda.
Throwing up makes you feel better.
You wake up too sick to start drinking.
Your certain the Four Basic Food Groups are Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol, and Women.
Every evening you’re beginning to think your house mate’s cat is more and more attractive.
All you remember is, “Do you take this woman”
Finding traffic cones on your hood.
You lose arguments with mannequins.
My Whiskey bottle’s empty…that’s the problem!
Can’t recognize wife unless you look through the bottom of a bottle.
You drink to get over your hangover.
Your name is Ted Kennedy.
You have a porcelain bus driver’s license.
You have a reserved parking space at the liquor store.
You find yourself in a bar on a train pulling into Chicago and the last thing you remember is being in a bar in Atlanta!
Job interferes with your drinking.
Your blood type is JB positive

Spherification is the culinary process of shaping a liquid into spheres which visually and texturally resemble caviar. The technique was originally discovered by Unilever in the 1950s (Potter 2010, p. 305) and brought to the modernist cuisine by the creative team at elBulli under the direction of executive chef Ferran Adrià.

There are two main methods for creating such spheres, which differ based on the calcium content in the product to be spherified. For substances containing no calcium, the liquid is mixed with sodium alginate, and dripped into a cold solution of calcium chloride or calcium carbonate. Reverse spherification, for use with substances which contain calcium or have high acid/alcohol content, requires dripping the substance (containing calcium lactate or calcium lactate gluconate) into an alginate bath. A more recent technique is frozen reverse spherification, which involves pre-freezing spheres containing calcium lactate gluconate and then submerging them in a sodium alginate bath. All three methods give the same result: a sphere of liquid held by a thin gel membrane, texturally similar to caviar.

Soju Drinks and Cocktails

Soju is a clear, distilled alcoholic beverage manufactured in Korea. Soju has been around for many centuries and remains one of the most popular Asian alcohols, especially in South Korea.

History of Soju

Researchers estimate that Korean soju went through its first distillation in 1300 A.D. Historians believe that the Koreans may have learned the method of soju distillation from the Mongols during the Mongol War. The Mongols, in turn, had acquired their knowledge of how to make soju from the Persians.

After the Koreans learned this technique, distilleries were built around the town of Kaesong, and soju production began in earnest.

During the Meiji period, a rice shortage caused the government to issue direct orders to reduce rice use in soju. This forced distributors to use pure ethanol. It was added to the mixture to create a diluted form of soju. Despite the current availability of rice, some makers continue this ethanol process.

Old methods of soju distillation still remain in certain parts of Korea, where distributors pride themselves on making the original Korean soju drink.

Soju Ingredients

Korean soju is generally created from rice. However, during these modern times, manufacturers in South Korea are replacing the rice with a creative medley of ingredients, including:

* barley
* dangmil
* potato
* sweet potato
* wheat.

When you buy sojo, you’ll notice that the liquid is clear in color. Its alcohol by volume (ABV) varies from 20 to 40 percent.

Korean soju is often compared to vodka; however, it has a sweeter taste because of the added sugar. Worldwide, soju outsells vodka by many units.

Soju Etiquette

As with other Asian liquors, drinking soju follows a distinct etiquette. It is normally served in a shot glass. If you are in the company of people who follow this tradition, keep these rules in mind:

* Drink soju by sipping it or taking it as a shot; both forms are appropriate according to soju etiquette.

* Hold your glass with both hands if a respected person is pouring the liquor.

* Never pour your own glass of soju.

* Refill a glass with soju only when it is empty.

* Soju is consumed in group gatherings.

* When pouring soju for others, hold the soju bottle with the right hand. Keep your left hand touching your elbow or forearm.

* When receiving soju from others, place the shot glass in your left palm, hold it with your right hand and slightly bow your head.

* Younger adults at the table turn away and sip their soju if elders are present.

Soju Drinks and Soju Cocktails

Many people often wonder where they can buy soju. In Korea, of course, it is accessible everywhere. In the United States and other large countries, you can buy soju in stores that sell a wide selection of imported liquors. If a store does not have it in stock, many can place a special order for you.

Soju mixed with beer is very popular both in Korea and around the world. There are two ways to do this:

1. Poktanju, otherwise known as “bomb drink,” is a soju shot glass tossed in a pint of beer.

2. Suso poktanju, the “hydrogen bomb,” involves pouring a shot glass of draft beer into a pint of soju.

For people who think that soju is too strong straight up, here are some great, easy, tasty soju cocktails you can try.

Fallen Angel
Ingredients

* 45 ml soju
* 15 ml green crème de menthe
* 30 ml lemon juice
* a dash of angostura blitters
* maraschino cherry.

Directions

Shake ingredients together and strain over ice.
Soju Wallbanger
Ingredients

* 30 ml soju
* 30 ml Galliano
* a dash of orange juice
* orange twist.

Directions

1. Shake the soju and Galliano together and strain over ice.
2. Add orange juice to desired taste.
3. Garnish with an orange twist.

There are many ways to enjoy Korean soju. Soju continues to delight drink enthusiasts all around the world.

Cachaca is a distilled liquor primarily made in Brazil. While cachaca, also referred to as “white rum,” is often compared to rum, it is actually made from pure sugarcane, rather than molasses, which is used to make rum.
The History of Brazilian Cachaca

No one knows who developed cachaca or exactly where it comes from, but they do know its beginnings reside in Brazil’s colonial period (around 1530). Legend has it someone discovered that by boiling the juice leftover from sugarcane, a sweet libation is created. Back then, cachaca was enjoyed most by peasants and slaves.

Tagged with the title “a poor man’s drink,” cachaca was actually given to slaves as a reward for a job well done. Now, however, Brazilian cachaca is widely enjoyed at home, abroad and among all social classes.

Because of cachaca’s popularity around the world, many distributors offer wholesale cachaca to restaurants, bars and wine stores.

How Cachaca is Made

Luckily, Brazil is bursting with sugarcane. Since the distillation process is fairly simple, the cachaca industry is booming. Here are the steps for making cachaca:

1. The sugarcane is milled down so the juice can be extracted.
2. The milled sugarcane is then fermented for about 24 hours.
3. After fermentation, the sugarcane mixture is boiled.

Whether it’s bottled immediately after boiling, or left alone to age, the liquor will have a unique sweet taste that makes cachaca one of Brazil’s bestsellers.
Preparing and Drinking Cachaca

Ideally, cachaca is sipped on the rocks from a short glass or downed in a single shot. Traditionally, some Brazilians spill a couple of drops to show respect for the saints before taking their shots.

If straight alcohol isn’t your cup of tea, cachacas also work well in many mixed drinks. A good way to think of tasty drink recipes for cachaca is to think of cachaca as a substitute for vodka or rum.
Cachaca Cocktail Recipes

A drink called Caipirinha is the most popular Brazilian cocktail that uses cachaca. Caiprinhas are served all over, from South America to North America to Europe. Originally labeled a “poor man’s drink,” a good caipirinha today can ironically cost up to $15.

Here is a recipe for a Caipirinha, as well as a few other classic recipes that use Brazilian cachaca.
Caipirinha

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 oz. cachaca
* 1 lime, cut into eight wedges
* 2 tsp. sugar.

Directions

1.      Mash the lime and sugar in the bottom of a short glass.
2.      Add desired amount of ice.
3.      Pour in the cachaca while stirring. Continue stirring until sugar is mixed.

Bloody Lip

Ingredients

* dash of Worcestershire sauce
* dash of tabasco
* dash of lemon juice
* 1 tsp. celery salt
* 1 tsp. pepper
* 1 1/2 oz. cachaca
* tomato juice
* celery stick and lime wedge, optional garnish.

Directions

1.      Mix the Worcestershire, tabasco, lemon juice, celery salt and pepper in a tall glass with ice.
2.      Add the cachaca.
3.      Fill the remainder of the glass with tomato juice.
4.      Stir and garnish with the wedge of lime and celery stick.

Brazilian Wax

Ingredients

* 2 oz. cachaca
* pineapple juice
* splash club soda
* 1/2 tsp. triple sec.

Directions

1.      Pour cachaca into a tall glass filled with ice.
2.      Fill remainder of glass with pineapple juice, club soda and triple sec.
3.      Stir and enjoy.