Italian Smash at Italianni’s, New Manila, Quezon City, Philippines
Description: Tanqueray, fresh lemon juice, basil leaves, sugar
Musky and complex—Tanqueray, one of London’s finest gins—clashes mightily with sweet lemony sour in a battle of highly contrastive flavors chilling all around. Mint adds color and ambient notes. Italian—or so it claims—and smashing.
Rating: 5 stars
Don Papa
Don Papa is a top-of-the-line rum from the storied haciendas of Negros island in the Philippines.
Caramel sweet and darkly aromatic with vanilla notes, it smoothly satisfies, suffusing alcohol finely throughout.
On the rocks, its golden color glistens.
Genius, it has been said, stands on the shoulders of giants.
Don Papa—the superbly refined result of over 170 years' experience distilling sugar cane in the Philippines—perches astride the shoulders of its distiller forbears, if a bit unsteadily.
Rum to sip and savor.
Rating: 5 stars
Mojito at the Sports Lounge, Manila Polo Club, Makati City, Philippines
There are Mojitos and then there’s the Mojito at Manila Polo Club. Difference is the puckeringly sour lime juice commingling with the fierce soda water together with a generous dollop of larger than usual mint flakes. All of it iced by drifting Arctic bergs. White rum kicks a football across the field.
Rating: 5 stars
Ermitanyo at Salamangka, Quezon City, Philippines
Description: Raisins in gin infusion, lemon, crushed peanuts
Sweet lemony punch touched by bittersweet raisin notes all swimming together in musky flavorful gin. Accented by chewy peanut fragments, inspired. Refreshingly chill.
Moniker notwithstanding, it’s best with friends.
Rating: 4 stars
Coco Island Lambanog Puro
After Taste Atlas 2023 ranked Quezon, Philippines lambanog (coconut liquor) 10th best spirit in the world among a competitive field of 49, I decided to give our local lambanog a shot by trying the Coco Island brand, which is registered with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration. (Colorum lambanog has poisoned consumers in the past, some to their deaths.)
Notably sweet, slightly bitter, it goes down smoothly, no harshness at all. Agreeably musky, the taste and aroma, and aftertaste besides are reminiscent of gin 80 proof but not as bitter. Refreshing on ice, which is an absolute must. It matches up well, interestingly enough, with chocolate cookies.
Rating: 5 stars (surprise, surprise)
Bloody Mary at The Long Bar, Raffles Makati, Makati City, Philippines
The Long Bar at Raffles Makati does a good job with this classic.
Deliciously cold and lightly sour, theirs is a thickly satisfying tomato mash strongly laced with black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and tabasco and freshened by savory green olives. Squeezing a single lemon slice brings the vegetable flavor to the fore, one or two more works possibly better. Vodka infuses complexity and gives it the obligatory kick. Salt along one side of the glass rim adds zing to an unforgettably lip-smacking experience.
So good it’s reported that near closing time vampires have been spied dipping their fangs into the mixture.
We recommend cracking open some peanuts and littering shells on the floor according to the bar’s venerable tradition.
Rating: 4 stars
EXERCISES IN THE DISCERNMENT OF THE SPIRITS: METHYL ALCOHOL
ReplyDeleteCALABARZON authorities on Monday, December 23, 2019 ordered the bans of all the store[s] and manufacturer[s] in the region selling lambanog (coconut wine) following the deaths of 23 people and hospitalization of more than 300 due to possible poisoning in Rizal towns in Laguna[,] and Candelaria in Quezon.
...According to a birthday celebration in Rizal, Laguna, a large number of the victims were killed and more than 100 were hospitalized, according to Police Col. Eleazar Matta, director of the Laguna Provincial Police Office.
...In the initial investigation, the lambanog (coconut wine) was purchased from Rey Lambanog, a store owned by Emma Ocaya and Orlando Map.
...In recent years, several incidents of poisoning by lambanog (coconut wine) chemicals have been reported.
December last year, there were 21 reported deaths in the town of Capas, Tarlac; Antipolo City, Quezon City; and Sta. Rosa City, Calauan[;] and Calamba in Laguna.
The FDA has already warned about the use of the lambanog (coconut wine), especially those who are not registered with the agency.
https://www.sentineltimes.net/2019/12/public-warned-avoid-drinking-killer.html
—Nimfa Estrellado, “Public warned, avoid drinking killer lambanog,” Sentinel Times (December 28, 2019)
At least 11 people have died and hundreds more are being treated for suspected methanol poisoning after drinking locally made coconut wine during Christmas celebrations in the Philippines, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
Local media reports said 300 people were hospitalized in Laguna and Quezon provinces of Luzon, the country’s main island, with signs of poisoning such as stomach ache, dizziness, and vomiting after drinking the generic brand coconut wine.
A total of 265 people were hospitalized in the town of Rizal, Laguna the Department of Health said in a news release on Tuesday.
The coconut wine, known locally as lambanog, is a potent palm liquor distilled from coconut sap with an alcohol content of 40% to 45% by volume. It is a popular drink during the festive season, which is widely celebrated in the Philippines.
The Philippine Food and Drug Administration said the lambanog tested positive for high levels of methanol, a type of alcohol that is toxic to the body, in some cases leading to blindness and death.
“Lambanog poisoning is caused by residual methanol, which in high levels becomes highly toxic for humans. Methanol is a naturally occurring substance present during the distilling process, that should be separated and removed thereafter,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said in the news release.
Fred Rey, the owner of a local distillery who had a permit to operate, surrendered to police on Monday and could face multiple homicide and physical injuries charges, CNN Philippines reported, citing Rizal police chief Lindley Tibuc.
...This is not the first time people have died from drinking lambanog in the Philippines.
Last December, at least 20 people in the regions of Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon died after drinking coconut wine, CNN Philippines reported. According to the FDA, last year’s cases involved a different brand of lambanog.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/24/asia/lambanog-poisoning-philippines-intl-hnk-scli/index.html
—Michelle Lim, “Toxic coconut wine kills at least 11 people during Christmas celebrations in the Philippines,” CNN.com, December 24, 2019
Methyl alcohol or methanol is an evil spirit.
Gonzalinho
Methyl alcohol or methanol is an evil spirit. When it isn’t distilled away from unregistered lambanog, it could kill you.
DeleteGonzalinho
EXERCISES IN THE DISCERNMENT OF THE SPIRITS: ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
ReplyDeleteMost types of rubbing alcohol are made from isopropyl alcohol, with concentrations of 68-99 percent alcohol in water. It’s colorless, tastes horrible, smells like fingernail polish remover and can be found in antiseptic hand sanitizers, antifreeze, household cleaners, paint thinner, personal care products and sterilizers commonly used in medical settings (it’s nicknamed a “surgical spirit” in the United Kingdom). In order to make this substance unpleasant to drink, isopropyl alcohol is spliced with chemicals in a laboratory to give it a bitter taste.
...How Dangerous Is It to Consume Rubbing Alcohol?
When it comes to drinking rubbing alcohol, the digestive tract suffers the most, even when only swallowing a small amount. The body metabolizes these extremely high alcohol levels into acetone. If consumed to intoxication, the substance can lead to organ damage. Because it’s a central nervous system depressant, side effects can include dizziness, headaches and inebriation. Because it’s a gastrointestinal irritant, it can cause nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting blood.
...According to Livestrong.org, “The approximate lethal dose of 90 to 100 percent isopropanol for human adults is only 250 milliliters, or about 8 ounces.” Eight ounces. To put it in perspective: the average shot glass is 1.5 ounces. A can of Coke is 12 ounces. Ingesting only eight ounces of rubbing alcohol can kill you.
https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/articles/why-is-drinking-rubbing-alcohol-bad
—“What Would Happen If You Drank Rubbing Alcohol?” Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, May 20, 2019
One swig of rubbing alcohol could kill you—it’s an evil spirit.
Gonzalinho
EXERCISES IN THE DISCERNMENT OF THE SPIRITS: ETHYL ALCOHOL
ReplyDelete“In those who go on from good to better, the good angel touches the soul sweetly, lightly, and gently, like a drop of water which enters into a sponge. And the evil touches it sharply and with noise and disquiet, as when the drop of water falls on a stone.”
—Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 335
Chemistry, as a field, acknowledges three main types of alcohol: isopropyl, methyl, and ethyl alcohol. Each of these types of alcohol has different properties.
...[Human beings] have a very old and long history of using ethyl alcohol as a recreational drug.
...People generally adults consume ethyl alcohol. People commonly imbibe ethyl alcohol in a diluted concentration. Ethyl alcohol is famous for its ability to change mood and behaviour.
Brewers and distillers generally make it from grains or other pieces of plant matter. The liver generally is able to filter ethyl alcohol from the human body.
However, ethyl alcohol still is toxic. Like methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol also has a use as an industrial solvent and as a fuel additive.
https://www.toppr.com/guides/chemistry/solutions/main-types-of-alcohol/
—“Main Types of Alcohol,” toppr
There is no minimum amount of alcohol that could cause alcohol poisoning.
The amount that can cause alcohol poisoning depends on a person’s age, sex, size, weight, how fast they have been drinking, how much they have eaten, their general health and whether they have taken medication or drugs.
...Signs and symptoms to look out for:
Confusion
Severely slurred speech
Loss of co-ordination
Vomiting
Irregular or slow breathing
Pale or blue-tinged skin cause by low body temperature
Being conscious but unresponsive
Passing out and being unconscious
Loss of bladder or bowel control
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/alcohol-poisoning
—“Alcohol poisoning,” drinkaware, 2023
High Levels of Alcohol by Volume (ABV):
Absinthe - 45% to 90%
Bacardi 151 - 75.5%
Devil Springs Vodka - 80%
Diesel 190 - 90%
Everclear Grain Alcohol - 95%
Spirytus Rektyfikowany - 96%
https://uncoverasia.com/strongest-alcoholic-beverages/
—Alvin Tan, “7 Alcoholic Drinks That Could Actually Kill You,” Uncover Asia, May 20, 2019
Excessive ethyl alcohol is an evil spirit.
Gonzalinho