Chemical Forums
General Forums => Generic Discussion => Topic started by: mike on December 01, 2005, 06:52:38 PM
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I am having a cocktail party this weekend, and as I was buying some of the supplies from the liquor shop it made me think that cocktail making seemed similar to chemistry. I had a bunch of cool bottles filled with different coloured liquids and am going to mix them together in different amounts to make great drinks.
I think my favourite cocktail is Singapore Sling (ever since tasting one at the Raffles Hotel) it is made from gin, cherry brandy, cointreau and juices (although there seem to be lots of variations).
So, anyone have some tips for putting on a succesful cocktail party? about 25-30 people coming. What about peoples favourite drinks (maybe with quick recipes if you can remember them).
So I know this is not strictly chemistry, although it is similar, and most chemists I know enjoy a drink or three ;)
mike
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My aunt taught me how to make a cocktail. I think it was a cocktail atleast. She was "loosened" when she taught my if you know what I mean. I can't even legally drink. It went like this though.
1 Cup of Apple juice
3 Shots of your preffered liquer (tequila or vodka)
1/4 of a lime squeezed
I don't know if this is a cocktail. I used tequila. I never got to drink it, but I gave it to my cousin (who's over 21) and I don't know if she drank it.
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1 Cup of Apple juice
3 Shots of your preffered liquer (tequila or vodka)
1/4 of a lime squeezed
Sounds great. You know, if it a new cocktail you should probably give it a cool name :) what do you reckon? what about "Eve's Temptation"? you know in refernce to Adam and Eve in the garden of eden, tempting adam with an apple (apple juice etc etc) haha
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That is a great name.
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I rarely drink, but one I came up with myself, (anyone care to help me name it?)
Rabbit Hole maybe, for a name? as in "further down the" due to the dissociative effect of Et2O.
2 shot of matured gold tequila.
Half that volume of fresh lime juice.
2 shot, equal in volume to the tequila, of diethyl ether.
10ml diisopropyl ether
Served with a slice of fresh ginger root impaled, on a cocktail stick, removed before drinking, and chewed and eaten afterwards.
(never use peroxidation-inhibited ethers, I wouldn't like to ingest the shite they put in to stabilise it)
If the drinker doesn't like to use diisopropyl ether, due to stability issues, it can be ommitted, and all ether MUST be new and free of peroxides.
Green dragon is a favourite of mine, made by finely dusting up a half oz of best skunk, and mixing in with a fine quality vodka, let it stew for a while, (and with my own version, 2-3 sloe berries, with holes pricked in them (fruit of the blackthorn tree)
Let the green dragon sit for 2-3 months, then filter out all the dusted up ganja and sloes, chill ice cold before serving, the sloes lend color, and a slight astringency to the vodka, and the weed gives a bright green color, and firey ,warming flavour all the way down the esophagus, of course, be careful not to drink more than a few shots of this, as the THC content is very high, or at least, should be, but the drink is absolutely delicious, perfect on a freezing cold winters day, when the snow threatenes to freeze one's family jewels off, a shot or two of green dragon will cheer the heart, warm you up, and get you nicely stoned out of your tree ;D.
Sea Buckthorn berries, (not related to the purgative Rhamnus species), has orange, very tart berries, that are edible and quite tasty, and extremely high in vitamin C.
Squish a generous handful or two of berries up, and add them to a bottle of vodka, with enough brown sugar, or honey, let sit in a warm place for a week or two, then strain, rebottle, chill and serve.
Tequila, lime juice and tonic water/soda water is another nice one.
Hehehe, with the ether based cocktails, I even managed to throw some chemistry in there :D
Lovely dissociative feel to it afterwards too, although be careful not to belch with your head near an open flame ;).
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Rabbit Hole maybe, for a name? as in "further down the"
I like it! Rabbit Hole :)
Wow, limpet I think these might be a little too chemical for my crowd :D
My aim is to simply get slaughtered on expensive grog :)
Lovely dissociative feel to it afterwards too, although be careful not to belch with your head near an open flame
haha :D I love it!!!
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I'l bet none of my friends will have tried it before, thats for sure, I like both the novelty and the head-trip it produces, its actually pretty similar to that produced by a glutamate-modulated NMDA antagonist such as ketamine, but far milder.
One of my biggest problems, in chemistry, is whenever I work with diethyl ether, I ALWAYS get tempted to inhale a little, and have for a year or two, been drinking it instead of alcohol, of which I drink but a one or two beers a month.
To me, Et2O tastes absolutely wonderful, diluted with just a little vodka to stop it burning.
One other drink I would heartily reccomend, is neat absinthe, tastes SO nice, warms all the way down, and BOY does it get you pissed out of your face fast ;D
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Yes I have been meaning to buy a bottle of absinthe, I haven't had it before. I have heard that it is supposed to served poured over sugar and diluted with water.
I also heard that it was banned in a few countries for a while, cool. I think Pernod is supposed to be similar also.
I wouldn't advocate the drinking of ether, it is more toxic than ethanol, not to mention hazardous to handle. Although historically it has been used recreationaly as a "medicinal" beverage.
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Absinthe was banned in some countries due to th thujone content, thujone is a hepatotoxic terpenoid derived from Artemesia Absinthum, or Wormwood (I have two plants growing in my garden of entheogenic herbs and plant myself actually, smells lovely, very attractive plants)
Modern absinthe available in the shops contains a shitload of alcohol, but there are legal limits on thujone content.
Only times I have had it, I downed it neat, tastes of aniseed, very very tasty, and very very potent :)
As for ether, I am very used to handling it, ether, and DCM/chloroform are my two most favoured nonpolar solvents for use in my home lab, being a drug user myself, I have tried inhaling pure analytical grade ether, and absolutely love it by inhalation (legal too), and as for drinking it, I would think its less toxic than filthy alcohol, as it isn't metabolised to acetaldehyde in the liver.
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Absinthe has always seemed a "romantic" drink to me. I have seen a couple of paintings depicting absinthe drinking by Monet and the like. I can imagine artists, poets and the bourgouis drinking it in the past :)
and as for drinking it, I would think its less toxic than filthy alcohol, as it isn't metabolised to acetaldehyde in the liver.
I am only going on the LDLO data from the MSDS for diethyl ether compared to ethanol:
diethyl ether: LDLO (human): 260mg/kg
cw
ethanol: LDLO (human): 1400mg/kg
As for ether, I am very used to handling it,
Yes, I meant more for the less experienced chemists who may read this thread (ie ether being highly flammable, anaesthetic properties etc) :) didn't mean any disrespect ;)
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i've never heard of drinking ether... whats the tolerance like relative to alcohol?
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I got the idea at first (already being an avid consumer of inhaled Et2O), by reading of, I believe it was either the Irish, or the Americans in times of prohibition, EtOH was illegal, or distilling was, but ether wasn't, so they pissheads drank that instead.
Personally, I pretty much hate getting pissed, and drink at most, a few units of alcohol a month, but diethyl ether acts far less like alcohol, more like ketamine, as a dissociative, although I don't believe it actually acts at glutamate modulated NMDA receptors like ketamine.
Mike, yeah, it is true the LDLO is lower for ether than ethanol, but, and it is a big but, the key is responsibility, I would no more chug a liter of the stuff, than I would drink a whole bottle of vodka (scratch that last one, I am guilty after all ;D)
Same with human use of gamma-butyrolactone, a prodrug, which is ring opened by plasma esterases in vivo to gammabutyric acid (GHB), it has an extremely steep dose-response curve, a dose of 1ml too much can be the difference between nausea, a good time, or passing out, actual dosages are measured at a couple of milliliters, yet I have gone through a good few liters in my lifetime (used to be addicted to the stuff), never put myself into a coma though :)
AgG, I am not sure as tolerance to ether develops, multiple-times daily, several hour long binges on it produced no tolerance,( again, I USED to abuse it, now I am somewhat older, at 19 I have the braincells to use things more sensibly ;D), when inhaled, I cannot speculate too much about oral administration, as I have never ingested it more than periodically, inhalation is my own usual route of taking ether.
Mmmm..that smell, makes me drool every time I think about it :P
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Wow... Limpet Chicken I don't think I've ever met a more well versed drug user. Maybe the people who design such drugs (the synthetic ones) and other people in the fields that involve drug prescribing are well versed in the mechanics of the different drugs. I have not met anybody in those fields though who is a drug user.
I'm very impressed. I'm hoping you know about what some scientists have speculated about MDMA. Also hope that you haven't tried.
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About MDMA? I do indeed know the theoretics of synthesis, by several different routes, I have not, however, actually attempted to synthesize MDMA.
I am aware of its likely neurotoxicity at high dosage levels, if pre- and post-treatment for a few days with 5-hydroxytryptophan and L-tyrosine to prevent serotonin and dopamine deficiency for the first few days, and to stay adequately hydrated and maintain normal body temperature while rolling.
Chelated magnesium supplement, or at worst, a sub-laxative dose of MgSO4 will attenuate serotonergic stimulation of the trigeminal nerve in the jaw, which would otherwise lead to potentially damaging bruxism, via a knock-on (I believe) effect of glutamate-modulated NMDA antagonism.
That is the only thing about MDMA I dislike, the gods-damned bruxism, (and I have a fulminating disrespect and hatred for the propaganda-distributing proponents of drug prohibition, but then again, those bastards can never win the WOD, it cannot be done, by them at least)
MDMA itself, I have only experienced once, where I was gifted some by a good friend, unfortunately OD'ed on amphetamine freebase not very long after the end of the party, but MDMA had an immenesely positive effect (once I recovered from my amp overdose and resultant temporary phet psychosis :o) on my life, helped enable me to be a lot more sociable, get away from the glassware for a few hours, make new friends, and gave me a better understanding of people in general.
Constant Thinker, which scientists in particular would you "bee" referring to? if it is the NIDA or governenment sponsored variety, they can shove their "research" right back into the transverse colon they likely pulled the results out of ;) those bastards recieve funding to discover the "right" results, a lot of the time. Why hope I haven't tried it? I am no worse off, and in fact, feel quite significantly the better for my experience with MDMA, and its hardly likely, done once in a blue moon (for I am usually the responsible type :P) to do any significant damage, I believe if any is done, it is my own choice, and the benefits, if I choose to continue the activity in question outweigh the negatives, that, and I have tried a pretty large number of tryptamines, phenethylamines, amphetamines, opioids, and various other odds and ends, and I don't intend to stop now :)
;D</drug-induced ranting> ;D
One thing I did find amusing was your calling me a well versed drug user, (Versed being the brand name for Midazolam, a very strong, injectable benzodiazepine), and the fact that I am currently on a benzo (nitrazepam) as I type this, don't worry people, 'tis legal *spits in T.Bliar's eye*, I have chronic insomnia.
Peace.
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Limpet (stoned, legally nodding on dihydrocodeine, morphine and nitrazepam and very happy about it he is too 8))
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Ok, so the cocktail party was a great success. The most popular cocktail on the evening seemed to be the pina colada (light rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream) yum!! Also popular were margaritas (tequila, triple sec and lime juice) and cosmopolitans (vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec).
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Greatest (and most simple) cocktail ever:
1: Take 1 part liquor.
2: Drink it.
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Greatest (and most simple) cocktail ever:
1: Take 1 part liquor.
2: Drink it.
I would like to add a step
1: Take 1 part liquor.
2: Add two parts ice.
3. Drink it.
Still simple, but cold :)
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1: Take 1 part liquor.
2: Inject it straight into your veins. ;)
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1: Take 1 part liquor.
2: Inject it straight into your veins.
haha, nice one: or what about:
1: Take 1 part liquor.
2: Inject it straight into your veins.
3: Suck on an ice cube
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Probably not a good idea Mitch, shooting alcohol has nothing to reccomend it over drinking it, and it has to be diluted to 10% or lower in order not to cause damage, even then, 10% alcohol isn't particularly comfortable to boot up.
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It was more of a joke than anything.
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That's funny.
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I have recently come back from Port Vila, Vanuatu, and while I was there I tried a drink called Kava. It is made from the crushed roots of some kind of pepper tree I think. It seems to be a popular drink among the pacific islands. Has anyone else tried it and do you know what compounds give it its properties. I had several cup fulls and my mouth and throat went numb immedietly followed by a completely relaxed and sleepy mood.
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Ahh, I haven't tried the stuff myself, but kava comes from a pepper, like you said, Piper Methysticum, the roots are used, pounded with water, I believe, the active compounds are a series of so called kavalactones, I haven't had the time to experiment with it yet, and I am somewhat reticent to try, due to a few isolated, although tenuous, reports of hepatotoxicity.
Here is the Erowid vault for kava.
http://www.erowid.org/plants/kava/kava.shtml
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Here's a good recipe.
1): One short, empty glass.
2): Fill the glass about halfway up with cubes of ice.
3): Fill the glass up to the top with Single Barrel, Malted Whiskey which has aged for at LEAST 20 years.
4): Sip the drink while eating a Filet Mignon cooked Medium-Rare and served with a layering of sauteed mushrooms and onions with a side of garlic-butter mashed potatos.
;D
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This is the Wayne's Word entry for Kava that I could find, although it doesn't have much more than a picture of the plant.
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0401.htm#kavakava
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This is the Wayne's Word entry for Kava that I could find, although it doesn't have much more than a picture of the plant.
Thanks Mark. Have you tried kava yourself? what did you think?
Ahh, I haven't tried the stuff myself, but kava comes from a pepper, like you said, Piper Methysticum, the roots are used, pounded with water, I believe, the active compounds are a series of so called kavalactones, I haven't had the time to experiment with it yet, and I am somewhat reticent to try, due to a few isolated, although tenuous, reports of hepatotoxicity.
Here is the Erowid vault for kava.
Yeah I reckon you would have to drink a lot of kava for hepatotoxicity. I have found a place that sells it here so I am going to buy some and see if it is as good as the stuff I tried in Port Vila. By the way it is completely legal here, although it is scheduled.
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Ok so my current favourite drink is gin and tonic.
Ice + Gin + fresh lemon juice + Indian Tonic Water + lemon slice to garnish
Yum! :D
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Thanks Mark. Have you tried kava yourself?
I haven't tried kava, btw.
I haven't even tried absinthe, which I'd like to.
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absinthe had a nontasty liquorish taste. After the 3rd cup I didn't mind any more though.
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I actually like the taste of licorice. I know that not all agree with me.
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I think my favourite cocktail is Singapore Sling (ever since tasting one at the Raffles Hotel) it is made from gin, cherry brandy, cointreau and juices (although there seem to be lots of variations)
When did you go to Singapore? It is nice to see my country being mentioned in the forum, although I hate it for being one of the most conservative society in Asia and the increasing authorarian government..
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In 2003 I was there for about a week before heading to Europe. I really enjoyed my time there and would love to go back. I don't mind the conservative countries, Australia is quite conservative albeit not the extent of Singapore. I think the Zoo in Singapore was one of the best Zoos I have ever visited in the world. I would say that one of the highlights of the trip was a boat trip through the city, such a mixture of modern and ancient architecture and design.