September 17, 2015

"Switchel: the new (but really old) apple cider [vinegar!] drink hipsters can't get enough of."

"Consumed by woodsman pioneers in the 1800s, this tart, effervescent drink is threatening to dethrone kombucha as the next hip health trend – and I approve." 

Oh, no. I got that link from Meade, who makes his own vinegar and ginger drink, and pronounces it delicious. This trend of drinking vinegar... I don't even like seeing other people do it. The author of the linked article says: "I love vinegar, pretty much every kind I’ve ever tried. I’ve been known to drink pickle juice out of an empty jar of pickles...."

Here's the product that you may have walked right by at Whole Foods but that Meade has bought and savored. Here it is in limeade, which has Meade's name right there in it.

IN THE COMMENTS: Terry said: "Drink tap water instead. It goes good with crackers. Good ol' crackers...." And I said:
"Drink tap water instead." That's what I said to Meade yesterday. It's one thing to eat a wide variety of foods, but one should be careful about drinking. You should assume water. Drink water. Anything other than water should meet a high standard. Don't just down sodas and juices and other concoctions. Liquids are too quick, too easy. Food is more of an encounter. You have to chew, to really experience some in-mouth moments. But things consumed in liquid form are facilitated by your instinct for hydration, your basic need for water. So drink water... unless you have a really good reason to taint your water with other substances. You do not need variety in your drinks. You should drink water and focus your search for flavor and excitement on food.

As for crackers, crackers are terribly dangerous. You can gain a lot of weight from crackers. They're like cookies, the way you eat them impulsively and lose track of the number as one leads to another. But you think they're not like cookies, because they're not dessert. That makes them seem neutral, like water. But they have calories. Beware of crackers.
(Click the "crackers" tag and scroll to see why Terry said "Good ol' crackers.")

30 comments:

Curious George said...

Terrible on your teeth.

MadisonMan said...

I loved vinegar as a kid. I loved putting baking soda in it. Mom was not thrilled with these "experiments".

rhhardin said...

When life hands you melons, make melonade.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Drink tap water instead. It goes good with crackers.
Good ol' crackers . . .

Tyrone Slothrop said...

A half teaspoon of vinegar (or lemon juice) will stop hiccups. I don't know why this isn't universally known, but in my experience it works 100% of the time.

James Graham said...

One reason to drink vinegar: it cures nighttime leg cramps.

Laslo Spatula said...

Douchey Hipsters Drinking Douches.

I am Laslo.

Ann Althouse said...

"Drink tap water instead."

That's what I said to Meade yesterday. It's one thing to eat a wide variety of foods, but one should be careful about drinking. You should assume water. Drink water. Anything other than water should meet a high standard. Don't just down sodas and juices and other concoctions. Liquids are too quick, too easy. Food is more of an encounter. You have to chew, to really experience some in-mouth moments. But things consumed in liquid form are facilitated by your instinct for hydration, your basic need for water. So drink water... unless you have a really good reason to taint your water with other substances. You do not need variety in your drinks. You should drink water and focus your search for flavor and excitement on food.

rhhardin said...

Maybe it's good for skunk odor.

Ann Althouse said...

As for crackers, crackers are terribly dangerous. You can gain a lot of weight from crackers. They're like cookies, the way you eat them impulsively and lose track of the number as one leads to another. But you think they're not like cookies, because they're not dessert. That makes them seem neutral, like water. But they have calories. Beware of crackers.

rhhardin said...

You should drink water and focus your search for flavor and excitement on food.

There's plenty of flavor in well water.

Lewis Wetzel said...

Althouse wrote:
"They're like cookies, the way you eat them impulsively and lose track of the number as one leads to another."
Individually wrapped potato chips and crackers. For hipsters. And the diet-conscious.

Meade said...

In moderation. Rinse. Repeat.

MadisonMan said...

My beverages yesterday: Milk, water, coffee, Gin and Tonic.

I have much more of one of those liquids than the other three. The reader can decide which one.

Wilbur said...

After years of suffering from kidney stones, my urologist told me to just drink 3 liters of water a day. That's six regular bottles of water.

I've done so for 11 years, and haven't had a single recurrence. As an added benefit, I lost any desire for soda pop or any other flavored beverage very quickly, and genuinely prefer water over any other drink.

Etienne said...

There are only two things that will destroy a man, shopping at Whole Foods, and spending too much time in Taverns.

Etienne said...

Wilbur said......3 liters of water a day...

Unless you are on a high protein diet (weight-lifter) then 2 litres is normal. Weight-lifters need the extra water to make sure the kidneys are flushed, as they normally consume 3 times as much protein as normal humans.

Non-weight-lifters will just slosh when they walk, and will be hopping around in the streets of Paris waiting for the one toilet stall in front of the catacombs to become free.

holdfast said...

I tried giving up diet soda a couple of years ago. I did it while on vacation, and was able to fill the void with alcohomic beverages, which was ok.

Once I returned to work, I found myself drinking a lot more juice. Even watering down the juice (like 20% juice / 80% water) I was taking a lot more sugar on board, and it caused me to gain weight. I was also crankier and just generally less happy.

So, I cut out diet soda for my "health" - whereupon I gained weight and became kinda miserable. Bad trade.

I also drink lots of water, but I really don't like it. Unless I am very thirsty, or eating very sweet or spicy food, I find drinking water to be unpleasant.

Be said...

Spring water can have sorts of different, interesting flavors. Back, in another world, where it was available in more flavors than soda pop, we used to like to have 'water tastings.' Found that I like a lot of the volcanic waters - a little sulphur, a little salt.

Find the other trend here of adding flavors to fizzy water (but no sweetener) interesting. Some of it can be pretty good; some of it awful. Have been trying to convince a couple coworkers to try some of the flavored waters that we carry at the restaurant as an alternative to the sugary drinks, but with no luck. They hate the stuff.

Maybe I should ask the owner to try out a case of unflavored seltzer. Since he's into the artisanal soda / drink trend, maybe I should ask him to get a case of Saratoga water for the pretty blue bottles - not quite artisanal, but maybe steampunk aesthetic? That sort of thing goes over pretty well here. (Added +: that slight sulphuric taste.)

HoodlumDoodlum said...

WebMD: Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

David Begley said...

Try the apple graff Freewheeler from Sociable Cider Works. Minnesota for now; Carleton alums. Great product.

Anthony said...

Soda is 99% water.

Coffee is 99% water.

Tea is 99% water.

Etc.

If you drink that stuff, you're drinking water.

As for cider, it used to be a mainstay of alcoholic beverages in colonial times, but was largely displaced by beer. Now that it's being rediscovered, brewers are learning that many of the apple varieties favored for cider are very rare; today's eating apples are far too sweet. There are also a lot of potential health benefits of eating fermented foods, something I've been researching of late. Great stuff. Long live sauerkraut!

tim in vermont said...

I saw an article not too long ago about how a family in the Northeast Kingdom drank switchel while haying per grampa's recipe, and offered free switchel to all who wanted to join them haying. Vermont is a strange place, but can be a lot of fun.


After years of suffering from kidney stones, my urologist told me to just drink 3 liters of water a day. That's six regular bottles of water.


The Water Method Man! It's a novel by John Irving, I think about a guy who did that. How he turned the conceit into a novel I do not recall.

Quaestor said...

This "Switchel" booze is really old, much older than the Guardian staff writer realizes. It's basically posca, the vinegar-based beverage of the legionaries and plebs from more than 2000 years ago. The main difference between watch Meade makes and drinks and Posca is the flavoring. The Romans had no access to ginger that I'm aware of. I understand bog myrtle was a favorite herbal additive.

Quaestor said...

Crackers are terribly dangerous... Beware of crackers.

Nonsense. Crackers aren't dangerous. Kaiju are dangerous. Rodan can just flap his wings and blow down your house. And Mothra... forget it! Even if those absurdly tiny twins sing their little hearts out on your behalf, Mothra will still probably wreck your sleepy fishing village just for kicks.

Moths the size of B-52 bombers are dangerous. Crackers are just an annoyance.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Quaestor said...It's basically posca, the vinegar-based beverage of the legionaries and plebs from more than 2000 years ago

Quaestor with the Roman knowledge, bringin' it. Don't forget the vinegar (with gall or hyssop) offered to Jesus on the cross.

lgv said...

Vinegar works for cleaning electrical contacts. Combined with water and alcohol, it makes great ear drops. Vinegar can be quite effective for stinging hydroids. The thought of drinking it in any form is repulsive. I can barely stand it in salad dressing.

MPH said...

I can't stand the stuff, but my wife likes it and the grocery store across the street sells both the brand you've linked to, and this one. We really must be turning into hipsters, heezus.

Birches said...

All of my health conscious, granola loving, crunchy friends drink organic Apple Cider mixed with water. They swear by it. Me? Not so much.

Emy Watson said...

Using apple cider vinegar as a toner makes me breakout?
apple cider vinegar