Posted on 11/17/2005 11:52:35 AM PST by lilylangtree
CHARLESTON, W.Va.--West Virginia is doing away with high-proof grain alcohol citing safety concerns raised by college officials and others.
The state's Alcohol Beverage Control Administration has stopped stocking 190-proof grain alcohol at its warehouse, which provides all liquor sold in the state. Although it announced the ban Wednesday, it asked liquor retailers more than a month ago to pull the potent product from their shelves.
Agency officials said they are responding to concerns by college officials, law enforcement agencies and community groups about the alcohol, which at 95 percent pure is significantly more potent than other distilled spirits.
"If you just pay attention, you'll notice that people don't drink grain at a cocktail party," said Carla Lapelle, associate dean of Student Affairs at Marshall University. "They don't go into a bar and order grain alcohol."
Lapelle said she was unaware of any incidents involving grain alcohol among students at Marshall, which already bans all alcohol on campus, but she considered the move prudent.
West Virginia University spokeswoman Becky Lofstead applauded the agency's efforts, but she also could recall no specific episodes blamed on grain alcohol abuse.
At least a dozen other states ban or limit the sale of 190-proof grain alcohol. Neighboring Pennsylvania and Virginia, for instance, sell it only for medicinal or commercial use, and require a permit for its purchase.
The owner of a liquor store near WVU's main campus in Morgantown said the product was not particularly popular among students.
"People can get drunk on beer. Anything in high doses is going to be a problem," said Joseph Moser of Ashebrook Liquor Outlet.
Grain alcohol is "a decent mover, or it was," said Phyllis Hitchock, manager of classic Liquors in Huntington, Marshall's home. "But the biggest sale of it was for labs and stuff. "It's used as a cleaning solvent."
Moser said officials have begun distributing a 151-proof version of grain alcohol--the same potency as some vodka and rum already sold in West Virginia--through the state's warehouse.
Lofstead said 151-proof isn't as objectionable as the stronger version.
Lapelle added: "Of all the liquors, grain, especially the 190-proof, is purchased solely to get drunk on."
Yep. Fire up the still granny, we're back in bizniss. Revnewers will be shot on sight.
A pint of grain in a punch bowl mixed with a couple of gallons of fruit juice was a regular feature of some of the parties I attended many years ago.
Yup. It was briefly famous in Coralville, Iowa.
Or at least the sheep will sleep easier. . . .
Oh, man. I've got a headache from just remembering those.
Flags will be flown at half-staff at frat houses all over America over the weekend.
We used to make CO2 cartridge mortars. Fill the cartridge with match heads, put the flame at the bottom of a pipe, drop said CO2 cartridge into the pipe and watch it zoom over the houses.
Your explanation is funny....thanks for the laugh!
My thoughts exactly what will we South Eastern Ohioans do now for our Jungle Juice/Hairy Buffalo Makings?
I think we should get a rope!
You missed the first step.
0) Fine summin' to hold yer beer first.
I just purchased a 5th of 190 proof grain alcohol at ABC liquor the other day. It makes an excellent cleaner for pipes { the kind you smoke tobacco with}
Lapelle added: "Of all the liquors, grain, especially the 190-proof, is purchased solely to get drunk on."
Uh...First of all, what the hell do they think kids at college parties are doing other than getting drunk?
Secondly, last time I checked when I go to parties people arent sipping on grain alcohol. Its used to make large quantities of 'Jungle Juice' (awsome I might add) and to make Jello shots with. Its obvious that these people have no idea what it is actually used for.
Gallon jug, two pints grain alcohol, grape juice or lime juice, marachino cherries and add water to the top of the jug.
Grape juice mixture was called PJ or Purple Jesus. First thing you said after a swig was "Jesus!"
Lime juice mixture was called "Green Goddam" for the same reason.
Got plastered on the drink and blotto eating the cherries.
Contest on who could tie a knot in the cherry stems with their tongue afterwards.
Ah, college life.
Everclear. Helping West Virginians get laid since 1875!
Alas.... no more PJ, no more Handshake.
No more cheap drunks for dates
....It contributed to much puking!....
Mixed with Welches it was called Purple Jesus. I have vivid memories of a girl with her head out a second story window barfing the stuff up. The white curtains got in the way and were forevermore covered with lavender splotches.
Oh, the good 'ole days in the mid-70s at the KA House before staggering to old Mountaineer Field for the game...we used OJ (breakfast, you know) in garbage cans... good thing that wasn't very far... also remember(?) walking to the State Store on High Street for another pint of Rebel Yell bourban for the 2nd half...
we make 95% (190 proof) ethanol at work...I use to run the still...
of course it was recovered 30-40% ethanol that was used in processing human blood fractions...so nobody wanted any of it.....of course we wuz regulated by the revenooers.....(I believe some folks would drink the virgin stuff off of the delievery truck that we had to call in once in a while as there is always lost in product processing...I 'Hear tell' it would evaporate on your tongue and was quite good with OJ)
You don't understand "the mind" of most West Virginia Democrats.
In spite of Maryland attempting to secede *and* being south of the Mason-Dixon *and* being called "The Old Line State", West Virginians consider us "Yankees".
That alone would be pitifully hilarious if not for their spectacular ignorance of how -West- Virginia came into existence in the first place.
There are more Confederate battle flags flying on porches in WV *now* than ever flew in VA *then*.
It's almost wonderfully, historically delusional.
That's how Byrd keeps getting in.
They vote Democrat and/or "Klan" in honor of their hallucinatory "southern"/Confederate roots.
It's amazing in a surrealistic sort of way, really.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.