‘Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.’
– Macbeth, Shakespeare
Making concoctions and potions can provide hours of entertainment, not only for Shakespeare’s witches, but also for children mixing all the spices and ingredients they can find in their parent’s kitchen cupboards. Adding bicarbonate of soda to make the mixture fizz adds that extra finesse. For adults and teenagers, however, more joy can be found in the mixing of alcohols to create inventive, but sometimes potentially dangerous drinks.
Gaby Scanlon, an 18 year old from Lancashire, had to have emergency surgery on the 4th of October to remove her stomach after drinking a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen. Police have claimed that if Gaby had not had the operation the incident would have been fatal. She is currently in a stable, but serious, condition in hospital. Whilst it is possible to lead a normal life after an operation of this kind, Gaby’s life will undoubtedly be changed forever and this incident has highlighted the dangers of drinking some of the new and exotic drinks that are now available. Doctor John Ashton, director of public health for Cumbria, said: “This girl is the victim of an irresponsible alcohol industry that’s now competing on gimmicks. Alcohol is a very dangerous thing if improperly handled and liquid nitrogen is a toxic chemical. It destroys human tissue.”
So what is liquid nitrogen? Nitrogen is a colourless gas that turns into a liquid at temperatures of -196°C and below. Contact with liquid nitrogen can cause the skin to freeze, causing burns. Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal popularized the use of liquid nitrogen after he used it to make bacon flavoured ice cream. Bartenders use it to create mystical effects as the liquid vaporizes. Liquid nitrogen is not a widely used chemical. It is unlikely that you will taste it in your vodka mixer when out on a student budget or whilst enjoying two for one cocktail’s at Mosaic, however, this incident is a reminder that we should always pay attention to what exactly we are drinking. Nowadays, food packaging is covered with content information so we know what we are consuming; the same attention should be paid to what we drink too.
The use of liquid nitrogen has become a matter of controversy with some claiming it should be banned from bars and others stating that it is suitable for use in drinks and food but only when handled correctly. With the pressure on the cocktail industry to continue to create new and exciting drinks to entice public interest, is it inevitable that they will turn to chemicals such as liquid nitrogen? As the jury is still out on this debate, what do you think? Should liquid nitrogen be banned from bars or not?
Here at HCX we have created a guide to safe alcohol mixing whilst still being able to have fun and look sophisticated with an impressive cocktail in hand.
• Be aware of drinking cocktails containing raw eggs; it is surprising how many cocktails rely on eggs for example: eggnog, gin fizz, coffee cocktail and the Eucalyptus Martini to name but a few. The egg white provides the drink with a rich, silky, foam texture and the yolk enhances the flavour.
• Remember that cocktails can be very strong, and whilst they might taste delicious, after a few too many the chic sophisticated look will be ruined as you stumble bleary eyed out of the bar.
• Be very careful of flaming cocktails. Even after the flame has been extinguished the glass can remain very hot and put the user at risk of being burnt.
• Check what the cocktail consists of before you order it; don’t be taken in by its name alone.
• If you are going to do some home mixing follow a recipe rather than making it up yourself.
• Be wary of mixing spirits with other types of alcohol. If you are going to the general saying ‘Beer before liquor; you’ve never been sicker. Liquor before beer; you’re in the clear’ is a good starting point (when drinking in moderation of course).