Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Blame me, not the lovely ladies who head up the Contest Committee here at Skepchick. Here’s the background for those of you just joining us: back in July, we hosted a contest in which readers were invited to submit skeptic- and science-themed drinks for our consideration. We chose those that sounded best and sat down one night to taste test while discussing the results over Skype.
I took the two hours of audio (from six participating Skepchicks) and stitched it all together into one 90-minute mp3. THEN, I put it on iTunes to become the first of what I hope will be a regular series of Skepchick podcasts. Calling it a “podcast” at the moment isn’t quite right, since it’s just the one very goofy and not very professionally produced clip (seriously, if you’re wearing headphones don’t turn it up too loud – occasionally we burst into laughter and bang things around). But, I hope in the very near future we’ll produce more content for your enjoyment.
You can subscribe on iTunes by clicking here, or if you’re not the iTunes type you could get it directly from Libsyn. Please note that this is an explicit podcast! There is drinking, and cursing, and partial nudity. Speaking of which, photos from the evening were posted here.
After the jump, you can find the notes from the tasting plus the results!
Each drink was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 according to three criteria: appearance, taste, and overall creativity. We added up the numbers and found the top five drinks, which were brought to a Skepchick gathering happening a week later in New York City.
In this chat: Rebecca, A, Jill, Stacey, Maria, and Elyse, with Carrie offering typed comments in a chat window, which are read aloud.
Here’s a list of the drinks, ratings, and a few notes on what we were discussing throughout.
Logical Fallacy (3 pts for appearance, 3 for taste, 3 overall = 9 pts from A)
Yummy Exciting Cocktail (taste: 3, appearance: 3, creativity: 3.6 = 9.6 pts from Elyse; Stacey says it looks like urine with pulp and gives it 1.5 for appearance, 4 for taste, 4 for creativity = 9.5. 9.55 avg)
Sylvia Browne (creme de banana smells unearthly; tastes like delicious candy; appearance 4, taste 4, overall 4 = 12.25 from Rebecca)
Buzzed Aldrin (“potent!” “wouldn’t take long to float through space on this one” Controversy over how to mix it. Maria gave it 2.5 for looks, 3 for taste, 4 overall = 9.5) (many tang jokes during A’s try…”made of awesome” “a little loud” 5 for appearance, 5 for taste, 5 overall = 15 pts! for an average of 12.75
Pangalactic GargleBlaster (Dry ice! appearance is 5, taste is 4.5, overall, exactly like having your brain smashed out by a gold brick, overall is 4.5 = 14 pts from Carrie)
Burden of 80-proof (looks like milk, kind of disappointing, appearance is 1, taste is 2, overall is 2 = 5pts from Jill)
The Strawman (taste is 2, appearance is 4, overall is 3 = 9 pts from Elyse)
Moving Goalpost (Long section explaining to Rebecca what a tamarind is….long discussion about tang and poo….The Shocker, “oh god I licked the tamarind”, “the rim job,” appearance: 4, taste: 2, overall: 3 = 9 + 1 for poo reference =10 pts from Maria)
Iguanadon Downsizing (appearance 4, taste 2, overall 3, drinking w/ a reptile is fun. Total 9 pts from Carrie)
Brave Bullshit (A tells us it’s a punishment drink called the Mexican Leprechaun. appearance is 2, taste is 1.5, overall 2 = 5.5 from Rebecca. Elyse gives it taste 1, appearance 1, overall 3 = 5, averaged is 5.25)
Ambrose Bierce 2.0 by Stacey who is videotaping it and she hates it! appearance is 3.5, taste is 0,creativity is 5 = 8.5
Pious Fraud (it’s good! appearance: 2, taste: 5, overall: 4 = 11 pts from Jill)
Ambrose 1.0 (appearance 2 taste 4 overall 5 = 11pts from Elyse)
Nasa Moon Hoax (1/2 oz of booze? wtf. appearance 5, taste 4, overall 3 = 12 pts from Carrie)
High-hatted Creamed Chocolate Monkey tasted by Rebecca, who is gone while Stacey invents the margarita. appearance: 4.75 taste: 5 overall: 5 = 14.75
Whiskey Margarita, renamed The SkepSam( really, really good Taste 5, appearance 2 creativity 1 = 7 or so from A)
Uri Gellbanger: (Maria tastes it but refuses to do the accouterments, gets surly. 4.5 for looks, 1 for taste, overall 4 = 9.5)
Inquiry (5, -1 executive order for 4, 2 for appearance, 1 creativity = 7 pts from Elyse)
Elian Gonzales (appearance is 4, taste is 4, overall is 3 = 11-2 pts for racial profiling = 9pts from Carrie)
Chatting about MyNameIsTim’s and Shane’s crappy drinks
Stacey weighs in on Ambrose 1.0
Grey Matter, love for Improbable Bee (looks 3, taste 2, creativity 5 = 10 pts from A)
The winning drinks were the Buzzed Aldrin, the Sylvia Browne, High-hatted Creamed Chocolate Monkey, the Nasa Moon Hoax, and the Pangalactic GargleBlaster.
A week later, we gathered in NYC to taste drinks and determine a winner. That winner will be announced here on Skepchick in the next day or so! You’re all quivering with anticipation by now, right?
Listen to the audio, folks. It’s effing hilarious.
Yeah. Anticipation. That’s why I’m quivering.
I DID NOT GET SURLY DAMMIT. Oh wait…
Lessons learned:
1. Math is hard.
2. Math gets exponentially harder with each drink.
Can’t wait to hear the audio, but probably should lay off while at work.
Though the Pious Fraud was ranked high on taste, I admit that I put zero effort into presentation or flair. I’ll come up with something prettier (and tastier) for Skepchick Drinking Contest II, which is… when?
I’m throwing a huge atheist-leaning New Year’s Eve party. I’ll need to put together a recipe book of the top picks for more skeptiholic goodness…
It occurs to me: the winning recipes should be printed in the 2010 calendar!
You have got to be freaking kidding me, The pan-galactic gargle blaster made it to the second round of testing! I was drunk when I submitted that and was getting drunker while submitting it. I was shocked you even made it. Carrie I love you for puting in the work to freeze gin. Does it cost money to listen to this on itunes and do I need a mac to hear it? I spend all of my discretionery funds on the kids so I am usually broke. Wow, I’m freaking stoked.
@Gabrielbrawley: Downloading iTunes is free for Macs and PCs, and downloading the actual podcast is free, too! We aims ta please!
@Rebecca: Sweet, I’m gonna get hammered while I listen to it either friday or saturday. Maybe I’ll do some drunk posting to. Hooya.
You all made fun of Stacey for “inventing” the margarita (53:57) … I will admit that Stacey has “invented” many things since I have known her, several of which I cannot mention on this PG-13 rated blog … But, those of us from the southwest would remind the rest of you that real margaritas are made with lime juice (or if you are in a pinch, lemon juice) – but most certainly not lemonade – and Triple Sec.
@TheSkepticalMale: I love it when you school the skepchicks (including me)…
Yes, I am a quivering critical mass of strange purple jello shots. Please hurry, the chicken heart is knocking on the kitchen door right now.
I apologize for my dorky sounding voice in advance :P
@TheSkepticalMale:
what she invented was a Ghetto Margarita… not quite a margarita in the purest sense, but not different enough to be called anything else.
I wonder how well the Knob Hill Whiskey would mix with Tang.
@Elyse: Actually, with lemonade and tequila, she’s closer to a cowgirl’s prayer (just add lime juice to that) or a tequlia collins (just add sour mix and some soda water) … Elyse, do you want me to order the drinks at the next TAM and show you how its done? :)
… and while we are on the subject of tequila, now for something completely different: http://living.oneindia.in/insync/2008/mexican-scientists-tequila-diamonds-131108.html
@TheSkepticalMale: I wonder what is magical about tequila in this story? Surely most of the carbon comes from the alcohol and any alcohol would do.
I listened to your podcast, it was reminiscent of the times my friends and I would record our conversations when we got wasted, then when we came back sober and listened it made no sense. Your podcast was almost like that, except you were more coherent and made more sense. Is there film of this event?
As the originator of the Logical Fallacy, I believe I am duty bound to kiss A’s “fat white ass.”
OK, this scares me that my alcohol tolerance is that much higher than the SkepChicks … :O Turpentine? Really? *sigh* Oh well … next time I’ll use more juice and less vodka.
On the other hand, they said I was sassy and cool! They like me, they really like me! ;)