Yeah I know the usual drill of material and information copyright but I just could not stop myself from taking this from the Russian Blog. I’m sure many people out there will find this post really informative like me, but still this does not justify my action and “to Russian blog if ever, you read this post here, I’m giving you full credit for it!” I think that this can apply to all alcoholic drinks and not vodka only but I’m keeping the original title.

Russians are renowned for drinking a lot of vodka staying sober. That’s not something to do with biological inheritance but with the way we drink. Russians believe that foreigners don’t know how to drink. They don’t eat while drinking. They mix cocktails. They sip vodka instead of taking shots. They drink vodka with highly carbonated sodas. In short, they do everything to get drunk from the minimum amount of alcohol. May be it has something to do with innate Western avidity or expensiveness of alcohol.

Russians, on the other hand, do everything to stay sober while drinking as much alcohol as possible. How do we do it? We try to neutralize alcohol as long as possible. I try to outline the basic principles of vodka drinking for uninitiated.

One hour before the party

1. Eat a couple of boiled potatoes.

2. Drinks one or two raw eggs.

3. Drink one or two table-spoons of olive oil. Sunflower oil will also do.

Thus it’s guaranteed that at the Russian party you will stay sober for at least one bottle of vodka. I’m not kidding. Raw eggs are the most important part of Russian pre-party preparations.

At the party

1. If you start drinking vodka – drink only vodka. No beer or wine. No water or juice. Carbonated drinks are taboo.

2. Drink vodka only in shots. Never sip.

3. Eat immediately after taking a shot. Russian zakuskis are often translated as appetizers. That’s not quite correct. Zakuskis are something you ‘zakusyvayesh’ with after taking a shot of vodka. They are very important to neutralize alcohol. That’s why they all contain two most important alcohol neutralizers – acid and salt. I recommend taking the following sequence:

- immediately after taking a shot – two slices of lemon;

- then some salted cucumbers, pickles, marinated tomatoes or caviar.

- then something with a lot of oil: herring (traditionally with cold boiled potatoes and onion), sardines, or shproty (small smoked sprats in olive oil);

- then traditional Russian salads, like Oliviye or Herring with boiled beet and mayonnaise. Almost all Russian salads come under heavy mayonnaise dressing. Remember – acid, salt, eggs and oil. Ukrainians and Southern Russians prefer smoked lard with garlic but it’s a zakuska for professionals.

4. Only three first vodka shots at a Russian party are ‘obligatory’ so to say. That means you have to take them if you want to show you’re a friendly person but not an unsociable person. After that you can ‘miss’ one or two shots. Just say, “Ya propuskayu” (Literally, I make it slip) and cover your glass with your palm. That doesn’t mean you can abstain from drinking till the end of the party. It means (excusing yourself that you’re a foreigner) can take one shot out of two your Russian guests take.

I think, some Russian party traditions need to be explained here. In Russia we party around a big table with bottles and zakuskis. We drink only when someone makes a toast and we drink all together. The person who makes a toast usually pours vodka to all glasses. Taking a bottle yourself and drinking vodka without others is a faux pas. Actually you (and all others) are ordered to drink after a toast. Everyone at the party is supposed to make a toast – being a foreigner is not an excuse. So be prepared – buy yourself a book on party toasts (there are a lot of them on sale in Russia) and learn some by heart.

5. Zakuskis part of the party take about an hour – or something like 200 grams (4 shots) of vodka. Then comes “goryacheye” (hot dishes). Even though zakuskis could be very filling – you should eat goryacheye if you want not be become drunk.

6. Actively participate in intellectual talks around the table. Mental activity is probably the best method to keep you excited but sober. Try, for example, to drink two pints of beer while reading a philosophical book and see the result.

7. At the end of the party come tea and cakes. Don’t miss it too. This way you show your hosts that you’re survived the party without dire consequences.

Now in the course of 4 or 5 hours you drunk a bottle of vodka (500 grams) and you’re only slightly tight.

After the party.

1. Keep a small bottle of beer in refrigerator. Wake up at about 5 in the morning, drink your beer and go back to bed. It prevents hang-over in the morning.

2. If the early morning beer didn’t help (it usually does), drink a glass of brine from the jar you kept you pickles in.

Many Russians recommend taking a shot of vodka in the morning to fights hang-over. Don’t do it. It helps only alcoholics. If you’re not, it will make things worse.

July 17th, 2007 . Read more by: Nasty Nat . Comments: No Comments

Think weddings are all about sappy speeches, chicken dancing and bridesmaids in hideous sea-foam green dresses? Think again. As the hit comedy Wedding Crashers proves, wedding season is a prime time for romance. That is, if you can get in.

Oodles of free food and free booze (and maybe even free women) are closer than you think. Prove you’re the best man today by putting the following wedding crashing tips to the test.

Here are a series of tips to crash a wedding in style.

WEDDING CRASHING 101
Slip into the reception line

It’s a brazen move, but sometimes the best place to hide is right out in the open. That’s why you can’t fail if you position yourself right at the end of the reception line. Naturally, no one will know you, but that’s par for the course as far as these events are concerned. Simply smile and offer a warm handshake as each bewildered guest says hello and pretends to remember you. Adding a hearty, “It’s a great day, isn’t it?” will ensure they’ll play along. So long as you stick to the offensive, you can’t fail.

Pretend to be a long-lost relative

Weddings are teeming with dozens of relations from all over the globe. From Aunt Gertrude from Glasgow to Great Uncle Terrence from Kalamazoo, it’s more than the happy couple — or their parents — can ever hope to keep track of. Depending on your desired level of theatricality, you could try putting on an accent and saying you’re from “the old country,” or if you’re feeling extra bold, try passing on best wishes from other long-lost (and equally elusive) relatives who weren’t able to make the trip (just don’t specify names). Important phrases to remember are “Sorry we haven’t kept in touch,” “It’s been far too long” and “Second cousin thrice removed on your uncle’s side.”

Bonus: To cement the deal, hold a beautifully gift-wrapped package in your hands. Can’t afford a gift? No problem, just “borrow” one from the gift table — it’s not like you’re going to take it home. Then again, you have always wanted a fondue set…

Play the part of a staff member

Every wedding has a ton of people floating around that no one knows — they’re called the hired help — and in most cases they don’t even know one another. Simply arrive at the venue early enough to pick up a tray and blend in with the caterers. Not only have you just secured yourself a free invite, but you’ve also secured a plate full of delicious cocktail weenies. Better yet, if you carry a clipboard and wear a tie, you can easily get past the front door by posing as the venue manager. If anyone asks for credentials, turn the tables and ask for their name, and hastily write it down on your clipboard, shaking your head as you do. Hey, if Keanu Reeves can act, then so can you.

If you wish, you can even act like you’re part of the entertainment. In addition to DJs, many weddings now also have additional performers like comedians, singers and bands.

Say you’re Bob’s friend, and check out more tips on how to blend in and crash the party successfully…

Say you’re a friend of Bob’s

If you don’t feel comfortable picking a “side,” then you can always tell them you’re a friend of Bob’s. Who’s Bob? Who knows, but chances are with 200 to 400 guests in attendance, there’s bound to be a Bob, Robert or Bobert on the premises. If you’re at an ethnic wedding, you might want to tell them you’re a friend of Muhammad’s or Viji’s. Please note that telling them you’re a “friend of Mary’s” could have a decidedly different meaning.

Tell them you’re with the party next door

Many wedding halls house several party rooms, so if someone confronts you, just tell ‘em you’re from the wedding party next door and must have wandered into the wrong hall, but that it seems like a great party and you might just stick around for a little while.

Dress the part

The key to fitting in is blending in, so be careful not to go over the top. If everyone else is wearing a suit and tie, then your powder blue tuxedo is bound to stand out like the sore thumb it is. Play it safe and wear a classic black suit with a tie instead. Who knows, with a sharp ensemble like that, you might even score (which is likely the point).

Show up fashionably late

The easiest way to crash any wedding is to show up when the party’s already kicking. By missing out on the melodrama of the dinner and speeches, you’ll be arriving at a time when the lights are low, the alcohol is flowing and everyone’s defenses are down. Simply emerge out of the washroom and subtly hit the dance floor or bar.

Eliminate all doubt by dancing with an elder woman. Let’s face it; any wedding crasher can boogie with a red-hot bridesmaid, but only a true member of the wedding party would consent to waltzing with a woman three times his age.

Keep it simple

Since you’ll presumably have nothing in common with the other guests, it’s important to keep your discourse painfully generic. Rather than divulging your actual identity, comment on the food, say how touched you were by the service or confess how weddings always make you cry. Key phrases to remember include, “It’s so wonderful to see them together,” “What a gorgeous hall/great music” and “Aren’t they a beautiful couple?” Phrases you might want to avoid are, “I give them five years, how about you?” and “I’m a little surprised the bride’s wearing white, if you know what I mean.”

Know which side you’re playing for

It’s only a matter of time before someone questions your identity. If your interrogator is on the bride’s side, then say you’re an old college friend of the groom’s. If the inquirer is on the groom’s side, then tell him or her that you used to date the bride’s best friend. Above all else, don’t volunteer more information than you need to. If things get tense, excuse yourself to go to the bar or divert the question by commenting on the happy couple.

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June 6th, 2007 . Read more by: How-To . Comments: No Comments

From Lifehacker - original post.

Although I am a law student, I employed this advice before I ever went to law school, and my education has only reinforced these theories. My approach isn’t foolproof legal advice - it’s simply my experienced opinions with a little law mixed in. That said, here are my secrets to getting out of a speeding ticket ordered chronologically, from the point of being pulled over to your final options in the courtroom.

Note: All of this advice assumes that you are merely breaking traffic laws. If you’re trafficking a kilo of crystal meth… well, if you traffic meth, you’re probably not reading Lifehacker. So read on, non-meth-heads.

Blue lights… you’re getting pulled over

1. Get your attitude right.

Fighting with the police officer never increases your chances of leniency. You want him to like you. Prepare to achieve this goal.

2. Turn your car off, and turn the interior lights of your car on.

Place your hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel and remove your sunglasses or hat. Some people even advise you to place your keys on the roof of your car as a sign of total submission. Never, ever get out of the car.

The whole point of this is to take any unnecessary tension out of the encounter. You want the officer to be comfortable. Imagine the types of people and the dangers that most officers have had to deal with. Be just the opposite.

3. Be very polite and do exactly what the nice cop with the big gun says.

Save your pleas until after the basics are finished. Many officers will never speak to you until after they’ve done the basics. It’s almost a litmus test for jerk drivers.

4. Once the officer has gotten your information, ask him politely if you may speak to him about your violation.

If you know you broke the law, admit it vehemently and tell the officer that he was completely right for pulling you over. Honest officers will admit that there is a lot of pride in police work, and, if you can sufficiently satisfy the pride factor, sometimes officers don’t feel it necessary to punish you any further. The better you make the officer feel; the more likely he’s going to like you enough to let you go.

5. Ask to see the radar then ask a few questions.

Many jurisdictions require that the officer allow you to see the radar. Don’t press it if the officer says no because that’s what a courtroom is for. But, at least ask, then ask a few more questions to show that you are watching.

You might ask, “When was the last time your radar gun was calibrated?” or “Where were you when you clocked my speed?” or “Were you moving when you clocked my speed?”

Do not ask these in an argumentative tone or sarcastic, know-it-all way. All that will do is make the pride in the officer fight you harder.

6. Plead your case.

Once you’ve gone over some basics with the officer and developed a temporary rapport, ask for mercy. Make it sincere and let the officer know that it’s a big deal to you. Resist all urges to fight and get angry and simply beg as much as your dignity will allow. But, there is no reason to grovel.

7. Leave the scene as a non-memorable, nice person.

If the officer didn’t let you go on the scene, then you want him to never remember you. Your next steps are in a more legal setting, and the less the officer remembers you, the better. Usually, officers only remember you if they want to remember to show you no mercy.

You’ve gotten a ticket, but you still want out

8. Call the officer at work.

Ask politely if you can arrange a time to meet with the officer to talk to him or her about a ticket you got recently. Usually, officers will readily meet with you, the taxpayer, and this meeting has gotten me out of many tickets.

But, don’t go to the meeting and just say, “Will you let me out of this ticket?” You better have a story or some reason to motivate the officer to let you out. That’s just up to you, but just be really nice and try to bridge that officer-civilian gap with a personal story and plead for mercy. The more the officer can identify with you, the more likely he is to want to show you mercy.

Remember always, the officer has full authority to drop your ticket, so remember how important he is in this process. Treat him and pursue him as the gatekeeper to your freedom. Don’t be scared, though. You have a right to try to talk to the officer. You pay his salary.

9. Write a letter to the officer.

Even if you met with the officer, it can’t hurt to write him a letter pleading your case to him. Write it professionally, succinctly, and include complete contact information. I’ve even gone so far as to offer alternative punishment. Although that alternative wasn’t accepted, the officer was pretty surprised at my tenacity, and it motivated him to let me off the hook. He could tell that I really did care about this one ticket.

Make the ticket a bigger deal to you than to him, but you have to carefully do this in a professional, civil way. Anything else, and you’re playing with fire.

10. Repeat calls and letters to the judge and/or the prosecutor.

If the officer won’t listen to you, feel free to contact the judge that will preside over your case. Also, find out who the prosecuting attorney will be and call him at his office. They are just people, and the worst they can say is “no.” You have nothing to lose at this point. Plead your case to either of them, but do not be a pest and be consistently apologetic for the lengths to which you are going to get out of your ticket. You must be sincere, or don’t bother going at all.

In steps 8-10, you stand the risk of being labeled a nuisance or a troublemaker. If you get this impression too much, then bail out with apologies. But, do not be afraid to at least try to talk to the officials face-to-face. They are, after all, public servants, and you are that public.

The court is your friend

11. Follow all court guidelines.

Make the court clerk your best friend. Call the clerk often, and address him or her by first name. You want to make all court employees’ jobs as easy as possible. Also, you do not want to miss any deadlines.

12. Delay.

Once you’ve gotten to know the clerk, ask for as many continuances (delays of your trial) as you can honestly ask for. Do not lie, but do plead for continuances to delay your trial date as long as possible. The farther you are out of the officer’s memory, the better. I have heard of one case where the case was continued so long that the ticketing officer had transferred… case dismissed automatically.

13. Ask for alternative punishment.

Usually, your primary concern is keeping your ticket off your insurance. Many times, court clerks have the authority to let you go to driving school and keep the ticket off your record. Sometimes you have to pay court costs and the ticket, but at least your insurance premiums aren’t going up. This completely depends on the court.

You can’t handle the truth!

14. Understand your trial and your rights.

If you got a ticket, you have been accused of a crime. The ticketing officer signed a sheet of paper swearing that you broke a certain traffic law, and he saw you do it. That sworn statement is called an affidavit, and most tickets say that at the top. Don’t get nervous, though; it’s just a misdemeanor.

First, you’ll have a hearing where you plead guilty, not guilty, or some other plea. Then, you’ll have your trial where you plead your case. Then the judge decides your fate. It’s really not scary at all, and you have every right to participate fully in this process no matter how much you are intimidated.

15. Show up to your first court date and plead anything but guilty.

Whatever you do, show up to your first hearing on time and dressed decently. It’s probably not a good idea to wear a suit, though. In most traffic courts, you’ll look silly. If you really want to know, go scope out the court ahead of time to see what to wear to blend in best.

You’ll then be asked “what you plead.” Pleading not guilty is a safe bet, although there are other pleas (e.g. nolo contendre) that have strange consequences in some courts. In some courts, a plea of nolo contendre has the strange effect of making your ticket just disappear to the court’s files. You’d want to talk to a local lawyer about that one, though.

Most of the time, just politely say, “I plead not guilty, your honor.” You’ll be assigned a court date, and spend the next few weeks repeating steps 8-13. This is your second chance before the big day.

16. Go to court and duke it out.

If all else has failed, you should then go to your trial. Do not miss this out of fear, or you will definitely be found guilty. For instance, if the officer doesn’t show up, for any reason, you’re automatically out of the ticket. This is not unheard of.

Also, you may be able to talk to the officer or prosecutor before trial and cut a deal, just like the real convicts do on TV. If the officer is nervous about his case against you, he might let you off. This just depends on your case, but at least ask.

The trial is pretty simple. The prosecution will present their case against you. You get to respond and call witnesses if you want, and then the prosecution rebuts you. You cannot screw this up. At the very worst, you’re found guilty, and you’ve lost nothing. Do not be scared to do this. It is your right, and you should claim it.

17. Suck it up, or fight on.

The judge will rule on you… guilty, not guilty, or some other punishment. You either take it or appeal it to the court of appeals. Rarely would it be financially wise to appeal a traffic decision, but that is up to you. And you do have the right.

Chances are, you let it die here. Try to make friends with the officer and prosecutor for next time, though.

18. Suck up… err, I mean write more letters.

It can’t hurt to write the officer and prosecutor a letter telling them how nice they were and easy to deal with. Also, copy this letter to the mayor and the chief of police, and make sure you show the cc: at the bottom of the letter. That’s your investment in next time.

Rage against the machine (without all the rage)

This stuff isn’t rocket science. You’re just dealing with people and trying to get them to see things your way. You have very little to lose, and it’s a fun way to get to participate in the very government under which you live. I encourage all of you to employ all these steps in a friendly, civil way. Forget everything you’ve learned about courtrooms and lawyers and cops, and just go in there as a human being. It’s your right, and it can really be fun and exciting. Think of it as your own personal crusade, and, if you push on, you will be amazed at how easy it is to find justice.

Slow it down there, speedy. This is not legal advice. I am not a lawyer, but I am a law student. These are generalized discussions of life experiences, and any legal statements are simply journalistic opinion and fact. If you’ve got real problems, remember everything you’ve learned about lawyers, and go hire one.

Stewart Rutledge is in his final year of law school at the University of Mississippi.

May 29th, 2007 . Read more by: How-To . Comments: No Comments

Hangovers suck, and it’s your own stupid fault when they suck like they do. Stop wallowing in self pity, print this out, and start checking items off. Some of these are more effective than others. Some are preventative and some are after the fact treatment. Either way, it’s something to think about next time you go out. Or maybe it’s something to read since you just called in to work and are hugging a trash can while you check your email this morning, lush.

• Drink Buttermilk. (ughhh) It will calm you stomach and add badly needed liquid into your system. That is, if you can keep buttermilk down hungover.

• Reduce the amount of sugar you consume while drinking. The boosted metabolism of sugar AND alcohol will accelerate the depletion of B vitamins and make your hangover worse.

• Coffee/Caffeine. This will enhance the effectiveness of analgesics (aspirin and similar) and the stimulating effects will banish many symptoms of a hangover.

• Have Sex. First of all: easier said than done hungover. Second of all: oh, wait, ’sounds good other than that first thing. This gets your blood pumping and will release endorphins which are natural painkillers and mood-enhancers. See exercise below.

• Drinking Coke or Pepsi. (The “Black Aspirin” or “Red Ambulance”) the caffeine, bubbles and sugar can be easier to hold down than pure water (or buttermilk). Sugar partially compensates the inhibition of the gluconeogenesis.

• Eating some Asparagus before bed. Asparagus is a diuretic and these only compound the problem.

• Eating whole jalapenos. This will certainly wake you up.

• Pedialyte. This contains more electrolytes than almost any over-the-counter drug. This will help you re-hydrate your body as quickly as possible.

• Eating mineral-rich foods, like pickles or canned fish.See buttermilk, above. Gross.

• Drinking pickle juice, the solution in which cucumbers were pickled, in the morning (a staple hangover remedy in Russia and Poland). It is sometimes suggested to add honey to the solution.

• Instant chicken or vegetable soup provides salt, proteins and electrolytes which help soften hangover symptoms. It also adds liquid to your system.

• Taking ibuprofen before sleeping can supposedly reduce hangover effects dramatically; however, mixing ibuprofen and alcohol can cause stomach irritation and bleeding, and is highly recommended against. The adverse effects of alcohol are amplified when ibuprofen, which also can cause trouble with the liver, is taken with it. In fact, most medicines should not be taken with alcohol, so it is best to consult a medical professional before using this supposed remedy.

• Sleep. This one’s my favorite. Some people argue that sleep only prolongs the negative effects of alcohol due to slower metabolism while asleep. However, one doesn’t notice the negative effects of the hangover while asleep, which suits me just fine.

• Exercise. Exercise can be painful with a hangover, but is usually very effective. It increases blood flow to the entire body, especially the head, and induces sweating, which helps the body purge alcohol. The feeling of lethargy dissipates and there is a strong mental and emotional effect (endorphins) where mood will improve.

• Cysteine, which is available as the over-the-counter supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC), is known to assist in processing acetaldehyde, best taken while already drinking and/or before going to bed. (Egg yolk is also rich in cysteine, and it is notable that many hangover folk remedies or morning-after breakfasts incorporate eggs. Red-eye anyone?)

• “The hair of the dog”. a.k.a. drink more. Well liked and effective, but this is more of a procrastination tactic, as a hangover is basically alcohol withdraw and you’re just prolonging your inebriation.

• Midnight feast. This is another fave of yours truly. get stuffed before you go to bed. Almost all foods contain some liquid and nutrients. (Even if it’s Taco Hell, a favorite of the drunximus outlateicus.)

• Tag team your drinks with water. I’m not kidding. if you’re getting a drink at the bar order an ice water with it. As soon as the bar keep brings you your drinks chug the water, set the empty glass on the bar and walk off with your drink.

Good luck and godspeed my little lush!

May 18th, 2007 . Read more by: How-To . Comments: No Comments

In order for you to be able to lock in the lowest prices possible for your textbooks, we need to know what classes you are going to be taking this fall so we can make sure you are getting the correct textbooks for those courses.

If you would kindly take a moment to log into your BookZilla account and update your profile with your spring 2007 classes, we can begin looking for the lowest prices for your required textbooks. You can do so here.

We would like to also encourage you to tell your friends about BookZilla, as the more students who participate, the better prices we can all get on textbooks. When referring friends, BookZilla offers a 1% kickback to the referrer on all of their referred friends’ textbook purchases for the next year. What’s even better is if your referred friend network collectively purchases 40 or more textbooks through BookZilla this fall, we will deposit or refund you $50 for your textbooks purchases!

As always, we will meet or beat any local bookstore’s prices even if we have to buy it from them ourselves!

January 15th, 2007 . Read more by: Nasty Nat . Comments: No Comments

Since Facebook opened up to the public, the Facebook-specific apps are coming out of the woodwork, and one of the better ones is Tixology, a good way to hook yourself up with some tickets to your favorite event.

Think of Tixology as a Craigslist for Facebook users; you can post tickets you want and/or have, and then fellow Tixology folks can respond. Unfortunately, only college-based accounts can use Tixology right now, but I expect that to change fairly soon. Any other Facebook apps you’d like to clue us in on? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

December 1st, 2006 . Read more by: Nasty Nat . Comments: No Comments

1. Your girlfriend left you
This is the best reason to drink. The only way to get over having your heart ripped out and torn to pieces then set on fire and left in an alley is to drown yourself in alcoholic beverages until you forget your own name, let alone what your now ex girlfriend told you two days ago. This also works if a buddy’s girlfriend leaves him.

2. It is Tuesday
This is the second best reason to drink. Any other weekday can be inserted. It is a statement declaring that you will not conform to society’s unfounded rules of only drinking on the weekends. Be your own person. Don’t be a sheep.

3. Someone dies
It could be a friend, celebrity, or just some random historical figure. Anytime anyone who is not with us anymore is even mentioned, a drink is called for. Your friend has to do a report on Napoleon? Tip a few domestics to the old dead French fuck.

4. A sports team somewhere wins something
Every day of the year, a sporting event happens and one team wins and some guys somewhere get drunk in triumph. Some other guys get drunk in defeat. Choose whichever side has the hottest women.

5. It is free
If a man offers you an alcoholic beverage without asking for compensation and you do not accept, you are a right foul git. Even if you don’t drink it all it is good manners to accept. If you are a girl and you are not going to sleep with him, drink it because you know you were going to anyways.

6. It is hot/cold/snowing/raining/nice outside
If it is cold, you will need a whiskey to warm up with. If it is hot, you will need a beer to cool off with. If it is nice, you will need both to enjoy the weather. This covers the entire spectrum of outdoor conditions.

7. You haven’t seen a friend since last week
It could be a week, years, or even a few hours. Just the fact that someone was gone and they came back is reason enough to get drunk as all shit and reminisce on the old days, even if that was only this morning.

8. It is past noon
Only an alcoholic drinks before noon unless he is still up from the night before. Even guys who drink all day tend to wait until at least after 12. Biff Tannen was the lone exception because sometimes he had to do his killing before breakfast.

9. Because beer commercials do come true
“But zero, they never happen to me…” That’s because you’re drinking Bud Light. Try something that doesn’t taste like water.

November 19th, 2006 . Read more by: Nasty Nat . Comments: No Comments

Great inventions are often responses to simple problems. For Matt Younkle, the problem was a discouragingly long line at his college bar. Ten years later, the thirst-inspired spark of frustration he felt then has resulted in Chicago-based Laminar Technologies’s TurboTap [turbotap.com], a 4.5-inch-long stainless-steel nozzle that attaches to standard beer faucets and pours a beer twice as fast as existing taps.

Pumping beer at high speeds through a traditional tap creates turbulence—the increased pressure causes the beer to flow randomly, not just straight down. Also, air travels up through the tap, mixing with the beer and disturbing its flow. Finally, the beer smashes into the bottom of the glass and foams up.

To limit foam, Younkle grounded his design in fluid mechanics. He extended the tap nearly to the bottom of the glass and added an internal diverter shaped like a Hershey’s Kiss, which gently guides the beer outward as it exits the tap, preventing turbulence. Bartenders can crank up a keg’s pressure until it delivers a pint every three seconds and still create an ideal 1.5 inches of foam on every pour. Bars began installing the TurboTap this summer, and a home version could be available by next year. Here’s hoping it’s ready in time for the Super Bowl.

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November 11th, 2006 . Read more by: Nasty Nat . Comments: No Comments