Free Republic

SunExpress’s German-American boss Max Kownatzki told trade publication TTG that one special flight operated by the Turkish airline for a group of Brits on a golfing break was drunk dry in the space of 25-minutes.

A state lawmaker is 'seeking help' after screeching 'Do you know who I am?' and threatening to close down a bar whose staff asked him to leave. Kevin Boyle, a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, then abused patrons and uttered bizarre conspiracies - all caught on camera. No one was spared in his three-minute tirade in which he called them everything from 'idiots' and 'morons' to 'traitors' and 'actors' - with his rant liberally-peppered with f-words too. He threatened to 'end this bar' and to block the promotions of who he wrongly thought were military drinking at...

Using reconnaissance and infiltration methods worthy of blockbuster heists or painstaking counterfeit operations, a growing number of criminals are making off with liquid gold by draining wineries of their finest vintages with elaborate schemes. Last summer, thieves in Paris pulled off a caper worthy of a big-budget Hollywood film. Bandits drilled through the basement walls of a city wine collector's private cellar to make off with 300 bottles of rare wine, aged for decades and valued at $300,000. The criminals used the sprawling Paris catacomb system to get close to the subterranean collection. Authorities believe they had specialized knowledge of...

If there was ever a year that called for bold global action on climate change, 2023 was it. In what will likely go down as the warmest year on record — one rife with catastrophic floods, scorching heat waves, devastating wildfires and enduring drought — leaders from nearly 200 countries gathered to chart a path forward in the fight against climate change. After more than two weeks of tense negotiations representatives from 198 countries agreed Wednesday to “transition away” from fossil fuels. It was a historic deal but one that once again fell short for many climate activists, who saw...

And they aren't even done exploring the massive space.The tomb of Queen Meret-Neith, an Egyptian royal who was most likely the most powerful woman of her era — if not the first female pharaoh — was discovered by archaeologists well over a century ago, but there are still mysteries surrounding both her and her burial site. A team of German and Austrian archaeologists organized by the University of Vienna are currently excavating her sprawling, complicated tomb, and they’ve already made some surprising discoveries. Including lots and lots of wine. Earlier this month, the team revealed that they had unearthed...

An investigation is underway in Florida after burglars used tractor trailers to steal more than $1.6 million worth of alcohol from a distribution company that carries brands including Jose Cuervo and Malibu. The theft began during the early morning hours on July 8 at Republic National Distributing Company, located in Hillsborough County south of Tampa, according to a newly unsealed search warrant obtained by CNN on October 5. Between between 4:10 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., the thieves removed 4,277 cases of liquor from the company that also distributes alcohol from Franzia Wines and Sutter Home Winery, according to the search...

Americans could be urged by officials to drink no more than two beers a week as part of strict new alcohol guidelines. Biden's health czar told DailyMail.com the USDA could revise its alcohol advice to match Canada's, where people are advised to have just two drinks per week. Dr George Koob — who admits enjoying a couple of glasses of Chardonnay a week — said he was watching Canada's 'big experiment' with interest. 'If there's health benefits, I think people will start to re-evaluate where we're at [in the US],' he told DailyMail.com. Current US recommendations say women can have...

This cannot go on.

GABA Labs is doing everything it can to transform social drinking for adults, developing functional ingredients as patentable alternatives to alcohol that allegedly mimics the desired effects of alcohol without leaving people with a hangover. Based in the United Kingdom, GABA Labs has created products using a synthetic GABAergic ingredient to enhance social drinking and put human wellness at the forefront. Its leading product, “Alcarelle,” enhances conviviality and sociability when consumed while avoiding alcohol’s harmful effects. While it has not yet been approved for use, GABA Labs has applied for registration for Alcarelle as a “novel food” in the U.K.,...

WELLSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) A Rush Hill woman was arrested and charged after allegedly causing about $6,000 worth of damage to a Montgomery County cornfield. Heather Marie Garnett, 30, is charged with causing more than $1,000 of crop loss and leaving the scene of an accident that caused more than $1,000 of property damage. She was arrested and placed on a 24-hour hold at the Montgomery County Jail, according to the probable cause statement. A criminal summons was issued Tuesday and an initial court appearance is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22. Garnett allegedly drove her 2007 Chevy Tahoe...

Does anyone have a handy list of beverages not produced or affiliated with Transheimer Tush?

AB InBev, the brewer behind the Corona, Budweiser and Stella Artois beer brands, has hailed record full year volumes in 2022, as well as the strong performance of its premium portfolio. The business claimed this success was “driven by the investment in [its] marketing capabilities”. While sales and marketing investment fell in 2022 compared to the year prior, CEO Michel Doukeris told investors today (2 March) the company will continue to invest behind its brands as they “deserve” because their “power” drives growth at the business. Across the full year, volumes grew by 2.3% to reach an “all-time high”, the...

Bones, ancient grooming tools, even gold – these are all things you might expect to find if you go poking around an Iron Age burial site. What you might not expect to find is your new favorite tipple. But, back in 2016, archaeologists were stunned to uncover a 2,500-year-old cauldron that contained the remnants of an ancient alcoholic beverage.Project lead Bettina Arnold, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was investigating a burial mound – called a tumulus – dating back to between 400 and 450 BCE, when she and her team came across what appeared to be a bronze cauldron. But...

GLENFIELD, N.D. – EXCLUSIVE: Neighbors of the North Dakota man who allegedly admitted to mowing down 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson with an SUV describe Shannon Brandt as being "nuts his whole life" and someone who had mental health conditions. The incident happened early Sunday morning after Brandt, 41, and Ellingson were at a local bar's street dance. An affidavit states that Brandt told the 911 operator that an individual was threatening him, adding that Ellingson was part of a "Republican extremist group." Ellingson was seriously injured and later died at a local hospital. Brandt was charged with criminal vehicular homicide, as...

An illegal “vodka pipeline” has been discovered by a group of patrolling Ukrainian border officials near the southeastern city of Podilsk. According to the Ukrainian government, the pipeline was used to transport bootleg alcohol from Ukraine into Moldova. “Three hundred meters of polyethlene pipe stretched from the state border underground in the direction of the private home of a 32-year-old citizen of Ukraine,” the Ukrainian government said in a statement. ***** The recently discovered vodka highway is part of a network of pipelines built under the former Soviet Union that was built to transport cheap Russian vodka out of the...

Members of the House of Representatives can now order alcoholic beverages for delivery directly to their offices from 8 am to 4 pm. As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lamented the demise of Democrat legislation to protect abortions and feigned outrage over America’s “unconscionable” baby formula crisis, her administrative office ramped up benefits for lawmakers. House members received notification from the House Chief Administrative Officer announcing two new perks offered this week compliments of the chamber’s Democrat leadership: fully paid gym memberships and “House Drinks storefront” a brand new liquor and drinks outlet in the Rayburn House Office Building. And lawmakers...

A shortage of certain alcohol brands is leaving some drinkers in low spirits; the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) announced this week it would begin rationing a list of popular liquor labels. Due to sustained supply chain disruptions and product shortages, purchase limits of two bottles, per customer, per day were applied to certain items beginning Friday, Sept. 17, and will remain in effect for the foreseeable future. The two-bottle limit applies to all consumers and liquor license holders such as bars and restaurants, and includes 43 well-known labels including Hennessy Cognac, Don Julio 1942 Tequila, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, Moët...

Mayor Lightfoot introduced an amendment Wednesday that would permanently ban Chicago stores from selling beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks after 10 p.m. In April 2020, Lightfoot instituted the controversial 9 p.m. liquor curfew in Chicago to prevent residents from gathering outside during the coronavirus pandemic. Stores had been allowed to stay open until 2 a.m. most days and 3 a.m. Saturdays before the pandemic. The city revived the early curfew in October to combat a second wave of COVID-19 cases. Now, as Chicago enters the final phase of the COVID-19 reopening plan, Lightfoot wants to make the 10 p.m....

You’ve heard of people “drinking away their pain,” but a new study has scientifically proven that alcohol is actually an effective painkiller.University of Greenwich’s Trevor Thompson led the review study that looked at 18 different experiments which tested the reactions of more than 400 healthy people. Their reactions were measured when exposed to controlled pain (such as heat, cold and pressure) both without alcohol and under the influence of alcohol.Thompson concluded that there is “robust evidence that alcohol is an effective painkiller.”“Although the finding that alcohol results in reduced pain might seem obvious to many people, results from individual studies...

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Say it ain't so, beer lovers: Olympia Beer, a mainstay of bar taps and college parties for decades, is pausing production. Pabst Brewing Co. made the announcement in an Instagram post Monday. The owner of the iconic local brand said the decicion came afer a decline in the beer's sales. "Sadly, we have not been able to find a solution to the challenges posed by reduced beer sales and have had to make the difficult deciscion of temporarily pausing production of Olympia Beer," the company said on the beer's Instagram page.