Friday

Brews You Can Use

Just when I think I've heard of everything in the drinking world, at least those things that have been around awhile, something else appears.

This time, it's Buckfast Tonic Wine, a caffeine-infused wine made by the Benedictine monks of Buckfast. Originally made as a medicinal drink, they've been making it for over a century.

How powerful is it? Fifteen percent alcohol and an undetermined amount of caffeine (some say, as much as a Red Bull). If that's not a testament to its power, this might be: a decadent country like Scotland nearly banned it. Of course, Scotland is staunchly welfare state and pro-EU, so it is the country of paternalistic politicians, but still. It's a hard-drinking culture by any measure yet there was a serious effort to ban it.

Regardless, Buckfast has become something of Scotland's national drink.

I heard about it in Modern Drunkard Magazine. I wish I could provide a link, but the article doesn't appear to be online.