Guarana et al in cocktails

Hi all Like it or not, it seems energy drinks are on the rise - most recently Belvedere launching its new guarana-spiked vodka IX. I'm writing a feature on this market for Imbibe (UK) and keen to hear from anyone who's either experimenting with the pre-prepared drinks (Alibi, Firefly, Pussy etc) or making their own 'healthy' cocktails from scratch, as I'd like to include some recipes. Drop me an email at alice@imbibemagazine.co.uk cheers! Alice Spirits and Bars Editor, Imbibe

Dear A,

I for one do not like the rise of energy drinks when served together with alcohol - its irresponsible and unhealthy. Ditto  any drink that pushes a 'stimulating' factor as part of its appeal.

And as the slighty grumpy one on this forum I am not entirely sure a serious publication like Imbibe (UK) should be writing about them as it merely adds some veneer of respectability to the whole charade.

But thats just me.

aw

the grumpier the opinion the better in my opinion! But why irresponsible? If we expect people to be able to handle alcohol shouldn't we expect the same of them when it comes to other ingestibles? Surely booze is 'stimulating' too? A

Alice Lascelles:

Surely booze is 'stimulating' too?

 

Last time I checked, alcohol was a depressant.

Of course you are joking Alice. All alcohol is a depressant.

If you start adding stimulants to drinks and/or promoting a drink's stimulating qualityies then people get lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to physical endeavours and then they will embarrass or (worse) hurt themselves or even worse, other people.

And to expect people to be able to handle alcohol again shows a dangerous lack of understanding about both Alcohol and the UK scene... check the figures for alcohol related deaths and hospital admissions since liscensing was relaxed and its deeply worrying.

Responsible drinking in the UK is a total oxymoron... it will take at least a generation to change our social and cultural habits and I for one feel that responsible bartending is the first step - training for anyone who sells alcohol in any form or outlet and punsihment for letting people drink or buy irresponsibly.

The one depressing part of the talented and passionate bartenders life is to see people walk into your bar nice and sensible people and then see them 4 hours later drunken and unpleasant messes... 

aw

Angus,

I think that "stimulating" was meant in jest, probably the bit where alcohol makes you do crazy things/ get you in the party mood etc. I never really understand vodka & redbull lovers, or Jagerbomb-ers; Though I have yet to turn down one when it is offered gratis. But don't we mixologists love espresso based cocktails, i,e, Vodka Espresso? I recently came up with the following...

 

The Patrónizer

50ml Patrón Blanco Tequila
1 strong espresso
2 tsp Guarana powder
10ml gomme syrup
15ml coffee liqueur

Shake hard with ice, and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass: Garnish 
with a lemon twist, making sure to squeeze the lemon oils out of the twist and 
onto the surface of the drink.

 

"Wake you up, then fuck you up!", as someone once said!-)

 

Cheers!

 

George

Thanks George - yes, you beat me to it - by 'stimulating' I meant mind/mood altering generally. (And personally I find a shot of tequila tends to liven things up rather than quieten things down whatever the scientists may say!). The espresso martini question had occured to me too. Possibly a case of stimulant snobbery? A

I agree with Angus here, and adding anything more stimulating than coffee or espresso to a cocktail is something I personally frown upon. But then I also avoid those energy drinks taken straight as well.

While there may be a chemical/health issue with combining a stimulant and a depressent together in a drink, I also feel there is an attitude issue. From what I've seen the folks who are doing this are expecting the energy drink to keep them 'alert', even though they are drunk. Those sorts of games are just wrong.

Having spent some time behind the bar at a not so classy irish bar in the touristy center of Madrid, I can tell you if We would have stocked gaurana laced Vodka it would have been a big hit. Red Bull was the most common mixer there.

 

:(

 

That said, as a '"dancing" enhancer'  Vodka Red Bull can't be beat. Everyone dances better, or at least assumes they do after finishing one up.

I'm going to have to agree with the "grumpy one". Coffee / espresso are relatively mild in caffeine, espresso less so than coffee believe it or not (has to do with contact time and extraction). But, energy drinks contain about 200mg per serving, which is usually half a can, or one of the small cans. Coffee, if you really need the kick weighs in at about 80mg per cup, unless you drink Starbucks.

Most people drink one, maybe two coffee's, slowly, over an hour or two. Energy drinks / shots, mere seconds, maybe minutes, but people know that faster in, the faster the energy rush.

Studies (Effects of Energy Drink Ingestion on Alcohol Intoxication, Journal of Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research 2006) have shown that the combined effect gives the perception of being less drunk, but the caffeine does nothing for response time (i.e. you still suck at walking / talking / dancing when drinking alcohol and caffeine). The problem is the "I don't feel drunk" attitude.

I'm all for peoples liberties, but this combination makes a bartenders job that much harder, and many bartenders don't consider responsibility to part of their job description (which is a whole other problem).

And really, is their a good cocktail to be made with energy drinks?

Add me to the grumpy column too.

There is enough stupidity in the world without it being promoted in print.

If I understand this situation correctly, it would seem that all drinkers of energy drinks plus alcohol are being condemned because of those who drink to excess; Which hardly seems fair to my mind. No more cars because some drivers like to break the speed limit?

Isn't it likely that someone who drinks to excess anyway is also likely to drink to excess with energy drinks as their mixer of choice? I think so.

If you don't want people to use energy drinks as their mixer of choice then stop stocking it in your bars; It's as simple as that.

 

Cheers!

George

And also, if you are going to denigrate alcohol/ energy drink-ers, wouldn't it be prudent to include people who drink LIIT, Zombies, etc; In fact any drink with more than 2 measures of alcohol should also be looked down upon, thus alienating Tiki-heads everywhere. Shot drinkers too?

Dear G,

no sir... its not just the excessive drinking but the fact that people seem to think they are less wasted or more energised when drinking energy drinks/ alcohol. I would not serve one "vodka red bull", let alone ten, to a guest.

And yes I get past this by not stocking energy drinks in any bar I run or consult on. Nor do I serve any drink that includes a part of the body normally covered by underwear  (or that Iwould not ask my grandmother to order for me), nor pregnant women. Its just my sense of responsibilty as well as pride...

Having dipped my toe once ot twice into the corporate drinks world I know that many companies will never promote any of their drinks as 'stimulating/energising' which is why I am even more amazed at Belvedere IX... surely this will kill all claims to be  a credible and authentic vodka?

aw  

So it is basically the branding of energy drinks, and therefore its target audience which is the problem? I still contend that irresponsible drinkers will "max out" on anything alcoholic.