Last year, just around this time, we asked you to give us your best skeptically-themed drink. The result: very drunk skepchicks and the launch of our now-on-hold-until-we-get-more-booze podcast. Oh, and a drink called “The Sylvia Browne” won because it was delicious!
But the runner-up in this contest, the Buzzed Aldrin, has become the Official Beverage Of Skepchick. The drink is fantastic! It’s what Skepchicks are made of – vodka and bright orange mix. And, if astronauts were to get drunk in space, there is no question that this would be their drink of choice.
But now, we want you to one-up kevinf‘s brill creation.
Rules:
- Create a drink recipe
- Keep it simple
- Recipe must include Tang
- Recipe must include alcohol
- Recipe must specify whether Tang should be prepared or in its pure powder form
Winner:
- Will be decided at TAM by Skepchickal Judging Committe
- Will receive a prize
Prize:
- Skepchick of your choice will record the outgoing message on your voicemail or answering machine.
Can you give the recipe for the Sylvia Browne? I am loathe to try to google it.
Also there are a whole lot of bars now serving Buzz(ed) Aldrins. Was it really invented by this group?
Ooops! I knew I forgot something!
I added the links to the whole contest and, specifically to the Buzzed Aldrin and the Sylvia Browne.
I guess I’d better break out the lab equipment this weekend. Do we post the recipes here?
@Steve:
Post them right here!
Tequila Earthrise
1.5 – 2 oz white tequila
.5 oz blue curaçao
Tang
Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add enough Tang to fill the glass about halfway.
Slowly pour the tequila over the back of a spoon so it forms a layer above the Tang.
Pour the curaçao over the back of a spoon to make a layer over the tequila.
Oh, wow, the dude that faked his death is in that thread, and apparently his bog is still active. What a creep.
Also, I have Jack Daniels and no other drink at home. I need to go through that post to see if there is a whiskey drink I can easily make.
Transit of Venus
Fill a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Add 2 oz Amaretto and 1 – 2 teaspoons of dry Tang mix. Shake vigorously until the Tang is dissolved. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with (what else?) a maraschino cherry.
This is a great drink on a hot summer’s day like today. It’s REALLY simple, affordable, and is great for the university-aged people (up until very recently, myself was counted in their ranks)
I call this: The VenomTangX
1/4 Tang, 3/4 Sprite.
Throw in a shot (or two) of Vodka.
Make sure you put in some ice.
For extra re-freshness, throw in a slice of lime and lots of crushed ice.
Serve.
The more summery-the-day you drink it the better it tastes.
@Some Canadian Skeptic: “The more summery-the-day you drink it the better it tastes.”
Hey, I can drink this year-round in Phoenix!
Arrrgh, the drunken pirate
2 tsp of tang
4-8 fresh mint leaves
2 tsp orange juice
2 shots light rum
crushed ice
seltzer
Muddle the mint in the tang and dump in the bottom of a high ball glass
Add the orange juice and stir
Add the rum
fill glass with ice
top off with seltzer
Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint.
I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not going to remember much at TAM…especially if we’re going to be judging drinks.
I wonder if The Splendid Table will accept my call.
Ooooh I think I will need to work on this over the weekend. Must stock up on Excedrin.
Tang should be sponsoring us at this point.
I think perhaps a pedantic question is in order here: Does the Tang come in both liquid and powder forms?
If YES, could the recipe makers please specify which is called for.
If NO, could the recipe makers please specifiy whether they are referring to pre-mixed quantities of liquidified Tang, or spoonsful or other amounts of the powder form.
Please and thank you.
So glad I decided to take a four day weekend.
@marilove said:
(my emphasis)
Is that one of those-there intentional spelling mistakes? If so, how highly appropriate.
:)
@SicPreFix: The Tequila Earthrise calls for prepared Tang; the Transit of Venus calls for dry Tang powder.
@SicPreFix:
Not pedantic at all. It’s pretty crucial. I was about to ask the same thing.
In fact – brb post edit!
@SicPreFix: No, it totally wasn’t!!
But what a great typo.
I just re-listened to the origianl drunkcast. It sounds like the word Tang is being used in a naughty sexual way. What am I missing?
@davew: Ha! You mean as the “what do I make with this” challenge? That would be hilarious. “I’ve got Tang and a shitload of alcohol, what do I do?”
@Howard: Ah, that wasn’t really mentioned, so I was confused about that as well.
Buzzed Aldrin is just powdered tang+vodka, right? Essentially using the vodka instead of water as a mixer.
@marilove:
The secret ingredient is “awesome”!
It is Tang prepared with vodka, but the ratios are way different.
In his entry, Kevin said that it’s 2TBSP/pint of vodka (which would literally be swapping out vodka for water).
In real life, Kevin informed me that it’s actually as much Tang as you can dissolve into the vodka. I think we’ve concluded that the proper ratio of vodka to dry Tang is 4:1.
@Amanda: “I’ve got Tang and a shitload of alcohol, what do I do?â€
Yup. And somehow I know Lynne would make garlic work with the recipe. Hmm… Garlic, tomato juice, vodka, pepper, tang: Bloody Stinky Tang.
@davew:
Um…. I think this drink might not make it to Vegas.
I’m really conflicted… I want to giggle but I’m afraid it will induce vomiting.
Whiskey Glower
2 part Irish Whiskey, 3 parts premade tang, ice optional.
It’s what skeptics use before castigating promoters of woo, either in print or person
@Elyse: Niiiiiice.
Too bad I don’t like vodka!
@davew:
I’m pretty sure that in Vegas a “Bloody Stinky Tang” is code for “a really used hooker.”
@davery: And THERE! is the Tang drink for me! Mmmm Irish Whiskey.
@tmarie: GROOOOOOOOAN!
@davew: @tmarie:
COTW combo, just laughed until I spit on the screen.
@marilove:
Terrible AND incorrect!
@tmarie:
It’s actually “a really dead hooker”
Okay, reading through this tang = vagina? How?
@Gabrielbrawley:
How does anything become a euphamism? Just go with it.
@tmarie: I love to know the story behind things I find it so intetresting.
@Gabrielbrawley:
its short for “poontang” which is short for vajayjay which is long for vagina
@Elyse: Um, okay, so how did poontang become a euphamism for vagina? Is is just the movie “Easy Rider” or was it already in use?
@Gabrielbrawley:
From now on, you do your own googling, sir!
http://www.takeourword.com/pt.html
@Gabrielbrawley: Did it start with Easy Rider?! Man. I have that movie at home.
@Elyse: I bet that resulted in some interesting google results…
@Elyse: But you are sooo much better at it.
Poon-Tang! — The Treniers (.mp3 link)
We seem to have lost the original thread here.
@Some Canadian Skeptic: COTW, for the name alone. Laughed out loud.
How about…a Moon Man Mimosa? Because I have no creativity or ability to invent drinks, but I do love alliteration. It’s just a mimosa. But with tang instead of orange juice.
Wut. You said you wanted simple! Lawl.
Nahh, I’ll leave the drink mixing to the experts…I love seeing (and uhh..tasting) what you guys come up with!
Fuzzy Logic
1 tsp Tang powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1 oz peach schnapps
1 oz Everclear
1/4 c crushed ice
Mix thoroughly, keep away from open flame
Death from the Skies
In a pint glass:
Mix 2-1/2 tsp. Tang w/1 cup tonic water and mix.
Add 2 oz. Malört and stir.
Add ice to fill glass.
This didn’t turn out to be as hideously awful as I’d hoped. It gives an interesting grapefruit note to the Tang.
Right, Elyse will probably need to bring the Malört to TAM , as it’s not generally available outside of the Chicago area. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malort ) Also, that’s dry Tang powder, using the standard Tang recipe & replacing water w/tonic water. Will post tomorrow with a Cachaça-based drink.
@Jen: “Tang should be sponsoring us at this point.”
I’ll drink to that. Uhhh… Too late. I already am. ‘An I’m not proud of this, just plowed from this.
Rambling Propter Hoc
2 – 3oz. 151 rum (depending on body weight and/or love of buzzz.)
1.5 oz. amaretto
1 tsp (kitchen measure) powdered Tang
about 1/4 – 1/3 cup melted chocolate ice cream
Pout booze and Tang into a shaker and srit until pretty well disholved. Add about 2 inches crushed ice or 4 ice cubes. Add ice cream. Shake vigorously for about 15-20 seconds. Stop shaking sooner if you drop the shaker. Strain into glass or pour with ice if you like ice.
ThI’m inking the alcohol content should be low enough that ir could be poured into a popsicle mold and frozen.
I meant Pour booze… stir until disolved.
Sheesh.
I’m thinking (oh, really?the alcohol content should be low enough that it could be poured into a popsicle mold and frozen.
*Screams.*
* Drops shaker.*
* Keeps shaking.*
Tang procured along with a number of possible ingredients. My wife is dubious about the peanut butter, but I say conventional thinking didn’t get us buzzed on the moon.
(I weep that someone came up with “Death from the Skies” first. Must come up with even better name.)
Well, ‘Death from the Skies’ does have wormwood in it. I thought it appropriate. (Also, drink wasn’t hideous enough to warrant calling it a GRB.)
@wdonohue: Does it have as much wormwood as absinthe?
@limedestruction: My recipes are both variations on existing drinks. (The Tequila Earthrise is a tequila sunrise substituting Tang for orange juice and Curaçao for Grenadine, and then you make it upside down because … you’re on the moon. The Transit of Venus is an Amaretto sour substituting dry tang for sour mix.)
So I think the Moon Man Mimosa should work just as well.
Hey, as long as we’re doing variations of standard cocktails:
Sex on the Moon
3 parts vodka
2 parts peach schnapps
4 parts prepared Tang
4 parts prepared red Kool-Aid
Mix up a pitcherful and serve to a bunch of college students on spring break in Florida.
Astrochimp
1 frozen banana, cut up
3 oz rum
1 tbsp Tang powder
1/2 c milk
Blend until smooth
Cosmonaut
1/2 c milk
1/2 c crushed ice
4 tbsp Nesquik syrup
1 tbsp Tang powder
3 oz vodka
Blend until smooth
@Howard: It occurs to me that there’s a whole bunch of orange- and sour-based drinks for which there are valid Tang variations:
SangrÃa como la bebida de los astronautas
1 liter cheap red wine, such as Franzia Chianti in a box.
3 tablespoons Tang, dry
3 tablespoons CountryTime lemonade,* dry
3 cute little airline bottles of cheap brandy
Mix thoroughly until drink mix is dissolved, and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
Fill a large tumbler with ice. Add chilled wine mixture until 2/3 full, and top off with 7-Up.
Don’t come crying to me. You made it; I just made it up.
* For a healthier alternative, substitute lemon-lime Crystal Light™.
The Right Stuff
In an Old-Fashioned glass, muddle together 1 teaspoon dry Tang mix, 1/2 teaspoon simple syrup, and 2 -3 dashes Angostura bitters. Coat the glass with the resulting slurry. Add a few ice cubes and 2 oz. bourbon. Garnish with fruit-flavored Lifesavers or Jolly Rancher candies.
(This is a variation on an Old-Fashioned.)
Martian Sunset
1 tbsp Tang powder
6 oz water
1 oz maraschino cherry syrup
3 oz tequila
ice cubes
Mix Tang, water and tequila thoroughly
Pour over ice
Pour cherry syrup on top
Asimov
2 tsp powdered tang
1 shot creme de menthe
1 shot light rum
1 chocolate mint wafer candy (Andes or similar)
Mix together in a cocktail shaker until the tang is disolved and a lot of ice and shake until cold.
Pour into a chilled martini glass.
Sip and then take a nibble of the candy.
@Elyse: A few of questions.
Are variations on existing drinks what we should be looking for? Would it not be good to explore and research new combinations and flavors (without necessarily taking into account potency)? In other words, maybe find new things (and have fun in the process)?
Quantum EnTANGlement
use a tall glass
1 shot vodka
1 shot Kalua
fill 2/3 with Tang mixed with club soda (the bubbles represent quantum fluctuations)
top up with 2% milk
Drink with a Deepak ChopStraw
@Knurl:
I’m not going to lie, when we pick the finalists, creativity counts… but so does deliciosity (how delicious it sounds), practicality (do I have to buy dry ice and dig up the dead bodies of people who died in the future?) and cost (if we have to buy 8 bottles of booze for 1 drink, it’s probably going to get cut)
Variations are fine… pretty much anything that you’re going to come up with is a variation of a drink that already exists somewhere (cocktails are a lot like porn… if you think of it, someone else already made it, drank it, and lost their job after an unfortunate youtube incident involving it).
As for ease and whatnot, we’re going to be in a rented house and so we’ll be at the mercy of whatever drink-making supplies are there. We can buy things like shakers… and there’s probably a blender, but we have no idea what we’re going to find or not find.
So, guidelines:
-make it simple
-make it affordable
-make it delicious
-make it fun
Also, enter as many recipes as you’d like! There’s no limit!
The following requires Tang made to directions (standard kitchen measures) substituting 80 proof vodka for water.
PZ & T
Equal parts in a tall glass packed with ice:
Pomegranate juice (or liqueur, if you prefer)
Zinfandel (white)
&
Tang (as above)
Odd combination, yes, but it seems to be fine.
This is adapted from a recipe for a drink that is actually called a Poon. So I present:
The Poon-Tang.
1 oz. Mixed Tang
1 oz. Tonic
0.5 oz Triple sec
1.0 oz Vodka
And I’ve actually made this having once found myself with an excess of booze and Tang. If you want to make a regular Poon, just replace the Tang with cranberry and lime juice.
@ Elyse
Damn it Elyse …now I know my gold plated, 23rd century man on dry ice, Tang spritzer would have no chance of winning
I do believe this is the first time I’ve had a hangover from conducting chemisty experiments.
A chance to mix my favorite drink as a child with my favorite drink as an adult then claim that it’s SCIENCE when my girlfriend asks about the liquor purchases. This is a truly great idea.
@Briarking: I found a reference to a Buzz Aldrin drink dating to 2003. It’s possible that several people invented it independently.
GRB – Gamma Ray Burster
Combine in a shaker:
2 oz. Cachaça
1 oz. Blue Curaçao
1 tsp. Tang powder
Shake thoroughly, pour into ice-filled rocks glass (juice glasses also work). It’s a lovely shade of green, just like Bruce Banner after that unfortunate gamma radiation incident.
Oops, forgot to include: 2-3 dashes of bitters, to taste. (Angostura or Peychaud’s work equally well.)
@Steve: I recall making what we called crap screwdrivers during a camping trip, and all we had was Tang powder and a bottle of Mr. Boston vodka. When you’re bored enough & far from civilization, almost anything becomes drinkable.
Ugh, the GRB is still interfering with thinking – this trip was late spring of 1985.
@Knurl: The bottle doesn’t indicate concentration of wormwood extract, but given recipes I’ve seen for similar concoctions, I would have to say quite a bit.
After an evening of planning and a morning of drinking, I give you:
Saturn’s Rings (a martini)
In a cocktail shaker mix:
ice cubes
2 parts vodka
2 parts Tang (prepared according to label)
1 part Midori
Pour into a martini glass rimmed with powdered Tang.
Perfect for brunch or evening!
Asteroid Belt
1 part prepared Tang
2 parts rum
1 package Pop Rocks
Serve in margarita glass
Outer Rim
3 parts vodka
3 parts prepared Tang
1 part grenadine
1 part Coco Real
crushed ice
melted dark chocolate
Coat rim of margarita glass with chocolate. Add crushed ice. Pour liquid ingredients over ice.
Hi Elyse,
As we discovered, it works best as Tang-infused vodka. It is a suspension of super-saturated vodka. We learned a trick recently. If you gently warm the vodka to 40 degrees C you can get more Tang in, and it does not come out on cooling- a lot like when they make sweet tea down here in the South!
You can’t go much higher because the ethanol starts to vaporize and that defeats the purpose.
Yes, this is an original recipe, originally published in my 1994 self-published book, “Alcoholics Unanimous” as the “buzz aldrin”. It is possible that other have had similar visions, so it could be parallel invention.
@kevinf:
In December, we discussed heating the vodka to 59 C (since 60 is boiling, right?)… does that not get you more Tang than 40?
I’ve found though, warm room temp is perfectly adequate for the buzzed drink maker.
Kevin, I hope you don’t mind the possibility of being de-throned. You are still a Skepchick legend.
@Elyse:
boiling point for water is roughly 100 C
40 C is the same as 104 F
now I’ll slink off back to my strange metric land of Canada
@Northernskeptic:
Boiling point for vodka, dear.
And I don’t think it was boiling point, but the point where the alcohol starts to vaporize.
We’re all going to end up peeing bright orange after judging all these, aren’t we?
@Amanda: That may be one of the few things not covered by Rule 34.
BTW, anyone looking for Tang inspiration/puns, I’d suggest starting here.
@Steve: You know, just mentioning Rule 34 in conjunction with something autogenerates a fetish site.
Trying to think up another recipe, maybe something black this time. May need to dissolve some licorice in vodka.
@Elyse: ahh right good point (facepalm)
@wdonohue: How about blackberry brandy or liqueur? It’s not quite black but, combined with Tang and maybe sloe gin, should be pretty dark.
The Stuart Pivar:
Tang, mixed with water according to the default directions, then sloshed together inside a rubber balloon with whatever cheap booze is on hand. Best served with endorsements from people who have not actually tasted it.
I just realized one could adapt most of the drink recipes my father invented during college by substituting Tang for orange juice. For example:
Prepare an orange-juice substitute by mixing the Tang according to standard procedure. Add two metric shots of tequila for each glass of Tang liquid. Pour into blender, add frozen strawberries and blend.
Since he called the original a “Tequila Mockingbird” I figure this is a Tanquila . . . oh, never mind.
@Steve: Quick note: grenadine is a reasonable substitute for cherry syrup. The intent is to let the red syrup sink to the bottom like a tequila sunrise.
I did not see the Artificial Screwdriver: Everclear and Tang
My wife was dubious at first, but she got into it after a while.
We tried many, many things. I struggled valiantly to come up with “A Frackin’ Cracker” involving saltines, peanut butter, tang, and wine. It was revolting. Made all the more so by the semi-liquefied peanut butter slag that drips down your throat at the end. Also under no circumstances should you allow Tang to come in contact with beer. The tomato juice and Tang combination (Bloody Tang) finished in a surprising third-place, but no go. Garlic didn’t help.
Quote of the night, “You’re not putting that in my Tang!”
We picked two winners:
Astropolitan
1 part cranberry juice (or cranberry cocktail in a pinch)
2 parts prepared Tang
1 part gin (we used Bombay Sapphire)
shake with ice and strain (or serve over ice)
NASA Screwdriver
2 parts prepared Tang
1 part pineapple juice
1 part vodka
We preferred this one without ice, but the juice, Tang, and vodka were chilled
Tang’s for the Mammaries!
This drink pays homage to the original and adds a nice treat. It’s sweet, simple and sexy :)
1 part Buzzed Aldrin
1 part Vanilla Vodka
2-3 parts Whole Milk
Ice
Whipped Cream
Hershey’s Kiss (Milk or White Chocolate)
Pour the booze and ice in a blender and do what comes natural. Pour into a glass, garnish with the whipped cream and top with the Hershey’s Kiss. Also tastes great with vanilla bean ice cream!
To be clear, this is not an official contest entry. However, I did promise elsewhere that I would make an:
Event Horizon
In a shaker, thoroughly mix
2 parts Kahlua
2 parts dark rum (blackstrap if you like)
1 part chocolate syrup (my preferred syrup is 2 parts sugar cane syrup to 1 part Scharffen Berger cocoa, brought to a simmer & mixed thoroughly) Torani chocolate syrup works well also.
Serve over ice.
Sadly, the Tang turned all my black drink experiments an unpleasant mud color, and so I admit partial defeat on this one.
The Pompeii:
This recipe lets you personally experience the demise of Pompeii. It begins with delightful citrus notes and ends with fiery choking devastation.
Ingredients:
* 2 cups orange juice
* 1 cup carbonated water
* 1 bottle Everclear
* 100g powered Tang
* 1/2 a lemon
Combine orange juice with carbonated water, and squeeze the lemon into the mixture. Pour Everclear into a large shallow bowl, and place the Tang powder in a smaller bowl nearby. Drink the citrusy drink. When finished, ignite the Everclear while rapidly snorting the Tang. Extinguish head using a water fire extinguisher, not chemical extinguishing agents.
This is based on an idea I got watching Rome, so:
The Pagan Offering
3 parts lemon juice
2 parts honey liqueur
1 part prepared tang
Serve on the rocks, to a toast of “Veni, Vidi, Vici”.
@ZachTP: I should point out that the honey liqueur I’m using is about 70 proof, so while this isn’t a terribly strong drink, it’s not unspeakably weak either.
Holy Moly! I just realized that for all the drink variations entered, there’s no alcoholic version of Russian Tea, a standard mid-century modern Tang drink. I will fix this:
The Venera Probe
2 cups unsweetened, dry, powdered Tang
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup instant tea powder (e.g., Nestea)
3/4 cup lemon-flavored instant tea powder (e.g., Nestea with lemon)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine dry ingredients. Pretend they represent a thoughtful gift for an acquaintance with an avocado kitchen, who is wearing a colorful caftan and synthetic “ashe blonde” wig with a paisley headband. Store in a clean, dry glass jar and garnish with leftover Christmas ribbons.
Just before serving:
In a large, heat-resistant Corelle™ mug, place 3 tablespooons of the dry mix above. Add 2 oz. vodka, 1 oz. bourbon or Irish whiskey (your choice), and 1 oz cheap-ass brandy. Mix thoroughly.
Fill mug with boiling water and stir.
Pretend it’s not July, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Names in search of recipes:
Large Hadron Colada
Zapped Brannigan
Mike Collins
Liquid Launch
I heard a rumor that “Tang’s for the Mammaries” won. Any confirmation on that?
I will be posting the winner today.
There’s been a bit of a glitch as it seems that “what happens in vegas stays in vegas”… and that includes the official finalists list and scoring sheets. I still have the shopping list, so that should help me recover the information using my head and the blog.
Looking at the recipes up there, that must’ve been a helluva shopping list.