Some experts would like to see health warnings on fizzy drinks if this article is to be believed. Scientists have found that drinking just one can of soft drink a day can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by a fifth. The study carried out by the Imperial College London found the risk rose by 22% for every serving of fizzy drink, each can, consumed per day. I do wonder how many people consume fizzy drinks everyday.

Drinking during pregnancy is a subject that always receives a lot of comments. Many people are adamant that you should drink no alcohol at all, others like this article believe a moderate amount has no effects and can perhaps be beneficial. I would imagine this latest research which says pregnancy women can have two alcoholic drinks a week will spark much debate. Carried out by British researchers, the study found that light drinking could even improve a child’s development in maths, reading and spatial skills. It can be hard to know what advice to take when you read conflicting articles. Personally I had a couple of glasses of wine a week throughout both my pregnancies, although did not drink for the first 3 months when it is thought the brain is developing. I think as with everything a moderate amount does not hurt.

According to this article this is the world’s strongest coffee. Called Death Wish coffee it contains more than 200% more caffeine than a normal cup of coffee. How it rates on flavour is unclear but those that have tried it report receiving a intense high followed by a caffeine comedown.

Personally I’m not a cider lover but it seems I may be in the minority as more people are drinking it. Cider sales now account for £2.7 billion worth of sales a year with three in five adults now drinking it. It now has a greater share of the market than spirits and if sales continue to rise could soon be as popular as beer. Sales of cider have seen steady growth over the past few years despite the economic downturn with more drinkers such as women and 18-34 year olds being attracted to it. I don’t think it will ever be my drink of choice, I guess I still associate it with a rather bad hangover many years ago.

I have read a lot about the benefits of drinking wine, most people are prepared to admit it offers some health benefits when drunk in moderation. This is the first time, however, that I have come across anything claiming it can prevent hearing loss. The research claims that the chemical resveratrol found in grapes and red wine has a protective effect and can help to reduce the damage caused by loud noise. It is based upon a study where healthy rats were given the chemical before being exposed to loud noise for a period of time. As always I remain sceptical but will be sure to have a good dose of red wine just in case.

This article suggests that health authorities are working with the drinks industry to add calorie content information to alcohol labelling. The health minister Anna Soubry has confirmed that discussions are underway on including the extra information on drinks labels. She has said that the government is committed to improving labelling so that drinkers in particular pregnant women could be better informed about the health risks associated with alcohol and that drinkers can be more aware of how much alcohol they are drinking.

This article makes for an interesting read. It follows Charlotte Morgan when she tried a 6 day juice detox diet. She ordered products from a company called Nosh which produces the juices and also sends you daily emails to help you through the process. The detox involves consuming just the juices that are delivered in the pack and nothing else except herbal teas and plenty of water.

The whole process seems a little extreme to me and perhaps for Charlotte as she finishes the detox a day early. At £283.62 this particular program seems a little on the pricy side but the concept of a juice fast does seems to get results with most people who have tried it feeling less bloated and losing at least a few pounds of weight.

I can’t help thinking that any weight lost will quickly go back on once you resume a normal diet but I guess the program could be good if you want to lose a bit of weight for a particular event or just want to detox your system. It would, however, be cheaper to make the juices yourself, if a juice fast is for you.

Say scientists who have investigated the effects of mug colour on flavour. They found that hot chocolate tastes better from an orange or cream coloured mug. Researchers have found that the colour of crockery can contribute to or at least influence the taste of food and drink. Researchers asked volunteers to taste hot chocolate from four different coloured cups and evaluate the flavour. They rated the drinks on a scale of one to ten based on chocolate flavour, chocolate aroma and sweetness. The research found that the drink tasted better when served in am orange or cream coloured cup rather than a red or white one. Other examples of containers or crockery influencing flavour include yellow tins to improve the flavour of lemon and blue to make soft drinks more thirst quenching. Strawberry mousse should be served on a white plate more intense flavour and coffee is best served in a brown packaging for a stronger flavour and aroma.

If this article is correct beer has recently been classified as an alcoholic drink in Russia. Until now it had been seen by many as a light refreshment rather than an alcoholic drink with hardened drinkers preferring vodka. It was considered a foodstuff along with other drinks under 10% in strength and could be brought like fruit juice or mineral water. Now it can no longer be sold in street outlets such as kiosks, railway stations, bus stops and petrol stations and there will be a ban on television advertising for beer. The new restrictions are part of an attempt to counter alcohol abuse.

At a time of year when you are more likely to suffer from the effects of excess alcohol there seems to be a lot of articles around offering hangover cures. This one claims that asparagus can ward off the effects of a hangover. Scientists have found that chemicals in the vegetable help to protect liver cells against toxins. The minerals and amino acids also replace those that are lost through drink. For the best effect it is recommended that you serve the leaves as well as the tender shoots.

Research carried out by Rutgers University has found that even moderate drinking such as two glasses of wine can halve the amount of brain cells we produce. The research found that moderate drinking can decrease the production of adult brain cells by as much as 40% with long term effects including impaired memory. I guess this outweighs all the so called positive effects that a daily glass of red wine is supposed to give you.

A Scottish Whiskey distillery has partnered with Celtic Renewables to turn it’s leftover whiskey into fuel for cars. The leftover whiskey from Tullibardine Distillery in Perthshire will be fed on by bacteria to produce butanol, a fuel that can be used in vehicles. The distillery produces thousands of tonnes of leftover products which cannot be sold as whiskey. It seems like a good idea to make use of a waste product.

Cup cakes are everywhere at the moment but this is the first time I have come across alcoholic cup cakes. It seems a few companies are trying the idea, adding drinks such as gin, champagne and rum to their cup cakes.

A company in Wimbledon is offering a Chocolate Guinness cup cake,  Whiskey Sour and a Baileys Shot. Other flavours include strawberry daiquiri and cherry cola. I can feel some cake making experiments coming on.

Not that I need another excuse to drink wine but if this article is to be believed red wine could reduce your chance of getting fat. Research has shown that a compound found in red wine can help control obesity. The substance, called piceatannol delays the generation of fat cells and prevents them from growing into mature fat cells. Well I’m convinced, time for a glass of wine.

It’s not quite April the 1st so I’m assuming this article is genuine. It’s about a new tea which is set to go one sale. The tea is supposed to be the most expensive in the world and is unusual because the plants are fertilised with panda dung. Quite how this improves the flavour of the tea is unclear but those wanting to try a cup should expect to pay around £130. It is made by a former teacher and journalist who believes using the panda manure to fertilise the organic green tea produces the perfect cup. The panda dung is obtained from nearby panda breading centres in Sichuan province, China. With 50 grams of the tea selling for 22,000 yuan (£2,200) and a cup of tea requiring about three grams each cup of tea would cost about £130.

Bottles of ale which were brewed to celebrate the coronation of Edward VIII have recently been found in a bricked up cellar. The ales were brewed to celebrate Edwards coronation but were never released for sale because he abdicated to marry Mrs Simpson. They were recently found in a bricked up cellar after workmen were called in to replace a floor at the Greene King brewery in Bury St Edmunds.

Scientists have discovered what many people may already suspect, drinking alcohol does make us feel good. Apparently it releases endorphins into the the brain producing feelings of pleasure and reward. Researchers used something called PET imaging to observe the effects of alcohol in the brains of 13 heavy drinkers and compared these to 12 control subjects who were not heavy drinkers. It found that drinking alcohol led to a release of endorphins in all of those taking part with the heavy drinkers having greater feelings of pleasure. it is thought the greater feeling of reward felt by the heavy drinkers ultimately encourage them to drink more and may cause them to drink too much.

I have often wondered why busy pubs don’t come up with a system of dispensing drinks that allows customers to serve themselves in order to cut down on queues. One landlord it seems, has done just that. He has redesigned swipe card machines in his pub to dispense beer and is hoping to introduce the system before Christmas. Dave Barron, of the Queen's Head, at Hoyland near Barnsley has included a brewery metering system to dispense the correct half pint measure to customers and now has a patent pending on the design. He will be installing two machines to dispense both lager and bitter. Customers will still need to purchase a pre-paid card from the bar but can then serve themselves until the balance runs out.

US scientists claim they have created the ultimate hangover cure. The pill which contains a combination of aspirin and caffeine claims to eradicate all symptoms within just 15 minutes. Called Blowfish it targets all hangover symptoms including nausea, vomiting and fatigue. It contains 500 milligrams of aspirin, 60 milligrams of caffeine and an antacid and is already available to order online. It has already launched across the US. If successful there it will also be available within the UK next year for £1.90 for a pack.

A rare bottle of 55 year old Glenfiddich whisky is to be auctioned in Edinburgh next month. The bottle is one of only 11 that were produced to commemorate the 110th birthday of Janet Sheed Roberts the granddaughter of the distillery’s founder William Grant. It is thought it will fetch in excess of £30,000 when it goes to auction and is expected to break the current UK auction house record of £29,400. The Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve was casked on Hogmanay 1955. It is described as pale gold in colour with aromas of orange blossom, delicate violets and toasted almonds.

If this article is correct then you might want to consider the music you are listening to when drinking a glass of wine. A study published in the British Journal of Psychology found that people who drink wine whilst listening to music perceive the wine to have the same characteristics of the particular artist. Those drinking Merlot for example should try listening to Tom Jones for the best earthy and full bodied taste experience. Pinot Grigio on the other hand would be best enjoyed when listening to Lady Gaga.

The study looked at 250 students, half of whom were male and half female. They were given either a Cabernet Sauvignon or Chilean Chardonnay and played one of four songs on a loop for 15 minutes. The songs included Carmina Burana by Orff  which was chosen because it is powerful and heavy. The Waltz of the Flowers from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker chosen because it is subtle and refined. Just Can't Get Enough by Nouvelle Vague chosen for being zingy and refreshing and Slow Breakdown by Michael Brook which is mellow and soft. A fifth group drank the wine with no music. The wines were given the highest ratings for being powerful and heavy by those who drank them to the tune of Carmina Burana. Those that listened to Michael Brook rated the wine as mellow and soft more than other tastes. The results of the study showed consistently that emotional connotations of the music influenced the perception of taste.

It looks like the recent hot weather could be good news for English wine. It seems the so called Indian summer has led to a last minute surge in the ripening of grapes providing perfect conditions for UK winemakers. According to this article the recent high temperatures have created the perfect balance of acid and sugar in the grapes. Although this years grape crop is likely to be smaller than usual, what grapes there are should produce a sensational wine. It could be a vintage to stock up on, when it starts to go sale.

Cider appears to be becoming more popular with Waitrose saying sales of the drink have overtaken those of Chilean or Spanish wine. The growth comes at a time when lager sales are in decline and suggests that more people are choosing cider as an alternative. The increase has proved to be good news for England's orchards which have boosted production and are this year expecting to set a new record apple harvest. Although cider sales have risen 13% over the past year it does still only account for 3% of sales at the supermarket but is the fastest growing category in the past three months. I have noticed that even in the supermarkets there is now a greater range of better tasting ciders. Gone are the days of cheap strong white cider that could strip paint off a wall. It seems cider is now focussed more on taste and quality. I do quite like cider but personally prefer a medium sweet choice. I do wonder, however, how I go about making some, it might be a good way to use up this years bumper apple crop from the garden.

According to this article dirty ice is being served at one in every three pubs, restaurants and coffee shops and could be putting customer health at risk. A study carried out by the Health Protection Agency on 88 establishments found that 30% showed levels of poor hygiene. The main problems are caused by the failure to clean machines and scoops used to fill cups and glasses. 30% of ice samples were found to have unsatisfactory levels of coliform bacteria whilst three samples had unsatisfactory levels of Enterococci and one sample had an unsatisfactory level of E.coli. Based on this, next time you are offered ice you might be wise to say no.

For me, sadly, it’s very little at the moment being halfway through my pregnancy but it seems the average Briton drinks 5,800 pints in their lifetime and suffers from 726 hangovers. They will also drink 8,700 glasses of wine. The results are based upon a survey of 2,000 people. It found that most people drink at least three nights a week and have nine drinks in total which works out to 468 a year. Over half of people regularly drink in their home but it seems only 17% of people now regularly visit the pub. The survey which was carried out by Benenden Healthcare Society also revealed that the average Briton starts experimenting with alcohol at the age of 14. Four out of ten people admitted they can’t go longer than a week without having a drink, whilst 10% would make it through just 2 days before opening a bottle. The results certainty make interesting reading.

Scientists have recently opened a bottle of 170 year old beer. The beer was found in a Baltic sea shipwreck along with several bottles of champagne. It has been sitting 50 metres below sea level for so long that it had become contaminated with seawater. Despite this the scientists opened the beer and analysed the contents. They found malt sugars, hops and aromatic compounds that are still used in beer today as well as lactic acid which would have given the beer a sour taste. There were, however, no active yeast cells meaning they will unable to replicate the beer using a reverse process. A further five bottles have also been recovered from the wreck and another will be opened and analysed at a further date. I wonder whether any are still in a drinkable condition.

That’s according to this article. A study has found that the insects are more likely to fly towards a person after they have consumed a pint or more. Researchers believe that they are attracted by the odour and breath changes caused when you consume alcohol. It might also be that they have to come to associate beer odour with a lack of defensiveness from drinkers. The research was part of a study into the insects to try and halt disease spread by mosquitoes. Tests were conducted on a group of people aged between 20 and 43. They were given a litre of beer and insects were given the option of flying towards traps containing either open air or the human odour of the participant. It was found that 65% of mosquitoes flew towards the human odour after the person had consumed beer compared with 35% before any beer was consumed. I wonder if the same applies to wine.

According to this article a bottle of the world’s oldest champagne has recently been sold for a record price of 30,000 euros, that’s about £26,700. The champagne was one of a number of bottles that were found in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. The bottle of Veuve Clicquot is nearly 200 years old and was recovered from a shipwreck which dates from between 1825 and 1830. A bottle of champagne from the house of Juglar was also salvaged from the same wreck was also sold for 24,000 euros. Despite the price it fetched, the champagne is not the most expensive ever sold, only the most expensive ever auctioned.

If you fancy visiting some UK based vineyards this summer, this article highlights ten which might be worth a look. On  the list are Biddenden Vineyards in Kent and Tenterden Vineyard, both of which I remember visiting some years ago. A few others are within easy reach such as Bookers Vineyard in Sussex and Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking, so they will be on my list for future day trips.

That’s according to this article which suggests visiting the pub five times a week is good for you as long as you drink in moderation. Research has shown that drinking two pints or the similar units of wine on a regular basis can actually be good for your liver. In fact drinking in moderation can actually be better for you than drinking only occasionally or not at all with only excessive alcohol intake causing damage. Frequent but moderate alcohol consumption can reduce the chances of a fatty liver, the main cause of liver disease by up to 60%. Based on this, I’m off to open a bottle of wine.

This article is interesting, it suggests that many people do not know the calorie content of the alcoholic drinks they consume. It also suggests that many people who are dieting will carefully count the calories of the food they eat but not take into account the glass of wine or beer they have with dinner. The findings come from a survey of 2,000 UK adults, one in three of whom were found to monitor they daily calorie intake. Only one in ten, however, was monitoring the amount of calories consumed in the alcohol they drank. On average a small glass of wine contains 134 calories and a pint of beer 193 calories so for those trying to diet the calories in what they drink can soon add up. I am well aware of the calorie content of my medium sized glass of wine but personally would rather enjoy that than a slice of cake or a chocolate bar. However, if you are on a diet it might be worth thinking how many calories are in what you drink and adding these to your daily food diary.

A pair of entrepreneurs have invented a beer that is designed specifically to be drunk in space. Looking to capitalise on space tourism and believing they are ahead of the game on this one their beer has been tested for space travel. Made by microbrewery the 4 Pines Brewing Company it is designed to be drunk in zero gravity and a prototype has already been tested under these conditions. The Vostok 4 Pines Stout is a full bodies flavoursome beer which they believe would work best in space.

This is interesting it’s a device called a Coffee Joulies which claims to keep your drink at the perfect temperature for up to five hours. The device which resembles a glass bean is placed inside the thermos with the hot drink. It absorbs the extra thermal energy in the drink when it is hot and then releases this energy to keep the drink at an optimum drinking temperature as it starts to cool down. The beans are made of a non toxic material sealed within the stainless steel shell. They only work, however, when the drink is insulated with a lid. It’s an interesting idea, but I do wonder whether they are any more effective than an ordinary thermos.

According to this article champagne sales in Britain jumped last year after a two year slump. Figures show that around five million more bottles of champagne were drunk in Britain last year than in 2009. With shipments of champagne increasing 16.3 % to 35.5 million bottles, Britain is now the second biggest drinker of champagne after France. Much of the growth is though to have been driven by the supermarkets offering champagne discounts as a way to drive customers to their stores. Whatever the reason it appears that we have developed quite a taste for the sparkling stuff.

According to this article a website is claiming to have discovered the recipe for Coca Cola. The recipe is something which has been a closely guarded secret and is only know by two Coca Cola employees at a time. It is keep in a guarded bank vault and has been kept secret since 1886. A website, now claims to have found a list showing the ingredients and quantities used to make the drink. Thisamericanlife.org claim it was published in a 1979 article in a local paper in Atlanta, Georgia but that nobody recognised its significance at the time.

This is interesting its a new milk bottle which has been created by a Suffolk company. It looks just like a regular milk bottle but when you have finished with it is can be broken down and completely recycled. It has a cardboard outside and a plastic inside. When the bottle is finished the plastic inner can be taken out and the cardboard put into the normal recycling. Although there is still some plastic contained in the packaging it is much less than a conventional bottle. It has recently been trialled in a number of small shops but it is hoped it will be rolled out across bigger supermarkets.

If this article is to be believed Australians are increasingly choosing wine over beer. If the trend continues it is thought wine sales will overtake beer sales within 10 years. In fact the consumption of beer has dropped by almost half to its lowest level in 50 years. Wine sales, however, have increased three fold over the same period.

This is interesting its a wine that contains a venomous snake. Produced in a village in Vietnam the wine contains snakes and scorpions. It is made with either a cobra or scorpion encased in the wine. The poison of the creature, however, is cancelled out by the alcoholic content of the drink and the fermenting process. The wine is thought to have many health benefits and is used to treat various problems such as back pain, rheumatism and lumbago. It is also thought to increase male virility.

If this article is to be believed Starbucks are now selling cups of coffee that contain nearly a litre of liquid. The new Trenta cup size has recently been rolled out in stores across 14 American states starting in California. The cup holds 918ml or 31 ounces and will at first be used to sell iced coffee, tea and lemonade. I wonder whether the new size will be popular. I can certainly never imagine myself thinking, man that was a really late night, I need a litre of coffee.

This is interesting its a proposal which could mean heavy drinkers are given a special zone in which they are allowed to drink. The scheme which has been proposed by a councillor from Colchester believes that the areas alcoholics should be given a special “wet zone” in which they can drink out of the way of the rest of the public. Currently anti-social drinkers in the area are constantly moved on by police because they and the dogs they often have with them are intimidating to the general public.

It is clear that some areas do have a problems with this issue. I remember when I used to work in Richmond, Surrey, there was a large group of men and their dogs who spent all day in the church yard drinking. It is clear they do need somewhere to go during the day where they do not cause problems. I’m not sure, however, that giving them a special zone in which to drink solves the issue. It seems to me it’s just sweeping the problem under the carpet rather than trying to deal with the root cause.

This is interesting its a wine bottle that has been designed to catch the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Chef Martín Berasategui designed it as a way of decanting the wine whilst it is in the bottle. The bottle has a chamber at the base which captures the sediment rather than it being poured out with the wine. It also acts as a decanter because of its special shape.

If you like a cup of hot chocolate then you could soon find you are paying a little bit more for it. That’s according to this article which claims the wholesale cost of cocoa powder has jumped by 32% over the past year. The price rise is largely down to failing crops earlier in the year and disruption from suppliers in the Ivory Coast. As a result cocoa powder has risen to as much as £3,000 a ton.

If you like whisky and have a bit of spare cash then you might be interested in this idea. Based on the book 101 Whiskies to Try Before you Die it is the ultimate package of just that, 101 whiskies, in fact one of each mentioned in the book. The special offer is available from Royal Mile Whiskies until the end of December and even includes a free copy of the book, bargain.

This is interesting its a soft drink that claims to burn calories. Called Aspire the cranberry flavoured drink claims to burn 209 calories within three hours of drinking it. It does this because caffeine and green tea when combined with amino acid and ginger create a thermogenic effect where the body generates more heat in order to digest food. The drink has only been tested on 20 people so it is not clear whether it could be used as part of a weigh loss plan. Personally I think you are better of eating less and exercising but if you want to try this its available from Holland and Barrett at a cost of £1.59 for a 250ml can.

If you are prepared a little bit more for your milk in the knowledge it is produced by happy cows then your might be interested in Ahimsa Milk. It is produced by animals that are reared on a farm run by Hare Krishna. The animals are milked by hand to the sound of sacred mantras and because of Hindu rules no harm can come to them. Even when their milk dries up the animals will live out their days tilling the land and transporting food around the farm. The milk is a little more expensive than the average pint, you should expect to pay in the region of £1.70 instead of 45p roughly what a normal pint would cost.

I have been cutting back on tea recently as I was becoming a little too reliant on the daily caffeine fix to get me through the day. If this article is to be believed, however, perhaps I should be reinstating my daily tea fix. According to the article research has shown that drinking three cups of tea a day can help protect you against heart attacks and strokes. In fact drinking green or black tea can reduce the risk of heart problems by 11%. It seems it works by cutting the build up of plaque in the arteries. Well, I’m convinced, time for a cup of tea.

If this article is to be believed a lady from Leicestershire got a little more than she bargained for when she opened a bottle of wine to find it included a frog. Isolde Beesley opened the bottle of Moscatel de Valcencia at a family celebration and had drunk a glass of wine before finding the small frog floating in the bottle. It is not yet known at what point the frog was introduced to the bottling process but the wine has been taken off the shelves whilst it is investigated.

This is interesting, it’s an alcoholic drink made from stinging nettles. Called Cornish Stingers it is made with hand picked wild stinging nettles. They are left to brew for seven days and the resulting drink apparently tastes like a dry wine with aromas of citrus and elderflower. If you want to try some it is priced at £25 for a case of 12 and is currently available at retail outlets across Cornwall and from the Eden Project.

According to this article the number of UK breweries has increased in the past 30 years. Figures from Camra (The Campaign for Real Ale) show that 78 new breweries opened last year. It seems the rise is mainly down to the increasing number of mirco breweries starting up. Many of these smaller breweries are run out of a shed or a pub back garden. Camra puts the rise of breweries down to the fact that brewers are simply responding to genuine customer demand. I wonder what I need to start my own micro brewery.

If this article is to be believed a man has created a whisky made from urine. The whisky is made using the high sugar urine produced by diabetes patients. The urine is filtered using the same processes which are used to purify water. This removes the sugars which are used in the fermentation process. The whisky is not available commercially but if do you want to try some tasting opportunities are available at the Materials design event in London in September.

£25 might seems a lot for a pot of tea but this is not just any tea. Its Mariage Freres Sacred White tea. The tea is grown in Sri Lanka on a secret estate and is special because it is only picked by women with golden scissors. The tea is supposed to contain more antioxidants than any other black or green tea. If you want to try it you can get it in Manchester at Kitchen at The Circle restaurant. If you don’t want to spend quite much on your tea they do have a full menu of other teas starting at £2.25.

This is interesting its a drinks container that you can eat when you have finished your drink. Made of seaweed extract agar the Jelloware containers come in flavours like lemon basil, ginger mint and rosemary beet. When you have finished your drink you can either eat them or alternatively they can be thrown onto the garden as the sugar galactose they are made of can be used to nourish plants. It should save a lot of washing up after a party.

This is interesting its a new beer from BrewDog that comes in bottles made out of dead animals. The beer itself is called The End of History and is a rather strong 55% proof. What makes it unusual, however, is not only that it claims to be the worlds strongest and most expensive at £500 a bottle but also the bottle that it comes in. The bottles are made using seven types of animals including stoats, four squirrels and a hare which are said to be roadkill. The marketing stunt has been condemned as a perverse idea by some but is supposed to introduce people to a new approach new beer.

Divers have found what is thought to be the world’s oldest champagne. It is thought to pre-date the French Revolution and has been found on the Baltic seabed. 30 bottles of the Clicquot which was produced between 1782 and 1788 were found in a shipwreck on the Baltic seabed. It is thought the champagne could fetch around £45,000 a bottle at auction.

According to this article beer is in fact one the healthiest alcoholic drinks available and the benefits of drinking it are not properly understood. The report which might be a little biased has been commissioned by The Beer Academy and aims to help people enjoy beer sensibly. Apparently beer contains vitamins which can help you maintain a balanced diet, fibre which keeps you regular and antioxidants and minerals which can lower the risk of osteoporosis.

If this article is to to believed half a million people are hungover at work each day. The figures from the charity Drinkaware are a result of a poll on 1,000 people and mean that one in ten Britons go to work every day with a hangover. People who were polled also admitted to struggling to keep on top of their workload and making mistakes after a night out drinking. The article cautions that these figures are likely to soar during the World Cup and could have a direct impact on workplace productivity across the country.

A British brewer has made what is thought to be the world’s most bitter beer. Peter Fowler who runs the Pitstop Brewery in Stove made the beer called The Hop after a friend challenged him to break the record. It registered 323 International Bittering Units (IBUs) beating the previous record of 200 which was held by the American beer Devil Dance Triple IPA. Mr Fowler is now waiting for the beer to be officially named the bitterest beer on the planet.

If you have a bit of cash to spare you might be interested in this £10,000 whisky. The whisky is the world’s oldest malt and has gone on sale at £10,000 a bottle. The Mortlach 70 year old Speyside whisky was filled into it cask on the 15th of October 1938. 70 years later the decision was taken to empty the cask and bottle the contents. Only 54 full size bottles costing £10,000 each and 162 smaller bottles at £2,500 each are available . The whisky has been sampled in a tasting and has been described as a malt “without comparison”.

This article is interesting it suggests that microbreweries are becoming increasingly popular and in some cases more so than the big brands. The article highlights Ascot Ales which are brewed by Chris Gill and his wife. They currently produce around 12 barrels of ale a week when working at full capacity and supply 70 local pubs. Unlike larger breweries they do not add rice and maize to keep costs down, preferring to stick to premium ingredients. Neither do they pasteurise the beer. This obviously means that it doesn’t last quite as long but taking out this process means that none of the flavour is destroyed. it seems these microbreweries which have small output levels and minimal staff are enjoying rapid growth in a time when people are looking something more tasty and perhaps more local. In contrast many of the larger multi-national breweries are seeing their sales fall. It certainly seems to work for Ascot Ales, they are currently seeking a larger premises so that they can increase production.

A farm in Sussex has started offering unpasteurised milk in an effort to save their farm. Longley’s Farm near Hailsham has been selling organic pasteurised milk for some time but recently has started losing money on the product. The farmer says that pasteurised milk now costs around 34p a litre to produce but they are only paid 26p for it so make a loss on each litre. Unpasteurised on the other hand is cheaper to produce although it must carry a warning that it might contain bacteria and can only be sold directly by the farmer. It is thought that the unpasteurised milk, however, has the advantage of containing more nutrients because it has not gone through the heat treating process. The farmer is currently planning to deliver the milk once a week but it will be interesting to see how much demand there is for the product.

A pub in Sheffield has won the Campaign for Real Ale’s national pub of the year for a second year running. The Kelham Island Tavern has been praised for the quality of its beer and attention to detail. The pub was brought in a derelict state by the current landlord in 2001 and since then has suffered flood damage which forced it to close. It appears the pub has bounced back and since it won the award for the first time in 2008 it has been attracting visitors from all over the country, so if you are in Sheffield it might be worth a visit.

A beer called Sink the Bismarck has claimed the title of world’s strongest beer. Previously the title was held by a German beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin made by Brewdog of Fraserburgh with a 32% alcohol content. Sink the Bismarck, however is an impressive 41%. It costs £40 for a 330ml bottle and is being sold exclusively online. The beer is designed to be drunk in spirit sized measures rather than in a pint glass.

According to this article it could soon be compulsory for drinks manufacturers to include health warnings on alcohol. Some drinks already carry health warnings under a voluntary code between the drinks industry and the government. However, only 15% of alcoholic drinks currently carry these warnings. The code was agreed in 2007 and it was thought that by the end of 2008 most drinks would display the warnings. Under the code drinks should include the number of units the drink contains, drinking guidelines of no more than three or four units a day for men and two or three for women, and the website address for the Drinkaware Trust. The government has launched a consultation of how to move forward with the issue but one idea is to introduce mandatory labelling.

In an effort to cut the amount of glass attacks in England and Wales the government has been looking into designs for safer pint glasses. Two new prototypes have recently been unveiled which it is hoped will help to reduce injuries. The first of the glasses called the Glass Plus has a clear plastic coating which is put inside the glass. The coating prevents the glass from breaking into shards when it is smashed and existing pint glasses can be treated with it. The second design called the Twin Wall is made from two thin walled glasses inside each other which are bonded together. Once again this stops the glass from shattering into small pieces. Both glasses are currently only prototypes and so are still being tested for safety. In a demonstration Glass Plus broke on the first attempt, but didn't shatter whilst it took four attempts to get a Twin Wall glass to break and when it did there were no shards of glass either. It is likely to be some time before either glass appears in a pub near you but it is estimated you might start seeing them in around a years time.

According to this article drinking beer could help prevent weak bones. A study claims that certain types of beer are a rich source of dietary silicon and can actually help prevent osteoporosis. Not all beers, however, have the effect. Those that contain malted barley and hops have a higher silicon content that beers made from wheat so these are the ones to choose if the article is correct. However, the study suggests consuming them in moderation. Beer. Is there anything it can’t do?

According to this article you could soon be paying a bit more for your pint. Many of the country’s biggest brewers are likely to increase their prices in a move that will mean an increase of around 10p on popular beers. Guinness are putting up the recommend retail price to £3.03 per pint from February 1st. InBev who make Stella Artois, Becks and Budweiser are increasing the wholesale price of all its drinks by 4p a pint from the same date. Heineken UK have also announced a price rise and Carlsberg and Moulson Coors are yet to make an announcement.

If this article is correct we could soon expect to pay a little more for a carton of orange juice. According to the article cold weather and disease have hit the citrus groves in Florida which produce much of the world’s orange juice. This has already led to the price of concentrated juice doubling in the past year. As yet this has not affected the prices we pay in the supermarket because stores usually fix their prices a long time in advance, however, we should expect prices to rise by between 10 and 30 per cent when contracts are renegotiated.

If this article is to be believed then you might be getting less beer for your money when you pop out for a pint. A study carried out by trading standards officers found that nine out of ten pints are sold short. In a test of 88 pints brought at bars and restaurants in Birmingham the average drink was three quarters of a fluid ounce short of the full glass, that’s about 12% short. Under the Weights and Measures Act of 1985 a pint of beer should be exactly a pint although froth can account for up to 5% of the pint as its considered an integral part of the beer.

According to this article red wine could actually be good for your teeth. Scientists have claimed that it contains chemicals which could help combat tooth decay by stopping bacteria from sticking to the teeth. The findings which are due to be published in the journal Food Chemistry suggest that a glass of red wine a day can help teeth healthy and reduce the need for fillings. Studies have also shown that red wine can improve brain power, boost your immune system and fight diabetes and obesity. Wine. Is there anything it can’t do?

The Scottish brewery BrewDog has launched what it has described as the world’s strongest beer. Called Tactical Nuclear Penguin it has a 32% alcohol content. The beer will be sold for £30 each and is on sale for a limited period only. It is designed to be drunk in spirit sized measures much as you would enjoy a fine whisky.

A campaign has been launched by The British Beer and Pub Association and the Society of Independent Brewers to cut beer tax in an attempt to save the British pub. Currently around 50 pubs a week are closing as trading conditions become increasingly difficult. The campaign called “I’m backing the pub” calls on the government to cut the tax on beer reversing the increase which was imposed last January and scrapping plans to increase it in the next budget. With 80% of people in a recent survey saying the pub is an important part of their community it seems to me its time to do something to save those pubs that still remain.

According to this article drinking a bottle of wine or six beers every day can cut the risk of heart disease in men by half. Researchers have found that the protective effects of a daily drink are not just limited to those who drink a moderate amount but also extend to those who consume higher levels of alcohol. Research was carried out on 15,000 men and 26,000 women aged from 29 to 69 years. They were studied over a period of 10 years. The results showed those who drank a little such as a glass of wine or a bottle of beer a day had a 35% lower risk of a heart attack than those who didn’t drink. Moderate drinkers, those who consumed two or three alcohol drinks a day had a 54% lower risk. Those classed as heavy drinkers, however, had a 50% lower risk of a heart attack making them half as likely to suffer an attack as the teetotallers.

According to this article a bottle of champagne from Sainsbury’s that costs just £16 has performed better than some brands which cost twice as much. The champagne beat Moet and Chandon and 11 other champagnes to come second in a blind tasting. A total of 14 champagnes were tested, nine from major supermarket chains and three from big champagne houses. The Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs champagne was only beaten by Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label which received 90 points whilst the Sainsbury’s champagne received 89. At half the price though you can’t help thinking you might be better off going to Sainsbury's. The cheapest champagne tested was Aldi’s Veuve Monsiny which costs £9.99. It managed 10th place with a score of 84 points.

According to this article a whisky company is preparing an expedition to try and locate two crates of 100 years whisky. The whisky was shipped to the Antarctic by British polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton during his 1909 expedition. It is now thought to be frozen inside in the icecap. The company that now owns McKinlay and Co who made the whisky are hoping that they will be able to conduct tests on the bottles with a view to re-launching the Scotch. One thing is for sure it will certainly be nicely chilled.

According to this article an indoor market in Luton is currently looking to recruit an ale taster. They are looking for someone with a “genuine love of food and drink” and although the role is on a volunteer basis so is unpaid it does have some rather obvious advantages.

According to this article Aldi and Lidl are both selling a bottle of champagne for just £9.99. Aldi’s Vue Monsigny and Lidl’s Comte de Brismand both sell for just under £10. They get mixed reviews from critics with some experts suggesting the taste is not that great but others calling it elegant and fruity. Unfortunately I don’t have an Aldi or a Lidl near me otherwise I would buy some and post a review. Have you tried either of these bottles of champagne and if so what were they like?

According to this article two companies with rather different products are currently developing wines specifically for Asian food. Taylor and Shroff wines and Atul Kochhar have both developed wines that are matched to the food. Kochhar has worked with classic sauvignon blanc and merlot and developed them to complement complex curries. Taylor and Shroff on the other hand have created cherry, apricot and ginger wines that are designed to be drunk over ice. The Taylor and Shroff wines are currently available at around a dozen restaurants and Kochhar sells his wines at his restaurant in London and Southampton so they are not yet widely available. I will be interested to try both, I wonder how long it will be before they come to a restaurant near me.

I have suffered from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for a number of years now and have learnt to control the condition with a combination of diet and exercise. Until recently I had got to the point when I was only suffering the problem every few months and usually when I had eaten something that I knew would trigger the symptoms. I was surprised then, when after my move back to Sevenoaks I found I was suffering from the condition every day.

At first I didn’t occur me what was wrong I assumed that the symptoms were a stomach bug, but after a month and half of symptoms I realised that the IBS was back with a vengeance. I went back to square one keeping a food diary, cutting out any known triggers completely and making sure I exercised every day but the symptoms still continued. That’s when I realised that the only thing that had changed was the fact that before our house move I was drinking water only from the filter tap. The new house had no filtration system installed and since we had moved house I had been drinking water straight from the tap. It seemed a long shot but I stopped drinking the tap water and started buying bottled mineral water. After a few days my stomach which had felt like a beach ball for nearly two months finally went back to normal and all the other symptoms stopped soon after.

Since then I have continued to drink only mineral water and will later be installing a new filtration system. I am now back to the occasional IBS flare up when I eat something I know will upset me but I like, such as cheese or red meat. I can only assume that there is something in the tap water that not only triggers my IBS symptoms but makes them much worse than usual. I have read reports that suggest fluoride in drinking water can trigger IBS but up to now have been sceptical and as I have no idea whether the tap water in Sevenoaks contains fluoride I am unsure whether this is the cause. What is clear, however, is that I can’t drink the water.

If this article is to be believed, then white wines could actually be worse for your teeth than red. Scientists have found that white wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio wear away tooth enamel more quickly than reds like Merlot and claret. Researchers have found that prolonged contact with white wine can erode the protective layer of enamel making teeth more sensitive to cold, hot and sweet food.

A team looked at the effects of eight red and white wines on the enamel of teeth removed from people between the age of 40 and 65. The teeth were soaked in the wine for up to 24 hours and then analysed to see how much damage had occurred. The teeth that had been soaked in the white wine had more damage than those soaked in the red. White wine has also been found to cause staining to teeth because the acids cause spots and groove in the enamel leaving them vulnerable to stains from tea and coffee. The good news, however, is that calcium rich food can offset some of the damage to teeth helping to prevent dental erosion. Next time I have a glass of wine, I will make sure I have a nice piece of cheese with it.

According to this article sales of quality beers are on the rise and it is claimed that beer could be the new wine. It appears that sales of quality bottled beer are up as is keg and cask beer. One brewery Hepworth and Co has seen an 18% rise in sales on last year. If the article is to believed beer especially the quality varieties is also becoming more popular with women. If this is the case and beer is experiencing something of a revival I wonder why so many pubs are closing down. Personally I like beer but prefer to sample real ales rather than drinking lager which is many peoples first impression of beer and perhaps what puts them off trying others.

According to this article cask ale is enjoying something of a revival. It appears consumers are moving away from big corporate brands towards local fare. I always remember ale as being drunk by a few old regulars in the pub and often there were complaints that the beer was off. It appears that pub companies are now becoming more aware of how ale should be stored and served and it is now starting to attract younger drinkers. Personally I find larger a little boring whereas ale is a little more like sampling wine, each is different. All hail the ale. You can check out the CAMRA site here if you want to find out more about the campaign for real ale.

I am frequently annoyed by people who can’t get through a train journey or a shopping trip without calling all their friends on their phone. I don’t mean the people that pick up a call when they are out, after all that’s the point of having a mobile phone, what annoys me is those people who can’t simply sit in silence and feel the need to call everyone in their phonebook. It seems I am not alone in finding this annoying, pub landlord Harry Walker has decided to ban the use of mobile phone in his pub. Instead customers who wish to use them will need to take their call outside. He has come to the decision because he says that it is anti-social and his customers prefer not to be disturbed with the constant ringing and people talking loudly on their phones when others are trying to enjoy a meal or a quiet drink. I can see his point.

If this article can be believed the government is looking for an alternative to the pint glass because the traditional one is too dangerous. According to the article the Home Office has called in a team of designers who will look at creating a safer alternative to the pint glass. The move comes because there are around 87,000 violent incidents involving glass every year which cost an estimated £100 million in NHS and police costs. It will be interesting to see what they come up with but personally I quite like my pint in its proper glass.

According to this article beer can have some health benefits when it is consumed in moderation. The article suggests that moderate amounts of beer can help strengthen women's bones. A study carried out on 1,700 women found that bone density was better in regular beer drinkers then in non drinkers. It is thought that plant hormones in the beer could the reason behind the effect. It appears beer is good for you, drink too much, however, and it can also have the opposite effect.

Personally I’m not quite sure why you would want to visit Starbucks but that’s my opinion. Some people obviously do like the brand but other people like this man might be bordering on the obsessive. He has made it his mission to visit every Starbucks around the world. He has managed an impressive 9,100 and is now in England to visit the 400 outlets over here. After the UK he will move onto a tour of Europe, visiting Spain, Portugal, Germany and Romania. At every outlet he orders a regular cup of coffee and takes a picture and puts it on his website. So far he has spent around $100,000 on his project over a course of 12 years. He estimates that he still has 3,000 outlets worldwide still to visit.

It could be bad news for tea drinkers if this article is to believed. It suggests that the price of a a cup of tea could rise by as much as 15%. The price rise comes as a combination of rising demand, crop failures and the weak pound. It could mean that leading brands such as PG Tips will increase their prices as much as 50p on a pack of 160 tea bags. Unilever which makes PG Tips has said that it can no longer absorb the extra cost of making tea bags due to increases in commodity costs and that it will need to pass the rises onto consumers.

According to this article Sales of beer in the UK have fallen at their fastest rate since the recession of the early 1990s. The British Beer and Pub Association have said that off trade beer sales fell by 11 per cent in the first quarter of 2009 contributing to a total decline of 8.2 per cent in total beer sales. On trade beer sales (those in bars and restaurants) also fell by 6.3 per cent that’s around 753,000 fewer pints every day over the first three months of 2009. The message here is clear, your local pub needs you to drink more beer.

According to this article wine sales have plummeted as people begin to feel the effect of the recession. The article says that the amount of win brought in pubs and clubs has shrunk by 1%, that's the equivalent of around 12 million bottles. The figures from The Grocer also show that supermarkets, convenience stores and garage forecourts are also selling less wine, whilst off licenses have recorded a drop of 6% in sales value. Personally I haven't been buying less wine to drink at home but I do tend to drink less if I go out to a pub or restaurant as prices are usually overinflated.

This is interesting its a new scheme which has been introduced at a pub to allow customers to serve themselves. It has been introduced at The Wheatsheaf Inn in Willingdon East Sussex. Drinkers are able to serve themselves and leave the money in an honesty box. The landlord of the pub has said that he trusts his customers to pay for all of the beer that they drink. I have often thought that it would be a good idea to have self service available in the pub rather than queuing for drinks at the bar but I’m not sure everyone would be honest enough to pay.

This article suggests that people who drink too much coffee are more likely to experience hallucinations. In a study people who drank more than seven cups of coffee were three times more likely to hallucinate than those who had just one cup. Among the experiences reported were seeing things that were not there, hearing voices and seeing dead people. Whilst there does appear to be link academics have dismissed the study because it is likely that stress can also cause the symptoms and stressed people may also drink more caffeine. If you have recently started seeing dead people, then you might want to take a look at your caffeine intake.

This is interesting its a project that will use "beer goggles" in schools in an effort to try and show children the adverse effects of drinking. The goggles will impair the wearers vision and show children what it is like to be intoxicated. I wonder whether the project will work as it is supposed to.

This article suggests that smokers who regularly drink red wine could reduce their risk of developing lung cancer. Research suggests that smokers who drink at least a glass of red wine daily are 60 per cent less likely to develop lung cancer. Men who were heavy smokers, saw a greater reduction in risk with a 4 per cent lower likelihood of developing lung cancer seen for each glass of red wine consumed per month. White wine does not have the same benefits.

This is quite interesting. Its an article about a smuggling operation that involved a mile long vodka pipeline. Enterprising criminals were using it to pump vodka out of Russia into Estonia to avoid paying tax. Eleven suspects have been charged after an investigation which took four years. The pipeline was eventually discovered when customs officers in Estonia seized 1,159 litres of vodka which they claim came through it. It is estimated that the man pumped a total of 6,200 litres of vodka through the pipeline in total and avoided paying £46,000 in excise duty.

This article suggests that the effects of alcohol do make people appear more attractive. Researchers found that as little as a pint and a half of beer is enough to make everyone seem more desirable. Men are worst affected with the effect lasting as long as 24 hours after a heavy drinking session. The results were based on a study done at Bristol University where male and female volunteers were randomly allocated a drink of vodka and lime or a similar tasting soft drink. There were then asked to rate the attractiveness of 20 male and 20 female faces on a seven point scale. Those who had been drinking alcohol scored the faces 10% higher than those who had not. The following day both sexes were tested again, this time the men who had been drinking the previous day scored the picture more highly than the non drinkers. The researchers concluded: 'Alcohol consumption increases ratings of attractiveness of facial stimuli.'

According to this article this new health drink called skinny water can suppress hunger and fight fat. It costs 99p a bottle and its manufacturers say it is scientifically proven. Nutritionists, however, say that its claims are not supported by clinical trials. The pomegranate flavoured water contains L-Carnitine and chromium which supposedly reduce sugar cravings and improve the body's ability to burn fat. Personally I'm rather skeptical, I still think the only way to lose weight is simply to eat less and exercise.

Unagi Nobori is a rather strange drink made from eels. It has been launched in Japan with the translation of the name meaning "surging eel". The drink is a yellow liquid which contains eel extract and vitamins that are found in the fish. It has been launched to coincide with the start of Japan's annual eel eating season which starts on the 5th of August. Its main ingredients include extracts from the head and bones of eels, and five vitamins – A, B1, B2, D and E.  Apparently it tastes similar to broiled eels, an acquired taste perhaps?

According to this article drinking two cups of tea a day can halve your risk of dementia. It is thought that chemicals in the tea called flavonoids help protect the brain although researchers do not yet know why tea protects against damage. Other studies have shown that tea can also help prevent the development of cancerous tumours and prevent against heart disease and stroke as well as strengthening teeth. All very good news, I drink lots of tea.

This article suggests that tea could be good for you. According to the article drinking at least four cups of tea a day can be good for your health and can help prevent heart attacks. It can also help to improve alertness and mood levels and can strengthen bones. It certainly makes me less irritable in the morning.

A government alcohol abuse expert has been banned from driving after being caught drink driving not once but twice. He was fined £1,500 for the two offences he committed in August and December 2006. It makes me wonder what hope there is for the rest of the population if the very experts put in place to make a difference break the laws themselves.

If you like Champagne, then you might be interested to know that Sainsbury's own brand Champagne has recently won a gold medal at the annual wine awards. Judges rated the Champagne as highly as Piper Heidsieck, Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot's 1998 La Grande Dame which cost around £85. The Sainsbury's Champagne, however, has a rather more modest price tag at just £23.99 a bottle.

I read this article that suggests fruit smoothies can lead to widespread tooth damage. Although fruit smoothies are supposed to have many health benefits, dentists have warned that these benefits are outweighed by the the damage that the drinks can cause to your teeth. The problem is that they contain high level of sugar and acid which can damage teeth. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth before drinking fruit juice because this can help protect teeth against the damaging effects of the acid contained in the juice.

I was in Sainsbury's the other day and came across a rather disturbing sight (pictured left). Wine in plastic bottles, it just doesn't seem right somehow, wine is supposed to come in a glass bottle with a proper cork. Whilst I appreciate it is probably packaged in this way to cut costs, it has the look of fruit juice and comes across as somewhat cheap and nasty. This is only my first impression, as I haven't actually tried the wine, if I can bring myself to purchase a bottle (or should I say carton) of this wine, then I will review here later.

It was my Dads birthday a few days ago and as I wasn’t able to see him on the day I sent him a gift. I used this website called realbeerbox.com. They carry a range of beers and real ales from some of the smaller, lesser known breweries. My Dad is always keen to try new ales so I ordered a case of mixed bottles. It’s the second time I have used them and I have been impressed both times. They delivered when they said they would and according to my Dad the bottles were wrapped securely in a large box. He seemed very impressed. I will definitely be using them again.

It’s good news for the traditional British pint, which was due to be scrapped under EU rules. The EU have now announced a U-turn on the policy which would have meant grocers would be unable to sell produce in pounds and ounces and pubs would have to stop selling pints. The EU has now ruled that pubs can go on serving beer in pints after 2009. Personally I couldn’t see myself ordering a litre of beer, mines a pint landlord.