Heavy drinkers saved mankind!

I'll take your word for it :)
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No Problem- my Bsc final year project was on HSDSC analysis of phase changes in isomers of alpha acids, so I did a little research (including plenty of practical research!)
 
Slimething said:
... all man-made alcoholic drinks I know, except some grape wines, have to begin with a boiling step to extract the natural sugars out of the starting ingredients.
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Some grape wines? Traditional wines from grapes do not involve boiling or the addition of water at all.

For a white wine, crush the grapes, squeeze out the juice, and ferment the juice.

For a red wine, crush the grapes, ferment the whole mess, and squeeze out the juice later.

For cider, crush the apples, squeeze the juice out and ferment it. Add honey if you want a cyser.

But don't add water, and never, ever, boil your grapes.
 
There's another book on beverages as related to human development History through six glasses. I've been meaning to read it for over a year now, but haven't gotten around to picking up a copy.
 
Madalch said:
... never, ever, boil your grapes.
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Not true. I was as surprised as you are but some grape juices are boiled before they are fermented to wine. I believe this is done in Northern Europe but I don't know the reason why. It may have something to do with conversion of starches to sugars but that's strictly conjecture on my part.
 
So, all the people that couldn't handle alcohol died, leaving behind those with a high tolerance, enzymes, etc.

Too bad they didn't just figure out that boiling water killed all the bad microbes. Silly humans. Gotta learn/survive the hard way.

Aren't you all glad we finally figured it out? Especially since not all people can afford beer as their sole source of fluid. And it really only tastes good with clamato.
 
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Eos of the Eons said:
So, all the people that couldn't handle alcohol died, leaving behind those with a high tolerance, enzymes, etc.
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It's not that they couldn't handle the alcohol. Rather, they didn't have access to drink based on boiled water or water sanitized with alcohol. Really a great example of a population exposed to a toxin that adapts to cope while the other populations would still be susceptible. Kinda like microbial resistance.

Aren't you all glad we finally figured it out? Especially since not all people can afford beer as their sole source of fluid. And it really only tastes good with clamato.
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Beer isn't necessarily the answer. Anything that would ferment to a potable alcoholic beverage would do like wine or mead. One doesn't have to buy this stuff as it's as natural as spoiled meat. If one has access to a crop with starches or sugars that are convertible to alcohol by yeast, your "hic" supply could be never ending!

I can stand exactly one lager/clamato mix and it has to be the first one. That gets tiring after a while. Try live ales. That's where the true flavor and excitement is. Barleywines are just divine. Stouts are a flavor feast. No one would even think of approaching these beers with clamato.
 
It seems we need a tongue in cheek smiley :D

I was just saying I'm glad we've come far enough to not have to rely on drinking alcoholic beverages for our liquid, so that everyone can survive (whether they have the ability to survive the toxin or not), and live without liver related problems in mid-adulthood.
Really a great example of a population exposed to a toxin that adapts to cope while the other populations would still be susceptible.
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Absolutely. I had once tried to explain why American Natives were so susceptible to alcoholism. This is the perfect example to help explain this. We have weeded out large parts of the population quite a bit already, and the natives have to catch up. Unfortunately, that means many will suffer and die early on in the interim. "Natural" selection is a b.iatch.
 
kittynh said:
..."Dying of cirrhosis of the liver in your forties was better than dying of dysentery in your twenties."...
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Certainly from a natural selection standpoint: you've had more chance to reproduce if you live to your forties than if you die in your twenties, no?

Very interesting thread -- I'll have to find a copy of that book too! : )
 
Ysidro said:
My <insert diety or politician of choice> it's made of fermented chicks!

I thought you could only get fermented chicks during spring break. :D
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Actually a 10cl bottle of Schnapps is commonly known as "A Chicken" in Denmark and my party "warm up" in them young days was "A Chicken" and ½l of coke. IT was back when Pepsi launched the screw cap in Denmark so we could drink 10cl of coke, pour Scnapps in and screw the lid back on.... :)

The boring truth is that chicken is a symbol of easter over here. But facts ARE boring
 
Clamato and beer together is awesome!

Hey, guess what? My son has taken on the ultimate Canadian taste... pizza with just cheese and pineapple!

No ham, no mushrooms, nothing but pineapple and cheese on the pizza!


I'm so proud of my kid :D
 
What a great thread! Sooo much amunition for the Mrs, next time she raises an eyebrow as I wander back from the fridge with yet another cold one!
 
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