whiskey
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Recommended Reading: The 'fingerprints' of bourbon
Whiskey webs: Microscale "fingerprints" of bourbon whiskey Stuart J. Williams, Martin J. Brown, VI and Adam D. Carrithers, Physical Review Fluids (PDF) Finish up your weekend with glass of your favorite bourbon. And while you imbibe, these findings from researchers at the University of Louisville (because of course) will keep you company. A team from the school's department of mechanical engineering observed web-like patterns or "fingerprints" when a drop of American whiskey evaporated. The same characteristic isn't present in Scotch whisky or other liquors. What's more, each pattern was a unique indicator of both whiskey type and age.
ICYMI: Zero-G booze glass, exoskeleton walk of fame and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-703008{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-703008, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-703008{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-703008").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: The Open Space Agency designed a zero-G whiskey glass for Ballantine whiskey, aka enabling astronauts and other space travelers to swirl (but not sniff) with refinement no matter where their travels may take them. Raspberry Pi has a new touchscreen display that will let people make new uses for the credit card-sized programmable computer. A paralyzed man is walking around in an exoskeleton with ease after undergoing a spinal cord stimulation program at UCLA. He's the first paralyzed person to regain enough feeling in his legs to walk confidently in an exoskeleton and we are all in awe.
Japan's Suntory to conduct important space whisky research
We have a strong whisky bias, so when Suntory revealed that it would be sending products into orbit, we had to know more. The company will fire six samples of its beverages to the International Space Station (ISS), including its Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013, aka the best whiskey in the world. It costs about $10,000 to get a pound of cargo up there, so launching booze may seem a tad frivolous. However, the company hopes to aid humanity by learning how a zero-G environment affects the mellowness of whiskey as it ages, according to the WSJ.
Distiller builds a social network for whiskey lovers
If you're a whiskey drinker, finding the perfect bottle can be a daunting quest; just because something is well-rated doesn't mean that it suits your tastes. You're about to get some help from your friends, though, as Distiller has turned its recommendation service into a full-fledged social network. You can now follow others with similar palates to see what they say about that Colonel E.H. Taylor or Lagavulin you've been meaning to try. You can also leave comments, and everyone has a "top shelf" in their profile to reflect their absolute favorites. Distiller can't promise that others will share your love of Bulleit Bourbon, but it should be easier to find that like-minded connoisseur. Swing by Apple's App Store or Google Play to give this social spirit service a try.
Engadget Podcast 392: The whiskey 'sode
After a chance meeting with Distiller app co-founder Mikael Mossberg and in-house whiskey expert Stephanie Moreno at this year's SXSW event, a unique podcast concept was born. In this Very Special Episode, our guests serve as spirit guides, taking us through the business and production end of the whiskey trade. They also offer some sage advice on sampling and understanding the nuances of this popular adult beverage. Feel free to drink along (for those 21 and over) as we discuss and sample a selection of whiskey, scotch and rye. So get comfortable, grab your glass and join us for this special edition of the Engadget Podcast. Cheers! Hosts: Terrence O'Brien, Joseph Volpe, Ben Gilbert Guests: Stephanie Moreno, Mikael Mossberg Producer: Jon Turi Hear the podcast:
A Very Special Episode of the Engadget Podcast is live at 4PM ET!
Nerds cannot live on tech news alone. That's why, every so often, we'll be hosting a Very Special Episode of the Engadget Podcast where we touch upon the cultural and social impacts of the technology that matters most to you. Sometimes, that means we'll even be talking about booze. We are all onions, after all... It's Friday and that means it's podcast time! But this week we've got an extra special treat for you. Mikael Mossberg and Stephanie Moreno from Distiller are in the studio and we're going to be talking about their app, craft whiskey and learning how to develop a palette for fine spirits. The whole thing is going to culminate with a tasting of three liquors: Hudson Single Malt, from its name sake river valley; Springbank 10, a lightly peated Scotch from the Kintyre peninsula; and Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye, a spicy beast bottled in bond from Kentucky.
Join us for a Very Special Episode of the Engadget Podcast at 4PM ET on Friday
Nerds cannot live on tech news alone. That's why, every so often, we'll be hosting a Very Special Episode of the Engadget Podcast where we touch upon the cultural and social impacts of the technology that matters most to you. Sometimes, that means we'll even be talking about booze. We are all onions, after all... Hey, hey, hey! This Friday join your usual hosts, Ben, Joseph and Terrence as they sit down with Mikael Mossberg and Stephanie Moreno from Distiller, a whiskey recommendation engine. These five lovers of tech and booze will be talking about the Distiller app, the exploding craft whiskey scene and will be taste-testing three fine spirits. If you want to drink along at home, on the menu will be Springbank 10, a lightly peated single malt scotch from Campbeltown; Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye, a spicy 100 proof whiskey from Kentucky; and Hudson Single Malt, an American twist on a Scottish classic. So mark your calendars for 4PM ET this Friday, April 11th, and join us on Facebook and Google+.
Japanese doctor turns hot toddy into superconductor catalyst
It's rare that hot booze does anything more than get you drunk, and possibly make you sick, but according to Dr. Yoshihiko Takano, the drink you're sucking on could facilitate the levitation of a train. After a party for a colleague, the Japanese scientist found that FeTe0.8S0.2 (composed of iron, tellurium, and tellurium sulfide), when soaked in warm booze overnight, shows signs of increased superconductivity -- another in a long line of liquor-enhanced discoveries that could have far reaching effects on everything from consumer electronics to public transportation. Dr. Takano decided to test the material (known to become a superconductor after soaking in water) in the leftover alcohol from the party: beer, red wine, white wine, sake, shochu, and whiskey. As it turns out, red wine has the highest superconducting volume fraction at 62.4 percent -- nearly four times higher than the ethanol-water control samples. Dr. Takano and his colleagues speculate that the ease with which wine and beer oxidize could be play a key role in the increase in superconductivity. We speculate that even a superconductor gets a little hopped up after soaking in a bottle of wine.
Whiskey byproducts turned into biofuel, scientists prove they have a sense of humor
Did you know that gasoline was originally considered a waste byproduct of kerosene production? Seriously, people would take crude oil, refine the kerosene out of it, and dump the rest. Working along similar lines of harnessing what had heretofore been considered useless, researchers at Edinburgh Napier University have come up with a way to turn leftovers from whiskey distillation into a biofuel. Using the spent grains (or "graff") and liquid from the copper stills (called "pot ale"), they've been able to produce biobutanol -- a fuel that's 30 percent more efficient than ethanol and, importantly, compatible with gasoline-fired vehicles without the need for engine mods. We honestly had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't the beginning of April, but the university says its next stop is taking this thing to market. More power to them.
Pioneer's PureMalt S-A4SPT-VP speakers: whiskey makes 'em better
You loved those JVC sake-soaked speakers right? Only, the smell of that warm fermented rice elixir is a painful mnemonic of some woeful, Golden-Gai excess you'd sooner forget. Yeah, us too. Then check the latest rev of the "PureMalt" speaker line-up from Pioneer made from the 100 year old oak used to barrel-age whiskey (or is that whisky?) before retiring in your bookshelf HiFi. As to the specs, well, if this is the kind of marketing ploy that appeals to you, then do you really care about the inclusion of Pioneer's Technical Audio Devices (TAD) technology usually found in their professional speakers? Didn't think so. The S-A4SPT-VP goes on sale in August for ¥48,000 or about a $421 equiv for the pair.[Via Impress]
