Better living through Science- Break out the Wine

Red wine ‘can protect against radiation’

Impending nuclear attack? Then scientists may soon recommend that it is best you start drinking heavily and not just because you may be facing oblivion.

By Richard Alleyne 3:01PM BST 23 Sep 2008

According to the latest research, red wine – along with its many other claimed benefits – may also protect you from radiation exposure.

A team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered that resveratrol, the natural anti-oxidant found in red wine, can protect cells from the damage caused by radiation.

In experiments on mice the scientists found that when combined with the chemical acetyl and administered before radiation exposure it protected the cells and helped prevent death.

The results, to be presented to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, could lead to drugs to counteract poisoning in the wake of a nuclear emergency or attack.

“New, small molecules with radioprotective capacity will be required for treatment in case of radiation spills or even as countermeasures against radiological terrorism,” said Dr Joel Greenberger of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the university.

“Small molecules which can be easily stored, transported and administered are optimal for this, and so far acetylated resveratrol fits these requirements well.

“Currently there are no drugs on the market that protect against or counteract radiation exposure.”

The study was overseen by Pitt’s Center for Medical Countermeasures Against Radiation, which is dedicated to finding radiation protecters that can be administered in the event of a large-scale radiological or nuclear emergency.

The current research is not connected to advice given to workers cleaning up Chernobyl who were told to drink half a glass of vodka after every two hours of exposure to radiation.

Missouri Brew Tour

What is the Missouri Brew Tour you ask? Well….I’m glad you did.

The tour is a group of friends and bloggers who are traveling around the fine state of Missouri, sampling the fine microbrews and enjoying the sights.

While Missouri seems to be getting famous for it’s wine, we want to highlight the skills and abilities of the fine Brew Masters out there.

If you know of a micro-brewery in your area, let us know…..we might even meet up and everyone share a few pints.

Cheers

• First Stop- Broadway Brewery
• Second Stop – Native Stone Winery and Bull Rock Brewery
• Third Stop - Missouri Beer Festival
• Fourth Stop - Prison Brews
  

Break out the Pipeweed

and follow Peter Jackson on Facebook.  If you do, you might catch some pre-production pics from his upcoming movies depicting the Hobbit, prequels (yes, the plural is intentional) to the LOTR.

I have mixed feelings about the Hobbit being made.  Personally, from Helm’s Deep on…I thought the LOTR books were pretty much raped.  Gimli was comic relief, Arwen becomes a central figure and Legolas is a circus act.  Forget that Elrond shows up and delivers the Anduril to Aragorn right before the Paths of Dead (which are ripped right out of another Peter Jackson movie Frighteners)  and how “Non-Epic” some of the battles seemed due to the CGI……in the end, it is apparent (and admitted) that Jackson didn’t finish the books.  Come on, no Scourging of the Shire?

All that being said, Jackson is great with set pieces and casting…..and that alone gives me hope.  Martin Freeman as (young) Bilbo is PERFECT (if you can find it, check him out as Watson in the BBC modernization of Sherlock) and the return of Wood (reported as Frodo narrating the story), McKellan (as Gandalf) Serkis (as Gollum) gives some continuity.

My biggest concern is the addition of characters, most notable…..the character Itaril, who is to be a Sylan Elf in Thranuil’s court.  WTF?  Also, the second movie is to focus on the in between stories……ie, a somewhat un-fleshed area of Middle Earth that I am. afraid Jackson will take to much liberty with…thus the inclusion of Galadriel and Saruman to give the behind the scenes feel.

Bonus is the rumor that Leonard Nimoy has been cast as the voice of Smaug.

See………Mixed feelings.

The Chemistry of Beer

The Chemistry of Beer from ACS Pressroom on Vimeo.

Just for Tori–Guinness Cookies (Recipe)

Since you don’t like cake….here’s to you Tori

Chocolate Guinness Cookies
Makes ~24 cookies.

INGREDIENTS

Guinness syrup

• 2 bottles of Guinness (12 oz each)
• 5 tbsp sugar

Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 a vanilla pod, scraped)
• 1/3 cup prepared Guinness syrup
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda [NOTE: If you're using Dutch-process (aka pre-alkalized) cocoa powder, you should use baking POWDER instead. Otherwise you'll end up with oven-baked pancakes.]

1 tbsp powdered (confectioner's) sugar for pretty

METHOD

Set out your butter and egg first to allow them to start warming up to room temperature.

For the Guinness syrup, pour both bottles of beer into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. When the liquid hits a boil, lower the heat to a busy simmer and let the liquid reduce to a syrup, stirring more than occasionally but less than frequently. It'll take 20 minutes or more -- you're looking for it to become a rich amber color, and gain the consistency of thin honey or thick maple syrup. Also, it'll begin foaming really aggressively when you stir it (more aggressively than that... wait for it...) and will be almost exactly 1/3 cup in volume.

Take the saucepan off the heat and transfer the syrup to a small dish to allow it to cool down.

Get your oven preheating to 350.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder or soda, and salt) and stir with a whisk to fully incorporate. (This helps break up any clumps and get the leavening agent fully distributed.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine your softened butter (you can just nuke it for a few seconds if, like some authors of this recipe, you forgot to set it out earlier) and your white & brown sugars. Cream them together with an electric blender on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has lightened in color and begun to hold the wavey shapes that the beaters sculpt it into as they pass through it. Add your vanilla, egg, and Guinness syrup, and blend for another minute or so until everything is incorporated.

Put down the beater! You'll want to use a spoon or spatula for this next part so that you don't overwork the flour. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir gently until no dry pockets remain. The dough will be sticky.

Butter and flour a baking sheet (unless it's REALLY high-quality nonstick). Roll a rounded teaspoonful of dough into a ball in your hands and then flatten it slightly before placing it on the sheet, and repeat until you fill the sheet, leaving a couple inches between each cookie. (If you don't like getting your hands dirty, you can drop the dough onto the sheet directly from the spoon and flatten it slightly once it's on there, but I find that they come off easier when you do the flattening beforehand.)

Pop the sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies look dry and provide a bit of springy resistance when you poke them (carefully, folks) with a fingertip. Remove the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to continue cooking on it for a couple minutes before transferring them to a rack (preferred) or plate (less preferred) to cool.

For the pretty: Once the cookies are cool to the touch, put maybe a tablespoon of powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve and hold the sieve over the plate of cookies. Tap the edge of the sieve to dust the powder onto the cookies.

Vote for Debi

Alright everyone….we did such a great job with the Thompson Cigar Contest….let’s try another.

Flat Branch Brew Pub is doing a limerick contest and Debi has entered.

Hail to barleywine, beverage divine!
‘Tis the grain, not the grape, ’twill define
This thrice-potent beer
Brewed for midwinter cheer…
I’ll opine that this “wine” I’d enshrine!

We would appreciate any votes for Debi on Flatbranch’s FB Page (HERE)

Euphoria Pale Ale (Review)

Today we sample a beer from SKA Brewing, Euphoria Pale Ale. 

Appearance/Color- At two fingers, a little headier than I thought it would be.  The color was a solid gold-amber and the beer settled down rather quickly with no additional carbonation.

Nose- The nose caught me by surprise, with more hoppyness than expects.  It reminded me of a solid IPA vs just a Pale Ale.  The flowery hops and pine undertones were refreshing and I wish I could get this for an air freshener scent.

Taste- Again, this reminded me more of an IPA with the front end hops and pine.  With a citric aftertaste, I found the blends to very harmonious (first time I have ever used that word on the blog).  Malt was slight to non-existent for me, but that is ok….I like my hops.  Considering that it is shipped canned, there was no aluminum taste whatsoever.

Overall, I was pleasantly pleased with this product…..especially since I had low expectations due to it being in a can.  I could easily see this becoming a staple “Light Hops” beer for me and would not be ashamed to pour it for any of my friends.

4 Stars.