TOPIC:

My Italian housemate brings back a charming brew called Genterba that tickles the back of the throat at 75%.
In foreign off licences I have seen pure alcohol on sale.

Are these strength drinks illegal in Ireland or just wisely avoided? If they are illegal what are your feelings on such a prohibition?

I don't think there's an upper limit on ABV of drinks for sale. If it's above 22% and it's not beer it's a spirit, or at least that's my reading of section 18 (a) here[/url:qcjhu7j3].

The beernut also pointed out this crazy stuff[/url:3dijkg75]. 90% pooteen..., which means its not a government prohibition but a retailer using their rights not to sell something they don't want to.

I wonder how you could brew a beer to 22%? I think Sam adams[/url:3dijkg75] have one at 21% anyone tried it?

"a_friend_in_mead":2uimsonl wrote: I wonder how you could brew a beer to 22%? I think Sam adams[/url:2uimsonl] have one at 21% anyone tried it?[/quote:2uimsonl]

Porterhouse have it I believe and a snip at 125 euro per bottle

I buy a product called "grain neutral spirits" which is 95% EtOH for an instant sanitizer for keg fittings, hydrometers, etc. Price is about USD 35 for 1.75 l. No flavor at all, but one bottle will last a whole year for sanitizing purposes. Different US states, counties, cities, etc., all have varying regulations about what they will permit to be sold, plus some retailers don't carry this, or for example the Bacardi 151 proof (75.5% EtOH) just out of liability concerns that in might be sold to ignorami.

Seeing as the beernut ended the conversation with his "facts" how about we start to talk about pig flavoured beer?
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier[/url:6uzyb64s]. Can you think of anything worse? Maybe bacon icecream... So whats the worst beer flavour you have had?

In a show of support for the troubled Irish pig industry are there any other porcine products we could start consuming? I have always wanted to start selling pilk (pig milk). What else can the magical animal that gives us bacon, sausages, rashers and chops contribute?