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BUZZ - Trends, News and Views
By Editor: October 2007,
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Our quick (and unscientific) look at some of the trends and news we find interesting and relevant.
Red wine protects against food poisoning
Red wine is known to have multiple health benefits. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have found that red wine may also protect humans from common food-borne diseases. The studies found that red wines – Cabernet, Zinfandel and Merlot in particular – have anti-microbial properties that defend against food-borne pathogens and don’t harm naturally useful bacteria like probiotic bacteria.
E. coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and H. pylori were among the pathogens examined. E. coli and Listeria can be fatal. One of the researchers said the most promising results involved Helicobacter pylori, which can be transmitted via food and water and is the main cause of stomach ulcers. Numerous white wines also were tested, but yielded no positive results, the researchers said.
(excerpted from ScienceDaily.com)
Canadian Vodka honours Canadian Troops
The Canadian Iceberg Vodka Corporation has launched a consumer promotion to honour and aid Canadian troops and their families.
To honor both active and past Canadian military, Iceberg Vodka Corporation has commissioned acclaimed Canadian artist David Craig to paint a montage that represents Canadian military heroes through the years. Posters of the montage are being made available for all Royal Canadian. Legions, military mess halls and general consumers upon request.
The `Remembering Our Heroes’ campaign officially launched October 12 and runs until November 11. The Canadian Iceberg Vodka Corporation will donate $.50 per bottle sold to The CDS Military Families Assistance Fund (current heroes) and the Last Post Fund (past heroes).
Want “SPE” at your next party?
Invite a few single friends Single people often drink a little more, take risks, and stay out later, because there is no predestined end to their evening. They also encourage flirtation in others, which, if harmless, is never a bad thing for a party, says advice columnist Helena Echlin. All of this adds up to what Echlin calls “SPE,” or “single person energy,” which can make the difference between a nice party and a great one. The trick is to invite more than one single person to avoid the “fifth wheel syndrome.” Click here to read the full column.
More health benefits for tea drinkers
New scientific research suggests that drinking tea may lower an individual's risk of developing dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. This and other new research that suggests drinking tea may improve and maintain brain health and function was presented at the recent Fourth International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health in Washington.
The body of research shows that tea probably directly impacts brain health by maintaining cell function and assisting in the repair of damaged cells, says Carol Greenwood, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto. "Drinking tea may further help because it reduces the risk of developing other disorders which increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia," she says.
New findings on other potential health benefits of tea, including how it may play a role in shifting metabolism to favor weight loss and better manage sugar levels, were also unveiled at the symposium last month. "These include research that show flavonoids present in tea may improve cardiovascular health by reducing inflammation, which are diseases and disorders that increase the risk of dementia," Dr. Greenwood says.
Flavonoids are compounds found in fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, beer, wine and fruit drinks, but may be most potent in green and black tea, says Dr. Greenwood. "From my perspective, if you look at the amount of flavonoids you actually get in a cup of tea, it is so much more than any other food. A lot of what we are tasting in the tea are themselves the flavonoids. So the stronger the brew, the more flavonoids are going to be there.”
(excerpted from www.theglobeandmail.com)
Beer losing its appeal, say wine-makers
British men are due to call time on the pint within a generation, according to a study published today that shows they are more prepared than ever before to give up beer in favor of burgundy. As male drinkers steadily leave behind their traditional tipple, the report claims that by 2039, when today's schoolchildren are well into their drinking years, there could be more men quaffing wine than downing pints in pubs and clubs. While a night on the beer used to be a staple for many, the report found that more than half of British men (54%) said one pint at the beginning of an evening was enough to quench the thirst before moving on to wine. The report was commissioned on behalf of French wine-makers to explain why, in a country traditionally made up of ale drinkers, this change has come about. Of the 1,000 regular male pub-goers questioned, 68% said the gassy, bloated feeling after drinking beer put them off a second or third pint, and they preferred to continue their evening with a lighter option. More than half (52%) conceded that the range of wines on offer in British pubs often outshone the beer choices, and slightly more (54%) admit they are likely to drink less beer than wine in the future. The report also reveals that 72% of British men consider wine to be a more sociable drink than beer, with 68% preferring to share a bottle between friends rather than taking it in turns to buy rounds of beer.
(excerpted from The Guardian)
A farewell toast to Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson, the English writer who taught millions that beer is “a noble and complex drink,” died in London on August 30, 2007. If you know his writing, you’ll
understand what a loss this is to the beer world. If you’re now enjoying a range of
diverse, beautifully-made beers, you owe
him your thanks. Come raise a glass to his
memory, and raise funds for the National
Parkinson Foundation, to help people who—
as Michael did—live with Parkinson disease.
At 9:00 pm EST on Sunday, September 30, beer drinkers across the continent will raise a glass to the memory of the man who did more than anyone to further the cause of good beer, the one and only Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson. "
A list of events around the globe »
To learn more about Michael Jackson »
The barroom brawl over Patrón
In its elegant decanter, Patrón tequila is an icon of the good life. But there's nothing genteel about the legal melee that has broken out over the billion-dollar brand. Patrón Spirits Co. co-founder John Paul DeJoria is battling rum giant Bacardi Ltd. for control. In the middle of their fight stands an unlikely party: a charity formed to educate the world's poor children.
The ferocity of the battle is a reflection of the rising importance of premium liquor. Americans are drinking more booze, and nearly all the growth has come from the top shelf. Last year, sales of liquor priced under $12 a bottle inched up just 0.3%, according to the Distilled Spirits Council trade group. Sales of brands priced $40 and up jumped 23%. Bacardi wants to add a 50% stake in Patrón to its liquor cabinet, especially if it can enforce a three-year-old contract to buy it at what now seems like a bargain price. But DeJoria, who owns half of the company, is fighting for the other half.
Seems DeJoria’s business partner and co-owner of Patron, Martin Crowley, left his estate to a trust dedicated to educating the poor children of the world when he died in 2003. Bacardi stepped in and made an offer to the estate’s trustees in the middle of litigation, which they accepted and DeJoria blocked. In the meantime, the brand exploded and now the trust stands to gain some $755 million for its education fund—if the case ever settles, that is.
(excerpted from BusinessWeek, Sept. 17)
“Thrilling” spirit transported by armed guards
At $30,000 a bottle, 50-year-old The Balvenie Cask 191, two bottles of which arrived under armed Brinks guard at a Toronto liquor store yesterday as part of a publicity stunt, is being billed as the most expensive liquid bought by the LCBO. The past few years have seen a parade of "rare," bottles proudly promoted at stratospheric prices. In 2005, a bottle of The Macallan 1926 single malt was ceremoniously sold for $75,000 (U.S.) at a liquor store in Seoul, while a bottle of The Dalmore 62 Years recently changed hands for $51,000. "Curiously, most Scotches, if left in cask for 50 years, wouldn't be worth blending into a Rusty Nail," write Globe and Mail columnist Beppi Crosariol. “By that age, the wood tends to impart too much of a lumber flavor, turning the spirit into a syrupy goop with an aroma of stale church pew. But there are exceptions.” Apparently, Cask 191 is a delicious one.
Coincidentally, a few hours after the event, across town, rum purveyor Havana Club was staging its own media shindig to promote -- as the press release called it -- "the most expensive rum ever to be sold in Canada." Rum fans can purchase Havana Club Maximo Extra Anejo for $2,000 a bottle.
(excerpted from globeandmail.com)
“Breathable” glass – marketing gimmick or must-have wine accessory?
Something to consider for the oenophile on your Christmas list: An Eisch Breathable Glass. This is the description from the company’s Web site: “Wine poured into a Breathable Glass for just 2 to 4 minutes will show signs of aeration equivalent to the same wine that has been decanted and aerated for 1 to 2 hours. This fully natural process takes place within the wine itself, just in minutes. The original character and structure of the wine are preserved, yet the wine’s aroma and palate impression become more open and generous, just as they would with an hour or more of aeration. In addition to wine, Breathable Glasses can also lead to improvements with spirits, fruit juices, and mineral water.” It may sound like unlikely science, but after reading a number of glowing (and surprised) comparison test results by wine experts, we’re intrigued enough to say it’s worth a try. For more information, including suppliers, log on to the Eisch Web site.
