Howcast

How to Cure a Hangover with the Latest Science

Howcast — Tue, 03 May 2011 04:01:20 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Wash down aspirin with coffee Take 2 aspirin with a cup of coffee. Researchers found that the combination of caffeine and aspirin was effective in relieving the pounding headache that often accompanies a hangover.
TIP: Take aspirin for a hangover in moderation, as it can irritate the stomach.
Step 2: Eat a bacon sandwich Dig into a bacon sandwich. The carbs help boost blood sugar, and the amino acids in the bacon’s protein help restore the brain neurotransmitters that the alcohol depleted. Throw on an egg for good measure: Eggs contain large amounts of cysteine, a substance that breaks down the hangover-causing toxin acetaldehyde.
Step 3: Pop some asparagus extract Take a 2,000-mg capsule of asparagus extract with a glass of water. A study found that asparagus increases the activity of key enzymes that metabolize alcohol, alleviating hangover symptoms and protecting the liver against alcohol’s toxins. To help prevent a hangover, pop a capsule before drinking and the minute you stop.
TIP: Eating fresh asparagus isn’t an option — you’d have to consume several pounds to have a discernable effect.
Step 4: Sip tea with honey Sip a cup of peppermint tea with honey. The mint soothes your stomach, and the fructose in the honey helps cure a hangover by metabolizing the alcohol faster.
Step 5: Don’t have more booze Don’t rely on the hair of the dog that bit you. Drinking alcohol may provide temporary relief but won’t actually cure a hangover. In fact, your hangover will soon come roaring back stronger than ever.
FACT: A pickled sheep’s eye in a glass of tomato juice is a popular method to cure a hangover in Outer Mongolia.

You Will Need

Aspirin
Coffee
Asparagus extract
Bacon sandwich
Eggs
Peppermint tea
Honey

How to Make a Still

Howcast — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:45:32 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Set pressure cooker on stove Set the 5-gallon steel pressure cooker on your stove.
Step 2: Cut copper pipe Cut a 3 to 5 foot length of 2-inch diameter copper tubing.
Step 3: Drill a hole in the pressure cooker lid Drill a hole in the pressure cooker lid large enough to insert the pipe, insert one end of the copper pipe, and seal it in the hole with epoxy.
TIP: You can weld the components together instead of using epoxy.
Step 4: Cap the top of the tube Cap the top of the pipe with a tin can, using epoxy to seal the can.
Step 5: Insert condenser coil Drill a hole in the side of the pipe and insert one end of a convenient length of coiled, ¼-inch copper tubing. This is your condenser coil. Seal the condenser in the pipe with epoxy.
TIP: The condenser should be long enough to reach from the stove to your kitchen sink, and extend beyond the sink to the floor.
Step 6: Position the tubing for condensation purposes Stretch the condenser to the sink and bend a length of it into the sink. Then fill the sink with cold water. Extend the end of the coil to a pot on your floor to catch the condensation.
Step 7: Distill your wash Add your wash to the cooker and heat it to 78 degrees Celsius. The condensation that flows through the condenser coil is distilled.
FACT: In 2009, a North Carolina woman was charged with selling moonshine out of her daycare center.

You Will Need

Steel 5-gal. pressure cooker
Stove
2″ diameter copper tubing
Drill
Epoxy
Tin can
u00bc” copper tubing
Kitchen sink
Large pot
Wash
Welding torch (optional)

How to Tap a Keg

Howcast — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:59:49 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Purchase keg Purchase a keg from a beer distributor or liquor store. Full kegs are around 120 pounds, so bring a friend who can help you carry it.
TIP: Many beer distributors will deliver a full keg and pick it up when it’s empty.
Step 2: Get the right tap Make sure you have the right tap–domestic beer and imported beer sometimes require different ones.
TIP: Taps can be rented from wherever you got the keg.
Step 3: Chill keg Kegs must be chilled before they’re tapped into, so place it in an ice-filled garbage can or other large container.
TIP: At minimum, the level of ice should cover the bottom half of the keg, with more poured over its top–nobody wants to drink warm beer!
Step 4: Let keg sit & settle Let the keg sit and settle for an hour or two.
Step 5: Insert tap Insert the tap into the opening at the top of the keg, aligning the notches in the keg and the tap. Make sure to keep the lever on the side of the tap raised.
Step 6: Push down on tap Push down on the tap.
Step 7: Lock tap in place Continue to apply a downward force, and then twist the tap clockwise until it’s locked in place.
Step 8: Lower lever Lower the lever.
Step 9: Pump tap & serve beer Pump the tap, serve the beer, and enjoy!
FACT: A full keg provides 165 12 ounce servings.
FACT: A full keg provides 165 12 oz. servings.

You Will Need

The help of a friend
A keg of beer
The correct tap
A large garbage can
And ice

How to Drink Four Loko Responsibly

Howcast — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 08:31:49 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Know Four Loko’s contents Know what’s in the original Four Loko. Each 23.5-ounce can is 12 percent alcohol; equivalent to about 6 cans of beer. Four Loko also contains caffeine along with guarana and taurine — 2 common active ingredients in energy drinks. A can of Four Loko has the potency of a 12 oz. cup of very strong coffee and contains 660 calories and 60 grams of sugar.
TIP: Four Loko’s manufacturer announced it would stop delivering its caffeinated version of the drink beginning in December 2010.
Step 2: Pace yourself Don’t feel pressured to consume the entire can. 23.5 ounces of a beverage containing alcohol and caffeine isn’t wise to drink in one sitting. Show self-restraint and pace yourself.
Step 3: Eat up Like all alcoholic beverages, Four Loko shouldn’t be consumed on an empty stomach. Eating high-carb or fatty foods can help slow down the absorption of alcohol in your system.
TIP: If munching on salty snacks like pretzels or chips makes you thirsty, quench your thirst with water — not more Four Loko.
Step 4: Dilute it If you crave the fruity Four Loko taste but worry about its potency, try serving it on ice and diluting it with seltzer water, soda, or juice.
Step 5: Try a Four-mosa Try a Four-mosa. Mix equal parts orange juice and any Four Loko flavor in a small glass. Stir gently and add a lime wedge for garnish. Enjoy!
FACT: Four Loko launched in 2008 and gets its name from its 4 main ingredients: caffeine, taurine, guarana and alcohol.

You Will Need

Restraint
High-carb or fatty foods
Seltzer water
juice
and soda
Ice

How to Calculate Blood Alcohol Level

Howcast — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:43:35 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Determine the number of drinks Determine how many drinks you’ve had. A standard drink in the U.S. contains .6 ounces of pure alcohol.
TIP: Generally, .6 ounces of pure alcohol is found in 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces — or one standard glass — of wine, or 1.5 ounces — one shot — of 80-proof liquor.
Step 2: Multiply by .025 Multiply the number of standard drinks you had by .025. This will give an approximation of your percent blood alcohol.
TIP: Remember that men metabolize alcohol faster than women, and that people who weigh more absorb alcohol faster.
Step 3: Determine the time since your last drink Determine the amount of time that has passed since you took your last drink of alcohol.
Step 4: Subtract .025 percent Subtract .025 percent for each full hour that passed since your last drink. If 2 hours have passed since you finished your third drink, subtract .05 from 0.075 to determine an approximate blood alcohol level of .025 percent.
Step 5: Wait To be safe, wait to drive until you calculate your blood level is back near 0. Wait at least an additional half hour if you are a woman or you weigh less than 150 pounds.
FACT: Research has shown that youths who use alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to become alcohol-dependent than adults who begin drinking at age 21.

You Will Need

Number of drinks
Math skills
Gender and weight considerations
Time

How to Like Beer

Howcast — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:46:07 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Drink at the right temperature Make sure your beer isn’t too cold. Chilling a beer too much makes it more difficult to detect nuances in the flavor as well as making it more difficult to digest.
TIP: Many beers from small breweries and European brewers note the correct drinking temperature on the label.
Step 2: Decant your beer Pour your beer into a glass. There are nearly as many glass styles as there are beer styles, and each one is designed to enhance the drinking experience.
Step 3: Consider the beer’s appearance Consider the beer’s appearance. Beers can vary greatly in their color and clarity, and can range from straw colored and sparkling to opaque and almost black. Also note the head on the beer. Strong head retention often indicates well-crafted beer.
Step 4: Smell the beer Note the beer’s aroma as it goes into your mouth. Olfactory senses are important to opening up your palate and the smell greatly affects the taste. Aroma, like taste, can be delicate or heavy, well-balanced or uneven.
Step 5: Taste the beer Taste your beer, letting it wash over each section of your tongue. Consider the mouth feel, which is how heavy or light the beer feels in your mouth. Try to separate the hop taste and the malt taste, determining the structure and balance of the beer. Dry beer indicates a lack of sugar and tastes bitter and hoppy. Fruitier beer has had more malt sugar converted into sugar.
Step 6: Think about the finish Consider the aftertaste, or finish, of the beer. The aftertaste sensation of the beer may be long and lingering or it may leave without a trace.
Step 7: Put it all together Determine a general impression of the beer with all of the aspects together. If it’s a high-quality, well-made beer, you’ll like it and you’ll want to have another drink. Then have a drink of water or a piece of bread to cleanse your palate and open another bottle.
FACT: According to a recent study, the more beer a scientist drinks, the less likely they are to publish a paper or to have a paper cited by another researcher.

You Will Need

Several bottles of beer
Correct temperatures
Beer glasses
Water or bread

How to Sell Alcohol at an Event

Howcast — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:01:39 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Start early Start the license and permit process as early as possible as it could take several months to get final approval.
TIP: Your local town or city government will grant the alcohol license while you need to apply for a permit through the state.
Step 2: Budget for fees Budget for the permit and license fees which can run from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on local laws.
Step 3: Complete training course Complete a Responsible Beverage Server training course at a local vocational, technical, or adult education school if required by the state.
Step 4: Follow all rules and regulations Follow all rules and regulations given by the community which may include proximity to minors, I.D. check stations, and security.
TIP: Use wrist bands or ink stamps to monitor I.D. checks.
Step 5: Serve food Serve a variety of easy-to-eat finger foods to prevent people from getting too drunk, and avoid salty foods that will encourage more drinking.
Step 6: Cease sales on time Give proper warning to all guests before ceasing the sale of alcohol promptly at the time ordered by the community or state law. Enjoy the party.
FACT: The Ritz sidecar cocktail requires a rare 1830 Ritz Reserve cognac valued at $515 a taste.

You Will Need

Forms
Responsible host
Alcoholic beverages

How to Drink in Moderation

Howcast — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:45:50 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Consume only one drink per hour Consume only one drink per hour.
TIP: Enjoy the flavor of each sip. Do not slam your alcohol.
Step 2: Eat Eat before, during or after drinking alcohol.
TIP: Drink a full glass of water after, or alongside, each drink.
Step 3: Drink for 2 hours Never drink alcohol for a period of more than 2 hours.
Step 4: Drink a few times a week Drink alcohol only a few times a week.
Step 5: Drink with others Drink socially with other people and remember to always designate a driver. Even one drink while driving is too many.
FACT: In Mississippi, it is illegal to drive through a dry county with alcohol in your possession.

You Will Need

Alcohol
Friends
Water (optional)

How to Drink Scotch

Howcast — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:31:46 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Learn what Scotch whiskey is Visit the Scotch Whisky Association website to learn what Scotch whiskey is. If it’s not from Scotland, it isn’t Scotch — Scotland’s whiskey regions are Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Islay, and Campbeltown.
TIP: The word whiskey is spelled without the “E” in Scotland and Canada, which is why most Scotch label’s feature the W-H-I-S-K-Y spelling on their labels.
Step 2: Learn differences between single malt and blended Learn the differences between single malt and blended Scotch. Single malt comes from one distiller while blended Scotch can be a blend of as many as 50 whiskies from more than one distiller.
TIP: A blended Scotch bottle’s label only gives the age of the youngest whiskey used in the blend.
Step 3: Attend a meeting of a Scotch whiskey tasting club Attend a meeting of a Scotch whiskey tasting club or association to sample Scotch from different regions and different blenders.
Step 4: Get a tulip-shaped Scotch whiskey glass Get a tulip-shaped Scotch whiskey glass with a narrow lip. Experts claim that this glass shape allows the drinker to best experience the aroma.
TIP: According to Scotch whiskey experts, the nose plays a more important role than the taste buds when tasting.
Step 5: Pour Scotch into the glass Pour Scotch into the glass. Add a teaspoon of unchilled spring water to bring out the aroma and flavor. Nose first above the glass rim for a whiff, and then nose below the rim for the full aroma.
Step 6: Properly taste and savor the whiskey Properly taste and savor the whiskey. Take a mouthful and hold it for a moment, swirling it on and under your tongue. Then swallow slowly.
TIP: Purists claim that adding ice to Scotch ‘freezes’ the aroma and dulls the taste.
Step 7: Get classic Scotch whiskey cocktail recipes Get classic Scotch cocktail recipes from the Scotch Whisky Association website if you prefer mixed drinks. Popular cocktails include the Rob Roy, whiskey sour, and Bobby Burns.
FACT: Blended Scotch whiskies make up over 90 percent of all Scotch Whiskies sold worldwide.

You Will Need

Internet access
Scotch tasting club
Tulip-shaped Scotch glass
Scotch samples
1 tsp. unchilled spring water

How to Chill Beer on the Beach

Howcast — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:01:32 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Fill the cooler When you get to the beach, put ocean or lake water in the cooler – enough to fill the bottom quarter of the cooler.
TIP: Try not to scoop up any sand or critters.
Step 2: Add ice Empty your bag of ice into the cooler. Don’t fill the cooler all the way – leave it about a third to half empty.
Step 3: Add salt Add one cup of rock salt for every three pounds of ice.
TIP: A cup is about the size of your closed fist.
Step 4: Add beer Put the beer into the cooler. If the cans are still in six-pack rings, separate them to let water circulate around them.
Step 5: Stir Swirl the ice and water around the beer for a few minutes. The salt is lowering its freezing point, just as it would in an ice-cream maker.
Step 6: Drink Use the towel to wipe the salt, water, and any dirt off a cold beer. Pop it open and propose a toast to science.
FACT: An average of 975 beer cans and bottles are tossed per mile of road annually in the U.S.

You Will Need

Cooler
Bag of ice
Rock salt
Beer
Towel

How to Build a Beer Kegerator

Howcast — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:15:46 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Clean the refrigerator Thoroughly clean and sanitize the refrigerator and remove any shelves. The refrigerator will house the beer keg and a cylinder of carbon dioxide equipped with a pressure regulator.
Step 2: Drill a hole in the refrigerator door Drill a hole for the shank in the refrigerator door. Insert the door spacer in the hole, and run the shank through it, tightening it with the crescent wrench and connecting it with clamps to the beer line inside the refrigerator and to the faucet on the outside.
TIP: The beer line connects the shank to the keg coupler on one end, and to the carbon dioxide regulator on the other end. The shank provides a conduit through the door.
Step 3: Attach the drip tray Attach the drip tray to the outside of the refrigerator, under the faucet.
Step 4: Hook up the beer and gas lines Connect the beer line between the faucet and the keg, and the gas line between the carbon dioxide tank and the keg. Be sure to tighten all hose clamps with the screwdriver and to secure the tanks, and to set the carbon dioxide regulator to between 7 and 12 psi.
Step 5: Flush and sanitize the beer and gas lines Flush and sanitize the beer and gas lines according to the instructions with your beer line cleaning kit. Use only chemicals specifically recommended for cleaning beer lines.
TIP: Regular cleaning of the beer lines prevents buildup of bacteria, yeast, and mold.
Step 6: Invite friends over Invite your friends over and tap the keg.
FACT: Refrigerators account for about one-sixth of the electric bill for the average American home.

You Will Need

A refurbished refrigerator
A drill
A keg of beer
A carbon dioxide tank
A door-mount kegerator conversion kit: a shank
a door spacer
beer and gas line tubing with clamps
a faucet
a keg coupler
a carbon dioxide regulator
and a drip tray
A crescent wrench
A Phillips-head screwdriver
A beer line cleaning kit
Friends

How to Drink like a Man

Howcast — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:22:33 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Pick a dive bar Choose a no-frills bar. It shouldn’t have no velvet ropes and it shouldn’t smell too good. Heck, it shouldn’t even have no windows. You’re there to drink, not to admire the scenery.
Step 2: Order something brown Belly up to the bar and order something brown. Beer, whiskey, scotch, bourbon, and rye are what real men drink. For a little variety, try a macho cocktail, like a dirty martini, but for Pete’s sake, make sure it don’t involve fruit juice.
TIP: Never, ever order a drink that’s named after a sexual innuendo. Men got no business pounding back a “sex on the beach” or a “slippery nipple.”
Step 3: Order it strong A man’s drink should sting a little going down. Order your liquor straight up – no ice, served at room temperature. Stay away from light beer and, if you’re getting a cocktail, tell the bartender to make it strong.
Step 4: Know your stuff Know your stuff. Learn the difference between blended scotch and single malt, and always ask for a specific brand of liquor.
TIP: If, heaven forbid, your drink comes garnished with a fruit peel or an umbrella, flick it away like the trifle it is.
Step 5: Knock it back Grip your glass or beer bottle firmly and knock it back. When you’ve finished, slam it down on the bar with authority and order another.
Step 6: Settle on a drink Keep drinking until you find the drink that suits you best. There ain’t nothin’ manlier than telling the bartender, “I’ll have the usual.”
FACT: Frank Sinatra, one of the manliest men of all time, once said, “Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.”

You Will Need

Testosterone
A dive bar
A knowledge of liquor

How to Choose the Proper Cocktail Glass

Howcast — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:32:13 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Have a highball Mixed drinks like gin and tonics and Long Island iced teas go into a tall, 10- to 12-ounce, straight-sided glass known as a “highball.”
Step 2: Use a Collins glass Use the highball’s taller, skinnier cousin, the 14- to 16-ounce Collins glass, for weaker, juice-based cocktails like Cape Cods and screwdrivers. The reduced surface keeps drinks colder, longer.
TIP: Always put stronger cocktails in shorter glasses; they take up less space because they’ve got less mixer in them.
Step 3: Know your sour glasses Use a sour glass when serving a whiskey sour or some other drink that ends in “sour.” A shorter, slightly wider version of a champagne flute, the sour glass lends elegance to drinks with a foam head and allows the drinker to preserve the cocktail’s coldness by holding it by the stem.
Step 4: Be old-fashioned Serve “on-the-rocks” cocktails, which are liquor poured over ice, in an old-fashioned glass, also known as a “rocks glass.”
Step 5: Plot a coup Use a coupette glass, which has a broad rim for dipping into salt or anchoring a fruit garnish, when you make margaritas and daiquiris.
Step 6: Be prepared for Hurricanes Use Hurricane glasses – so named because they resemble Hurricane lanterns – to serve their namesake drink and any exotic, tropical concoctions.
Step 7: Use martini glasses Use martini glasses for martinis and any shaken, strained cocktail, like a Cosmopolitan. The conical shape helps prevent ingredients from separating.
FACT: The term for an abnormal or insatiable craving for alcohol is dipsomania.

You Will Need

A variety of glasses

How to Drink Absinthe

Howcast — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:04:56 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Pour an ounce or two of absinthe into a tall, heavy, thick-stemmed glass, like a parfait glass.
Step 2: Place an absinthe spoon – a flat, metal, slotted spoon – across the rim of the glass.
Step 3: Put a sugar cube on the slots of the spoon.
Step 4: Slowly drip three to six ounces of cold spring water over the sugar cube until the sugar is dissolved. The absinthe will turn from transparent green to a cloudy green or yellow.
TIP: Some people dip the sugar cube in absinthe and set the cube on fire before dousing it with ice water.
Step 5: Stir with the slotted spoon and enjoy.
FACT: Governments around the world banned absinthe in the early 20th century because it was thought to cause madness.

You Will Need

Absinthe
A jigger
A parfait glass
A slotted spoon
A sugar cube
Ice-cold spring water
A lighter or match (optional)

How to Order Drinks like a Bartender

Howcast — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:04:47 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Learn this neat terminology Learn the correct terms to specify your drink’s temperature. Ordering it “neat” means the liquor will be served right out of the bottle, at room temperature. Ask for it “on the rocks” and it will be poured over ice. Order it “straight up” and the liquor will come at whatever temperature is customary, with no ice.
Step 2: Make it a double To get two shots of alcohol in your drink, as opposed to the standard one shot pour, ask the bartender to “make it a double.”
Step 3: Get something back Want a glass of water or a beer with your drink? Request the shot with a “water back” or “beer back.”
Step 4: Liquor comes first When ordering a mixed drink, always name the liquor first, as in, “a scotch and soda, please.”
Step 5: Name your brand If you want a specific brand of liquor, say so, as in, “a Kettle One and tonic.” This is known as a “call drink.” If you don’t name a brand, you’ll get a “well drink” made with the bar’s default liquor, most often a cheaper bottle.
TIP: Naming an expensive brand of liquor makes your drink “premium” or “top-shelf,” and you’ll pay a steeper price.
Step 6: Adjust the measurements If you want just a bit of mixer, ask for a “splash,” as in, “scotch with a splash of soda.” Want more juice or soda in your drink? Put “tall” in front of your drink order; the drink will have the same amount of booze, but will have more mixer because it will be served in a taller glass.
Step 7: Request extras If you’d like a piece of lemon or lime peel in the drink, order it “with a twist.”
Step 8: Leave a tip Leave a tip. A generous one makes up for any boneheaded ordering.
FACT: Nearly fifty percent of bartenders polled said that customers order fewer, but stronger, drinks during a recession.

You Will Need

A grasp of liquor and cocktail terminology

How to Avoid Getting a Hangover

Howcast — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:32:40 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Eat Have a light meal that includes starches such as pasta or bread before you drink. Foods containing vitamins B and C help counteract the nutrient-depleting effects of alcohol, so add a piece of fruit.
Step 2: Know your triggers Know what drinks triggered past hangovers and avoid them. Steer clear of carbonated drinks, which speed alcohol effects. Avoid shooters and gulping down drinks too quickly.
TIP: Some people believe darker-colored liquor leads to worse hangovers, so stick to clear spirits.
Step 3: Drink water Have a glass of water after each drink to counteract the dehydrating effects of the alcohol. The more water you drink, the better you’ll feel the next day.
Step 4: Eat while drinking Eat while drinking to help absorb the alcohol and slow down your total consumption.
Step 5: Pace yourself Pace yourself and drink slowly throughout the evening – less than one drink per hour is a good rule. Before you feel the effects of the alcohol, switch to water or fruit juice.
Step 6: Drink draft beer Choose draft beer over bottled because it stays fresh longer. Stale beer or wine causes worse hangovers due to oxidation.
Step 7: Hydrate before bed Hydrate yourself with three to four glasses of water and replenish your system with vitamin B and C supplements taken with a piece of toast before retiring. You’ll notice the difference in the morning.
FACT: Did you know? According to one study, hangover-induced absenteeism and poor job performance costs the U.S. economy about $148 billion a year.

You Will Need

Pasta or bread
Vitamins B and C
Fruit
Water
Fruit juice
Toast

How to Crush a Beer Can on Your Head

Howcast — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:17:16 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you are of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Hold beer can Place a beer can in the palm of your hand.
TIP: Make sure the beer can is empty and the opened end is in your palm.
Step 2: Raise the can toward your head Raise the beer can toward your head as you squeeze the can with your thumb and fingers to prevent injury.
TIP: Squeeze the can without your audience knowing.
Step 3: Crush the can Crush the bottom end of the beer can on your head while simultaneously squeezing the can.
Step 4: Yell Let out a big yell or growl to add emphasis to your amazing talent.
Step 5: Throw arms up Run around the room and throw your arms up enthusiastically to express your skill and gain additional cheering.
Step 6: Repeat Repeat if needed.
FACT: Did you know? The first canned beer was sold in Richmond, Virginia, in 1935.

You Will Need

An empty beer can
Enthusiasm
An audience

How to Quickly Eliminate Beer Foam

Howcast — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:32:58 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Pour a very small amount of olive oil onto the foam.
Step 2: Let the oil spread through the foam or spread it with a spoon. The oil will break down the foam by bursting the tiny bubbles.
TIP: You can also get rid of beer foam by using the oil from your skin, as long as you don’t mind sticking your finger in your beer.
Step 3: Refill your beer glass, because with the foam gone you can pour in more beer. Repeat the process if more foam builds.
FACT: The color in bird feathers is created by nanostructures with a structure similar to beer foam.

You Will Need

Olive oil or cooking oil
Foamy beer
A spoon

How to Keep Beer Cold

Howcast — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 04:03:35 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Keep your hands off the beer can or bottle as much as possible to prevent your body heat from warming it up.
Step 2: Use a foam beer cozy that’s at least a half-inch thick. Choose a light color; dark colors absorb more heat.
TIP: Like to knit? Make a wool cozy; it works almost as well as a foam one.
Step 3: If you’ve got a block of Styrofoam, stick your can or bottle into it. Testers found that this keeps beer cool even better than a cozy.
Step 4: No Styrofoam or cozy available? Wrap your beer in some aluminum foil.
Step 5: Keep beer cool at a campsite by sticking each can in a wet sock and using rope to tie it to a tree branch. The combination of wind and wetness will keep them cold until you’re ready to pop one.
Step 6: You can also dig a shallow hole in the ground in a corner of your tent, and shove some cans into it. The shaded ground will keep your beer cool.
FACT: Draft beer is usually around 38 degrees Fahrenheit, refrigerated beer is around 35 degrees, and beer from an ice chest can dip down to 32 degrees.

You Will Need

A foam beer cozy
Styrofoam
Aluminum foil
Wet socks
Rope
A tree branch
A tent

How to Do a Shot

Howcast — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:33:23 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Whiskey, tequila, and vodka are all classic choices. Don’t embarrass yourself by doing shots of Irish cream.
TIP: Don’t waste a fine scotch or top-shelf tequila on shots. The whole point of a shot is to not taste what you’re downing.
Step 2: Measure 1½ ounces into a shot glass.
Step 3: For best results, sit or stand at a bar so you’ll have something to slam your glass onto after downing your shot.
Step 4: Doing a shot should be dramatic. If nobody’s watching, what’s the point? Make a toast to attract attention. Buy a round if you have to.
TIP: For tequila shots, sprinkle a little salt between your thumb and forefinger and lick it off just before doing the shot.
Step 5: Raise the glass to your lips. Tip head and glass back together in one motion. Let the liquor flow down, bypassing your taste buds as much as possible. Enjoy the burning sensation.
Step 6: If desired, follow with an icy chaser. Beer is a time-honored choice after bourbon. Cola will do in a pinch.
TIP: For tequila shots, take a bite of lime just after downing the shot.
Step 7: Repeat the process. Get someone else to buy this time.
FACT: Did you know? In 1964 Congress declared bourbon the “official spirit” of the United States.

You Will Need

Liquor
A shot glass
A bar
An audience
A toast
Salt
Chasers
A lime wedge

How to Clean Out Your Liquor Cabinet

Howcast — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:51:38 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Start by clearing out your cabinet. Line everything up on a countertop.
Step 2: Sort your liquor into three groups: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Good is anything you like and want to keep. Bad is anything that’s been sitting open for too long. Ugly is anything old and unopened that you’ll probably never drink or even admit you own.
TIP: An opened bottle of liquor will remain drinkable for about a year. Opened liqueurs last about half as long. Cream-based liqueurs must be refrigerated once opened, and even then will last only about two months.
Step 3: Pour out the bad stuff and recycle the glass.
TIP: Dump any bottles that have been opened and are less than one-quarter full. Once a bottle is opened, oxidation begins to degrade the quality.
Step 4: Decide what to do with the unopened, unwanted bottles. They’re still fine to drink, regardless of age. Give them away or drain and discard them.
Step 5: Toss out past-their-prime mixers and extras, such as dried-up bitters and tattered parasols. Dump flat sodas and tonics and expired olives and onions.
Step 6: Dust off the bottles you plan to keep and wash and dry barware. Finally, wipe out the cabinet with a damp cloth.
Step 7: Restock your bar with a tasteful new batch of basics such as bourbon, scotch, gin, and vodka. Grab a good liqueur or two and a collection of mixers. Favor quality over quantity, if you’re on a budget.
FACT: Did you know? The term cocktail as a mixed drink dates back to at least 1806, when The Balance magazine referred to it as an “excellent electioneering potion.”

You Will Need

Time
A dust rag
A damp cloth

How to Properly Stir a Cocktail

Howcast — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:32:35 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Put ice in glass Fill the stir glass half-full of ice, and scoop more ice into the serving glass to chill it.
TIP: Ice made from spring, filtered, or distilled water will give your cocktail the best taste.
Step 2: Add alcohol and mixer Pour alcohol and mixer over the ice.
Step 3: Stir drink Stir slowly and deliberately with the bar spoon along the sides of the glass. About 20 swirls will sufficiently mix the drink, melting the ice enough to smooth out the alcohol.
TIP: If you don’t have a bar spoon, use any long-handled spoon, such as an iced-tea spoon.
Step 4: Pour Dump the ice from the serving glass and pour the drink through the strainer into the glass.
Step 5: Garnish Garnish the drink with a swizzle stick or parasol and raise your glass in a toast. Cheers!
FACT: Cocktails or mixed drinks became popular during Prohibition to mask the taste of bootlegged alcohol.

You Will Need

Ice
A stir glass
A serving glass
Alcohol
Mixers
A bar spoon
A strainer
A swizzle stick or parasol
An iced-tea spoon

How to Bounce a Drunk

Howcast — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:49:32 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Pay attention. The loudmouth slamming beers in the corner could quickly turn into a problem.
Step 2: Issue a warning. Tell the problem drunk that if the bad behavior continues, he will have to leave.
Step 3: Cut him off. If he can’t get more booze, he’s apt to leave on his own.
TIP: Cut him off without his knowledge. Offer to make him a Long Island Iced Tea—a lethal drink notorious for not tasting like booze—but give him plain tea instead.
Step 4: Calmly explain it’s in the person’s best interest to go home—he won’t embarrass himself, have a hangover, piss off his girlfriend. The best bouncers aren’t brutes—they’re good talkers.
Step 5: Borrow this old bouncer trick known as “turning up the fuzz.” Turn the static on the stereo way up, and the music way down. He’ll be so uncomfortable he’ll want to leave—and everyone else will want him to, too.
TIP: Convey authority by standing up straight, keeping your chin up, and speaking in a clear, strong voice. And having the biggest guy in the room stand behind you doesn’t hurt, either.
Step 6: Use the professional bouncer’s favorite parting line: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
Step 7: Time for drastic measures. Take his or her coat and belongings and place them outside the door.
Step 8: Don’t be afraid to call the police. The last thing you need is an angry drunk waiting for you outside!
FACT: In bar circles, rum and coke is known as “the fighter’s drink,” because the alcohol loosens inhibitions and the sugar and caffeine rile up emotions.

You Will Need

A clear head
A firm manner
And reasoning skills
A large set of muscles
And a little chicanery

How to Stock a Home Bar

Howcast — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:32:26 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Select location Select a spot to set up your bar. Home bar options may include a stand-alone bar complete with sink, wine racks, and glass storage, or simply a designated cabinet or other area in the dining room or basement.
Step 2: Choose alcohol Make your alcohol selections. A typical bar well includes vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, whiskey, scotch, and bourbon. You will also want sweet and dry vermouths, beer, and wine.
TIP: Remember that selected spirits need not be top shelf. Premium price alone doesn’t ensure quality.
Step 3: Add mixers Select mixers, such as tonic water, club soda, fruit juices, soft drinks, tomato juice, sour mix, lime juice, grenadine, and bitters. And, of course, ice.
Step 4: Select garnishes Stock garnishes. Common garnishes include olives, maraschino cherries, sugar, and kosher salt. When you’re expecting company, add perishables like lemon, lime, and orange slices.
Step 5: Stock equipment Stock your equipment. Must-haves include a bottle opener, blender, corkscrew, and shaker. Other tools to consider are jiggers, a strainer, a cocktail spoon, a grater, a paring knife, a cutting board, and a muddler.
Step 6: Choose glassware While your options for glassware are limitless, a well-kept bar should include old-fashioneds, highballs, martini glasses, glasses for wine, champagne, and beer, shot glasses, and cordial glasses.
Step 7: Throw a party Now that you’re stocked, invite your closest, most sophisticated friends over for a cocktail party!
FACT: By one account, a New York bartender invented the Manhattan cocktail in the 1860s at a bar on lower Broadway.

You Will Need

Storage space
Alcoho
Mixers
Garnishes and flavorings
Bar equipment
And glassware