It’s late. We’ve all just spent far too much time watching election returns, and we need to get some sleep. After all, many of us have work in the morning! So the Owl turns to its favorite soporific, alcohol.
(Actually my favorite soporific is Soviet-era Russian literature, but alcohol is a very close second. Followed, apparently, by Loverboy music.)
The first spirit grabbed is Ouzo, straight from Greece. The obvious trivia about ouzo is that it contains opium… but that appears to be an urban myth, a fallacy perpetuated by “common knowledge”. A more interesting piece of trivia is that, when cool water is added, ouzo turns milky. And that allows for a convenient magic trick:
Grasp the shot glass with one finger, wrapping that finger around the waterline of the clear liquid. From a short distance away at a casual glance, the glass will now look empty. Call to a friend, asking if they want something to drink. As you’re asking (before they get a good look at the glass) pour water into the shot glass. It will appear that the water you’ve just poured has gone from clear to milky, mid-pour!
Then drink the evidence.
I can personally attest that this trick works, even when performed accidentally.
But if you’re not in the mood for licorice-flavored spirits, let’s grab another option.. how about brandy? That’s fairly strong, or at least it can be. And if you’re wondering what temperature it is outside, you can even use it in a thermometer instead of mercury.
Seriously. That’s what the first modern thermometers, from the mid-1600s, used. Then someone apparently realized that it was better to use mercury in a thermometer and drink brandy, instead of vice versa. Ah, science.
Question of the night: what’s your drink of choice?
Bonus video of the night!
