Etymology of Agave

Speaking of Tequila: The Etymology of Agave

April 12, 2021

Yet for something so uniquely American, the native succulent has been given a very Greek name. Agave was the mother of the king of Thebes who famously killed her own son, King Pentheus. In her defense, she only killed her son because she was blinded by a divine madness brought upon by the worship of the god of wine, Dionysos. That means your tequila is made from a plant named after a woman who got a little too crazy off the god of wine. So how did this Greek name end up on a Mexican bottle? 

Read»
COVID 19 led to an increase in methanol poisonings

Distillation and Disease

April 1, 2021

Due to its esteemed position as a healing potion in the ancient world, alcohol was subject to intense interest by those who wanted to find medicines. Before modern medicine, alchemists were at the cutting edge of what they considered to be medicine production and research, creating new infusions and elixirs in pursuit of everlasting life. Eventually these men of mystery, mercury, and medicine discovered the process of distillation.

Read»
Beer in Fridge

The Art of Drinking at Home

March 15, 2021

The Art of Drinking, originally published as a Latin poem by Vincent Obsopoeus in 1536, guides the modern reader in virtuous intoxication. How do we drink in public? With friends? At home?

Read»
Acatenango Volcano in Guatemala

Fire Water on a Volcano

March 14, 2021

We pass the bottle around the fire, swigging happily and reveling in the burning sensation that the liquor gives the throat. Soon, we are laughing at the wind and our bodies warm up to the idea of sleeping on the side of this volcano. We look from the fiery peak of Fuego to the clear bottle glimmering red in our campfire.

Read»
Pineapple WIne

Boozy Ingenuity: making pineapple wine

March 12, 2021

As the pineapple supply dwindled, prices skyrocketed. The USDA reports that pineapple prices tripled in South Africa from 28 cents per kilogram to over 90 cents. If the government would not allow the South Africans to buy their booze, they would use some Mzansi ingenuity to make it at home. For this purpose, they required pineapples.

Read»