Red Devil - Alcoenergy

Okay, I have a massive backlog of beverage reviews to get through.

Russia is certainly something else in terms of alcoholic beverages, pretty much anything goes. I do plan to write something the alcohol culture in Russia I observed, however that will come later. Take this as a case study.

This particular product, 'Red Devil' is a combination energy drink premix. This kind of thing was just becoming available in Australia when I left, however to see why this particular drink is exceptional we need to look closer. This 500ml can has 9% alcohol and 200mg caffeine. This means that you have the equivalent of 2 1/2 cans of red bull and 4 1/2 shots of vodka per can. It doesn't taste very good, but you wouldn't be buying it for its thirst quenching capabilities. It cost around 50 roubles for the 500ml can (say $2.50 AUS), there also is a smaller can available however I did not catch the price.

All in all, quite a good pre-party get up and go drink. The locals seem to view it as such, although there is a fair amount of distrust about the quality of the ingredients. There are a couple of other similar brands on the market. I tried another called Jaguar, and it was pretty much the same in terms of punch-packing and terrible taste.

Confucius Family Liquor

A hard days philosophising gives a sage a big deep thirst, and the best way to slake that thirst is Confucius Family Liquor.


I was hoping that there was something salient in Confucius's Analects about drinking so I could include it here, but the only things I could find says, "Though there might be a large quantity of meat, he would not allow what he took to exceed the due proportion for the rice. It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it."



Hmm, wise advise I imagine. How about the gem "He did not partake of wine and dried meat bought in the market."

Now having been to a Chinese market, I can understand this second one. I have felt that my health was in danger just walking through some of the meat sections in the market. See example below with the meat hanging in the street in Old Town. There were many other carcasses just hanging anywhere, some shared line space with washing and most were covered in flies.

Anyway, this bottle was 500ml, 39% and 16RMB (say, $3 ish Australian). It tasted much like the plum spirit, however without the plum taste. Still, better than some of the wine spirits I have tasted here. All in all not amazing, however the bottle looks cool so much is forgiven. Oh, and drinking a sage's home brand liquor helps you convince yourself that you taste the wisdom in every shot.

Spiritus

Amongst the things I like, two seem to be shouting out for attention here in Shanghai, they are of course beverages, and random unknown foreign products.

Alcoholic drinks don't seem to be regulated in any way in China, you can buy them from supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, the side of the road, you name it.
When I go to a store, I can't help but look at all of the bottles, cans and boxes with their mandarin characters and wish to know what lies within.
Most importantly, like many things compared with the west, they are cheap. If your an oriental tippler on a budget, it is possible to get 500mls of spirits, or a six pack of beer for around 10 RMB (less than $2 Australian). Of course quality can range with price (as I have found out) and hence it seems highly feasible for me then, to taste a random selection of these beverages and report on my findings. (Note, the word random is used in the sense of whatever-takes-my-fancy)
In the name of science of course... or... for the public good... or the fact that I would probably be trying them anyway.

First on the review is a cheeky little number I picked up in the first few days in Shanghai.
I will call this plum spirit as I have no idea what it says on the label, however it did have a distinct plum taste to it.

I purchased this from a convenience store across the road from the foreign students dormitory at Fudan University (where we stayed after arriving in the country.) It cost me the princely sum of 3 RMB, or 50c AUS. (note: I should be using the Yuan symbol, however at this stage I don't know how to insert it) It weighed in at 52% and 120mls, contained in an attractive ceramic bottle.


I tasted it on the way home, and was impressed. It tasted like a rice wine spirit, with a pleasant plum flavour to it. I finished the rest that evening and enjoyed it thoroughly. I particularly liked the packaging, the ceramic bottle and red cloth tie were much more exciting than a glass bottle would have been. The only downside was the hangover the next day, now this may have been from other beverages consumed that evening, however I suspect that the plum spirit may have played its part. Even if the hangover was solely its due, the plum spirit still comes two thumbs up for flavour and presentation.