What's the Point of Organic Alcohol?
One of the of the newest trends in green living is organic or eco-friendly liquor. You've probably heard of eco-chic cocktails mixed with brands like
Square One Organic Vodka or
Juniper Green Organic Gin, but you may also be wondering, What's the point? We looked into the top three most commonly asked questions about organic alcohol.
Are organic drinks healthy? It depends what you consider healthy. There are quite a few advantages to consuming alcohol that avoids pesticides, chemical fertilizers and fungicides. Not only do you ingest a cleaner, more natural product, but the ingredients are grown using methods that are healthier for farmers, our waterways and the environment.
In addition, many organic alcohol brands process and package their goods in environmentally-responsible ways. For example, Square One's bottle labels are made using bamboo pulp and soy-based inks and their fermentation byproducts are reused at local cattle farms.
Do organic drinks really taste better? Spirits are distilled and
many producers believe that organic grains, sugarcane and potatoes have
have better cell structure than conventional ingredients. That means
that they're easier to ferment, so distillers don't have to add
artificial enhancers. Using the natural fermentation process results in
a cleaner, purer product that many people believe tastes better as well.
In the case of organic wine and beer,
products are subject to rigorous certification standards and are often
made with higher quality ingredients that result in a more flavorful
drink.
Does organic alcohol reduce your hangover?
Hangovers are generally caused by dehydration due to consuming large amounts of alcohol
as well as reactions to common additives in alcoholic beverages.
For example, wine tends to have a very large amount of additives, while pure vodka has relatively little.
Because organic drinks tend to be of purer quality and have less
additives, it's possible that hangover symptoms could be reduced.
Some people claim organic wine, drunk in moderation, is less likely to give you a
hangover than standard wine. All wines are treated with sulphur dioxide
to help prevent deterioration in taste, but most organic winemakers
tend to add far less than is routine practice. Many people react badly
to sulphur and get headaches, so it is fair to say that organic wine is
less likely than normal wine to give you a hangover.
As
Green Living Ideas suggests, the only way to
prevent a hangover is to limit the amount of alcohol you consume to an amount that your body can metabolize.
Interested in trying organic drinks in Chicago? If you'd like to buy a bottle, shops like
Green Grocer and Whole Foods have good selections. We also recommend checking out the cocktails at local club
Funky Buddha Lounge.
What do you think? Would you try an organic drink even if it's more expensive? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
*Source: Paul Abercrombie's informative new book: Organic, Shaken and Stirred. Be sure to check it out for great organic cocktail recipes.
4 Comments
Jen said:
Frey makes a really nice organic & sulphite free wine, and you can find it easily at Whole Foods.
DorotheeRoyal said:
Thanks Jen! That's a great tip.
Jen said:
No problemo! I'm not wine expert by any means, but a good heads up for those looking to buy organic wines-if the wine is organic then the company is not allowed to add sulphites to the wine to prolong it's shelf life. Sulphites are naturally occurring in wines and I believe other fermented alcohols, but extra additives are good to avoid if at all possible.
There's also a good wine I've tried recently by Wild Blossom, a Chicago based company. It's honey wine, or meade, and is very mild and smooth. I think they have a few organic wines in their line and you can get it at Green Grocer in UK Village. The Ethiopian Diamond in Uptown also has super tasty Ethiopian honey wine they make that you can get a glass of with dinner or buy a bottle.
DorotheeRoyal said:
Oh cool, I've tried meade before, it was really sweet, a nice dessert drink. I didn't realize Green Grocer carries it, I'll check it out.
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