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db wrapped: the big boozy round-up of 2023
This year has seen some big stories in the drinks trade, and also some which may have gone under the radar but were beloved by our readership. Discover our top stories here.
10. California wineries rush to harvest before ‘atmospheric river’
In September, wineries in northern California are rushing to pick their white grapes ahead of anticipated heavy rainfall that could have led to disease. This was one of many weather and climate-related stories featured on db across the year, highlighting the challenges of the harvest this year.
9. KFC launches first ever spirit with new rum
The licensing deals and tie-ins between drinks and other well-known brands increased this year, notably with Netflix’s The Witcher and Athletic Brewing and recently Brewdog and popular Christmas film Elf.
But one deal in particular stood out for our readers, and that was KFC’s first ever spirit launch. The Fast food corporation teamed up with UK-based rum brand Dead Man’s Fingers to create the chicken chain’s first ever spirit – the 11 Herbed and Spiced Rum.
8. Non-alcoholic beer breeding ground for bacteria
A big story for the trade in the latter part of the year, this confirmed a lot of the long-running comments from brewer’s that without the alcohol there could be issues. It also comes as the UK Government is consulting on whether 0.5% ABV can be classified as alcohol-free, rather than 0.0%.
According to the conclusions of the work, published in the Journal of Food Protection, alcohol content and storage temperature were the most significant determinants of bacterial growth, with non-alcoholic beer being far more susceptible to microbial growth than low-alcoholic beer.
7. Monster Energy launches alcoholic product
Arguably the biggest trend in intoxicating drinks has been the emergence of new and unexpected entrants into the market.
Monster Beverage Corporation has launched The Beast Unleashed in the US across several states, made using “malt alcohol” and weighing in at 6% ABV. Monster describes the drink as a “hard seltzer” and revealed in August last year that it hoped it would be one of many.
6. Here’s what happens to your body when you give up alcohol for a month
This was a story from the start of the year to welcome in the traditional period of abstinence that is dubbed Dry January.
To counter some of the supposed health benefits of giving up alcohol for a single month, and while there are long-term term benefits to cutting down on your alcohol consumption, completely giving up alcohol for Dry January can actually make you feel worse, one expert said.
5. How safe is the ‘borg’ drinking trend?
Social media trends, especially on TikTok, have become popular in recent years.
The ‘borg’ trend, which stands for “blackout rage gallon”, started making more appearances on TikTok and other social media platforms and, according to sources, involves a blend of water, vodka, caffeine and powdered electrolytes sometimes along with flavoured seltzers being added to a gallon bottle.
But is it safe? Read more here.
4. The 10 oldest beers in America
Another story popular with our states-side audience, this one focused on American brewing history, highlighting brews which were first made in the mid-nineteenth century.
3. Beer could exert greater effect than probiotics
Alcohol and health stories are often well-loved on the drinks business. And why not? The promise of alcohol having health benefits goes against the common thread that it is a vice and has a negative impact on your body.
This article covered how drinking beer in moderation could be good for your gut and immunity, stimulating microbiota diversity, according to a new nutritional review.
This story did very well with our US audience too, but it also hints at something of a global phenomenon: the placement of wine on the sea-bed.
The district attorney for Santa Barbara disposed of 2,000 bottles of wine and other alcohol with the destruction of the bottles estimated to be worth several hundred thousand dollars.
The concept of underwater ageing of wine was created by the company due to the optimal temperatures off the Santa Barbara coast, with perpetual pulsation from currents keeping the bottles in continual motion to reduce sedimentation. Ocean Fathoms had been planning to do a number of drops per year, and had large-scale Champagne brands interested in collaborating with them.
1. Airport scraps 100ml limit
This was the biggest story on db this year. At first glance, it appears odd that such a story would generate so many page views.
But on closer inspection, it makes perfect sense: this was the rule that allowed people to carry-on those potentially very expensive bottles of fine wine, whisky or other drinks which they would prefer to not put in the holdall.
Although a number of airports have now made the move, this story refers to London City Airport, which at the time had joined Teesside International Airport in using new scanners to enable passengers to bring greater volumes of liquid in hand luggage through security.