FDA Says Liquor And Caffeine Don't Mix

From the Wall Street Journal

By JANE ZHANG

The Food and Drug Administration is taking aim at caffeinated alcoholic drinks, saying it will pull them off the market unless manufacturers can prove the beverages are safe to drink.

On Friday, the FDA sent letters to nearly 30 companies, giving them 30 days to provide evidence that their drinks don't pose health or safety risks. The FDA hasn't approved the use of caffeine in alcoholic beverages, and companies might have to show that experts generally think mixing caffeine and alcohol is safe for consumers.

The fast-growing segment includes United Brands Co.'s Joose, and Phusion Projects LLC's Four Loko, both flavored malt beverages. "We are taking a look at the legal basis for the marketing of the products," Joshua Sharfstein, the FDA's principal deputy commissioner, told reporters.

A United Brands spokesman said it hadn't received the FDA letter and declined to comment. Phusion Projects didn't respond to requests for comment.

The FDA's action came after 18 state attorneys general sent a letter to the agency in September, raising concerns that the drinks appeal to young people and can foster drunk driving.

Last year, attorneys general reached settlements with Anheuser-Busch InBev NV and MillerCoors LLC, which agreed to remove caffeine, guarana -- a tropical berry that is a source of caffeine -- and other stimulants from hot-selling drinks such as Sparks and Tilt. But smaller companies gained market share, and products such as Joose have generated faster sales growth than other alcoholic beverages at convenience-store chains like 7-Eleven.

R. Scott Winters, chief executive of Prohibition Beverage Inc. in Philadelphia, maker of p.i.n.k., a caffeine-infused spirit, said he hadn't received the letter, but would comply with the request.

Spirit Review - Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

Alive in Concert Rating: 5.5 / 10.0

From the Label:

"Introduced to Scotland by Welsh Druids
in the 9th Century, elderberry ale was part of
the Celtic Autumn festivals where the ale
was passed round the people of the village.
This recipe was taken from a 16th
Century record of domestic drinking in the
Scottish Highlands. In medeaval times
elderberries were used in various
concoctions and are known to be high in
fruit tannins and oils. It is a rich black ale
with fruit aroma, soft texture, roasted
grain and red wine flavour, with a gentle
finish.

Ingredients: Malted Barley bree,
elderberries, roasted oats & barley and
hops.

Brewed and bottled by Heather Ale Ltd.
Williams Bros Brewing Co.
Scotland UK.
www.heatherale.co.uk"

To that I will add that it is indeed rich in flavor, with wine and fruit overtones. I enjoyed the flavor very much. My only disappointment was that there was little to no head to speak of, and, while tasty, this brew was rather flat. What you see in the photo above was pretty much all the head there was. I cannot be certain whether this ale is meant to be this way, or if I simply received a bad bottle from a flat batch.

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale is 6.5% alcohol by volume, and cost me $2.79 for an 11.2 fluid ounce bottle from my local ale supplier.

Spirit Review - St. Peter's English Ale

Alive in Concert Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

This amber - to - coppery-brown ale features "organically grown hops & barley," and is brewed at St. Peter's brewery in Suffolk, U.K..

A mild, nutty sweetness is finished with a heady dry hoppiness, the bitterness of which was the perfect accompaniment to a piece of ginger bread. Really - I recommend this coupling.

Next, I switched to a thin slice of aged cheddar, and this brought the bitter hops to the fore, but overall the ale still retained a balance of smoothness.

Bottom Line: a symmetrical ale, balancing sweet with bitter and finishing dry and crisp. Very much an "even-handed" ale -- not too heavy, but you'll know you've had a pint. Should be just dandy with an English Roast, or a bacon cheeseburger.

$4.99 for 1 pint, 0.9 Fluid Ounces at my local purveyor of fine spirits.