Two Drink Minimum; The After 5 Cocktail Blog

It’s hard to believe that humans and hounds share something in common. But they do, in a round about way, when it comes to finding the cure for a hangover.

Take this saying by John Heywood, written in 1546:

‘I pray thee, let me and my fellow have a Harie of the dog that bit us last night…’

To understand how man’s best friend was thought as the key to a cure after a night of grog and debauchery, it’s necessary to consult ancient Greek and Roman medicine.

“The principle that ‘like cures like’ meant that if something had caused trouble, a small quantity of it was incorporated into the cure. For this reason it was usual for the dressing applied to a dog bite to contain a sample of hair from the dog that had bitten the person. This same principle still exists in the realm of alcoholic hangover cures, so that if someone has made themselves ill through drinking alcohol, the cure also contains alcohol.” From How to Cure A Hangover, by Andrew Irving

What is a hangover? According to the good Doctor Irving, “…the term hangover is no more that a hundred years old, the symptoms to which it refers are as old as alcohol itself.” He goes on to point out that “Anyone who takes too much alcohol will find out that, in excess, it acts as a poison to every system of the body.”

Now we’re not going to lecture you like a high-school biology teacher about the dangers of drinking. However, we will tell you, in a nutshell, what happens to your body as you slurp down those pretty colored Jell-O vodka shots, slam down tequila shooters, or pound down the brewskies at the local watering hole.

Alcohol makes the kidneys work overtime, forcing you to excuse yourself to head off to the loo. That makes you dehydrated. Your stomach and guts swell causing discomfort, that leads to…well you get the picture. Your brain cells get damaged leading to slurred speech, non-sensical ramblings, loss of inhibitions, mood swings, that can either make you the life of the party or a paranoid, raving lunatic with an obscene vocabulary, even if it’s a little slurred. If you keep chug-a-lugging, you lose the ability to walk, focus your eyes and your brain cells swell pushing against your skull as the rest of your body shrivels from lack of fluids. This is what causes that raging headache, a clear signal that you’ve entered the land of the living dead.

But why stop there, when we’re just beginning to have a little fun with diagnosing a hangover? Alcohol in all its amazing forms affects blood sugar. Over-consumption allows you to get a taste of what it’s like to be a diabetic with low blood sugar. You stagger, shake and can even pass out. Dr. Irving points out in his book that if a person consumes about 400 mg per milliliter of alcohol, or 24 drinks, he or she is no longer a partier, but a patient. People “die because they have suffered acute alcohol poisoning, and the centers of the brain that control such essentials reflex systems as respiration have been knocked out.”

A quick way to determine what stage of drunkenness a person has entered, is to use the physicians’ ‘Rules of D:” ‘ Dry and Decent, Delighted and Devilish, Delinquent and Disgusting, Dizzy and Delirious, Dazed and Dejected’ and last, but not least, ‘Dead Drunk.’

If you find yourself battling a hangover, you’ll be glad to know there is an amazing array of hair of the dog cures. One of today’s most popular cures is the Bloody Mary and its variations: Bloody Bull, Bloody Maria, Bloody Caesar and the Blood Transfusion. These morning-after curatives look very tempting when served in Shrunken Head Tumblers, which may resemble how your head feels.

We at After 5 also recommend our Emergency Drink Kit, which make the vodka required for cures readily available in you home bar

If you you’re not in possession of a steady hand for holding your glass barware, try out our “Stainless Is Painless” functional and durable highball, tumbler, shot glasses and straws.

These beverage holders look elegant with Cocktail Picks,
set atop our Coaster Sets, even if you don’t feel or look

neat or chic yourself. For the host or hostess concerned with protecting guests on the road or in hangover hell, After 5 carries a line of Party Zone Safety Gear –

hardhats, MATS, Party Zone orange safety cones and caution tape.

To rouse your guests, you might tempt them with the classic Hair of the Dog drink, served by Jeeves the man-servant in P.G. Wodehouse’s The Inimitable Jeeves:

60 mls or 2 fl oz Scotch
30 ml or 1 fl oz double cream – contains fat and protein to prevent rapid absorption
1 large teaspoon honey – raises blood sugar

Pour into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well, strain and serve into a cocktail glass.

If this fails, you can always rely on good strong coffee made in our Gourmet Coffeemaker. And yes, we even have break-proof stainless coffee cups.

Now then, don’t you feel better? Until next time, always designate a (sober) driver, thanks for visiting our blog, and cheers!

There comes a time in one’s life when it’s no longer cool to mindlessly shout, “a shot of whiskey” when bellying up to the bar. You do know there are distinctly different types of whiskey don’t you? Well in case you missed it in Mixology 101 either in the School of Hard Knocks or sometime in college, you’re in luck. I’m going to distill whiskey down to its core elements. Listen up because there will be a test at the end.

Whisky loosely defines a panalopy of alcoholic beverages distilled from any combination of fermented or malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, or corn that is aged in oak casks. The word “Whisky” originates from the Gaelic word “water” and the first written record of its creation dates back to 1405 in Ireland. Scotch and Bourbon are the two biggies dwarfing (Please click this link..) all other whiskey varieties.

Scotch

The two basic types of Scotch are Malt and Grain. Malt is whisky made entirely from malted barley. Grain is whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley along with other grains. 3 different varieties of Scotch result:

• Single malt whisky is produced by a single distillery. Unless the whisky is described as “single-cask”, it will contain the same type of malt yet from many casks. This allows it to achieve a taste representing a particular distillery’s brand such as Glenfiddich, Bowmore, or Glenlivet.

• Vatted malt is created by combining malt whiskies produced by different distilleries. It is usually labelled as “pure malt” or “malt”. A top brand in this category is Johnnie Walker Green

• Blended whiskies, usually cheaper and made from a mixture of Malt and Grain from many distilleries, are blended to produce a flavor consistent with a brand that’s independent of a particular distillery such as Ballantine’s or Chivas.
Usually Scotch is distilled twice, though sometimes a third time. International laws require anything bearing the label “Scotch” to either be distilled in Scotland and matured for a minimum of three years in oak casks or distilled elsewhere meeting the same standards. Whiskies mature only in the cask and not the bottle, so a Scotch’s age is measured between the time it is distilled and bottled. This indicates how much the cask has interacted with the whisky, altering its body and taste. Whiskies that have been in the bottle for many years may be considered rare but are not older and will not necessarily be better than a more recently made whisky matured in wood for a similar time. If Scotch whisky is from more than one cask, and if it includes an age statement on the bottle, it must reflect the age of the youngest whisky in the blend. As a result, many single malts omit the age because they use younger elements in small amounts for flavoring and mellowing.

Bourbon
By international agreement, a whiskey qualifies as Bourbon if it is made in the United States, contains at least 51% and no more than 79% Indian corn, distilled at no more than 160 proof, and aged in an oak cask charred on the inside. Distillers typically use American White Oak casks because they are porous enough to enhance aging yet not too much allowing leakage. Most bourbon is aged four years or more with higher-end brands topping six years or longer. Nothing can be added during bottling to enhance flavor, sweetness, or alter color so this rules out Jack Daniels and Southern Comfort. Other grains included with the Bourbon making process are malted barley, rye, or wheat.
Bourbon whiskey was first made in the central bluegrass region of Bourbon County, Kentucky. The county received its namesake in honor the French royal family. In 1774 at Fort Harrod (now Harrodsburg) Kentucky, residents had an abundance of corn exceeding what they and their livestock could eat. They began converting the excess into whiskey because it didn’t spoil and could be transported more easily than the grain itself. As the distilled spirits were shipped in barrels down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, they were stamped with the county’s name, eventually becoming synonymous with this kind of whiskey. Later on, an important refinement known as the sour mash process was pioneered by Dr. James C. Crow at the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery (now the Woodford Reserve Distillery) in Woodford County, Kentucky. Each new fermentation is conditioned with some amount of spent mash (previously fermented mash that has been separated from its alcohol). The acid introduced by using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that taints whiskey and creates a proper pH balance for the yeast to work. Popular brands include Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, and Jim Beam.

So now for the test. Try some different shots of Scotch described above and some of the recipes below. Savor the distinctions you have just learned between Bourbon and Scotch. Then next time you’re out painting the town red, ask specifically for the type of whiskey and/or cocktail you prefer.

Check out these awesome products from After5 along with some cocktail ideas to go along with all your newfound knowledge.

whiskey-decanter

These are our new Crystal Decanters, GREAT for Whiskey, Bourbon or Scotch…or hell all three!

Rusty Nail

Fill a rocks glass with ice

1 1/2 oz. Scotch
1/2 oz. Drambuie
Always pour the Drambuie last to allow it to mix with the lighter Scotch
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and strain into glass

Black Dragon

1 part mint schnapps
1 part Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 part Glenfiddich Scotch whisky

In shot glass, first add the mint schnapps, then add Kahlua and finally add the scotch. If done correctly you should have three different layers

shotglass-checkers

Shot Glass Checkers…a good way to get REALLY… ummm, well lets just say you might not want to play this one if you are trying t improve your gaming skills….

Dixie Dew

2 oz Bourbon
1/2 tsp Triple Sec
1/2 tsp Creme de Menthe (white)

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into cocktail glass

Midnight Cowboy

2 oz Bourbon
1 oz dark rum
1/2 oz heavy cream

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass or serve on the rocks

Now these are just awesome…maybe its just cuz I’m from Michigan but either way, these are AWESOME!

Mint Julep

4 oz Bourbon
1 dozen fresh Mint Leaves
1 White Sugar cube or 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar

Muddle the mint and sugar together with a dash of bourbon in a silver julep mug (a rocks glass or highball glass will suffice). Fill glass with ice, add more bourbon and stir Garnish with a mint sprig and serve with a straw

And last but not least…just in case you want to spread your new knowledge…keep it in your pocket for that perfect opportunity.

It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that Americans love football. Every Sunday this fact becomes crystal clear as hordes of people donning there favorite team apparel head out to local bars or fire up a grill in a backyard with friends and prepare to slam down some brats and burgers. But there is one facet of football in America — a staple if you will — that no matter where, or how you plan on watching the game, cannot be overlooked…I am of course speaking of none other then beer…

I personally, am from the mid west — Michigan to be exact — and where I come from unless you are actually attending the game, the next best thing is the tailgate party…a glorious event where you gather as many fellow football lovers as you can, round up all the old lawn chairs collecting dust in your garage along with as much meat as you can carry and all converge upon the largest empty parking lot you can find (most likely a stadium parking lot) you set up your grill and possibly a beer pong table and contiune to cook and drink all day with your favorite games blasting from every operational radio within ear shot…

Fortunately we here at After 5 take both beer and proper partying extremely seriously…So imagine this…you are lucky enough to have scored tickets to a game — Indianapolis Colts at New England if you will — there you are sitting in the stands, first quarter of the game and of course the first thing that comes to mind is “where is my beer”…now unless you came with a saddle bag full of cash, catching a game time buzz at the stadium can be, well how shall I put it…pricey

Not to fear, After5 has come up with what can only be described as the perfect solution. We call it… The Beer Belly. The Beerbelly is a beer dispenser that fits stealthily and comfortably around your waist, under your shirt, with a feeder tube and bite valve that delivers beer to the user. It’s covert and comedy rolled into one.

So there you are, ‘keeping warm’ by quietly sipping from your favorite beer while a stadium full of fans screams at the top of their lungs as the game of the year plays out below you…all this and you didn’t even have to give loose a dime to stadium costs…now that’s innovation my friends.

Now I realize not every one can pull off having a “beer belly” – Ladies we were thinking of you on this one — so we took an age old idea and put a lil twist to it. Presenting the Sippin’ Seat Cushion.

Whether you’re parked bench side or in the thin air of the nosebleed section, the Papa Berts Stadium Sippin’ Seat guarantees you the best seat in the house, at least from a drinker’s standpoint. Hidden inside its durable and super comfortable foam cushion exterior is a secret hot/cold beverage bladder capable of holding up to 750 ml (3 cups in America) of the day’s preferred drink. The Stadium Sippin Seat has an easy-to-use valve-to-plastic hose dispensing mechanism and an integrated carrying handle; it disassembles easily for cleaning and refilling.

Now for those of you who enjoy the “at home” approach to watching football, have we got something for you. Over the years I have come to find that most people who would rather stay home for the game do so because of there love for cookin’ on the grill. With that said check this out!

 

This is our Personalized Barbeque Branding Iron. The personalized Meat Mark-it Barbeque Branding Iron allows you to customize your outgoing message on each and every tri-tip, T-bone, London broil or rib-eye that leaves your grill. The barbeque branding iron includes 52 letters and spaces, so you can personalize your name or of course favorite football team.

Now we all know games can end up being extremely long and drawn out. Sitting there in your group of friends as the last min of the first half ends up taking 15 min. During these down times of the game, or perhaps even waiting for the game to begin, you and your crew might enjoy a nice friendly game of Brew-opoly.

Brew-Opoly is more than just a board game for people who like to drink beer. Similar to its real estate counter part…only entirely beer themed, more fun, and no creepy bald guy. Play with game tokens like a bottle opener, shot glass and pretzel, land on Cheers (collect $200!), Free Pretzels (win the pot!), Last Call (boo!), Happy Hour (thumb your nose at the sap in Last Call) and draw action cards from The Draft - this is a party game at its finest. Make your way around the colorful board and purchase brew pubs and microbreweries. You’ll still need to keep your eye on the banker, especially if you’re living up to our hopes and chugging beer each time you pass Happy Hour. Brew-Opoly is fun for the whole family and works wonderfully during those game day waiting periods.

So football fans, who ever you are routing for this season, make sure you do it in style and of course remember to have fun because in the end that’s what games are all about.

Written by: Jason Davenport (Head of Customer Service and Kickin’ Ass here at After5 Catalog)

We’ve all heard it before. Red wine is supposedly good for the heart…in moderation, that is. Meaning, you can’t guzzle down a couple bottles of Pinot Noir and think, “Sweet! Heart disease no more.” But you can have a glass or two every night and know that common myth supports your decision entirely.

So what is it about red wine that provides us with health benefits, when the rest of the alcohol menu does not?

First off, if you read the article I’ve linked to above, you’ll be amazed to know that red wine apparently lowers the risk of heart-attack by 30 to 50 percent. Now that’s huge. I mean, what’s up with all these people having heart attacks? Don’t they know they’re so much less likely to have one if they just down a glass or two of red wine every night? And how! Now that’s a doctor’s order we can all follow.

Also, this just in - red wine helps prevent cancer! Seriously?! Could it get much better? Why don’t they just say, “If you drink red wine, you’ll live forever.” Because that’s what I’m hearing here. So let’s scoop this red wine theory up into our arms and take a look at some classy ways to enjoy it.

In the wonderful world of barware, there are plenty of ways to serve red wine that are an utter delight to the eye. Yes that’s right - your “medicine” can be guzzled fancily! For years, my mom has had the twin to these galleria stemware wine glasses, and I’m their hugest fan. If you’re anything like me, you break one of every four wine glasses you come in contact with. In which case, these glasses are the ideal choice, as she’s still got her entire set, and I’ve yet to destroy a single one of them.

We also have a colorful selection of light-up wine glasses, for those of you who like to drink your medicine and dance with it too. I mean, how often do you see something glow that doesn’t make you want to get your groove on, or at least go pound on your neighbor’s door to show it off? These glasses are great for the kid in you - something we all need to touch on from time to time.

And, when you’re feeling extra classy, stainless steel wine glasses are always the way to go. They’re tasteful, they go with everything, and no matter how many times you drop them, they’re going to remain intact. Plus, they’re easy to care for. If you’re one of those people who loves color and appearance, then you’ll agree - it doesn’t get prettier than a dark red Merlot inside a glowing silver finish. Ah, the joys of having your cake and eating it too.

So remember - red wine, the key to heart health, happiness, and a cancer-free condition…or so we hope!!

Written by Sarah Cook, exclusively for After5catalog.com.