And while you and your colleagues sink a few drinks after work, or you have that night out with your pals ‘because you’ve got to do it before Christmas’, there’s always that one question that seems to be asked…‘Shots?’
I mean, we say it’s a ‘dreaded question’, but most of us are pretty to quick to nod yes. Maybe it’s a tequila or sambucca, or maybe it’s the biggie; the creamy Baby Guinness.
But before you go knocking them back this winter, there’s a warning issued to millions of Brits about the little stout-looking shots.
Can’t deny they’re tasty. (Getty Stock)
A Baby Guinness is of course made with two key ingredients: coffee liqueur and Irish cream, typically Bailey’s.
And plenty of British households tend to have a bottle of that open during the festive season.
But there’s one common problem people end up running into with the stuff – even if they’re knocking back loads of shots of it with their friends and family – and that’s the fact that we often don’t finish the full bottle
As lots of us convince ourselves we’ll be taking on Dry January, the Bailey’s ends up banished until next winter, with shots are certainly off the cards. So, it ends up sitting neglected in your fridge for months on end.
That’s a bit of a problem though, because Bailey’s does have an expiration date, and if you are getting rid of it, there’s something you absolutely shouldn’t do.
While the drink company itself says it has a shelf life of two years from the date of bottling, opened or unopened, there are others who warn that you’d better quaff the lot within six months.
The drink always makes an appearance at this time of year. (Getty Stock)
As a general rule of thumb, if the bottle is unopened, then it might be alright for two years, but once opened, you should probably finish it off within six months.
The drink contains dairy cream, which goes bad over time, and since you don’t want to chug a rancid drink, you might end up having to chuck it out.
Now, normally you’d think about pouring the expired beverage down the kitchen sink and sticking the bottle in the recycling, but according tradesmen from MyBuilder.com, that’s the wrong thing to do.
They warn that Bailey’s and similar products can ‘wreak havoc’ with your plumbing, and even end up blocking your pipes.
Since dairy cream contains a lot of fat, it puts Bailey’s in the list of things that should never go down your sink, along with fat, oil, and grease.
So, either finish off the bottle with a few more Baby Guinnesses, or dispose of it properly.
For most of us, a night out isn’t complete without a few rounds of Baby Guinness’ these days.
However, next time you’re out boozing, you might want to reconsider what tipple you are ordering at the bar when you decide to get the shots in – as millions of people might be declining one from now on.
I know, I know – how could you turn down one of the delicious drinks which look exactly like an adorable miniature pint of the Irish dry stout?
Well, if the coffee liqueur that the bar your in is using Kahlúa – which is highly likely – your vegetarian pals will probably now be politely declining your offer to sling a Baby Guinness down their throats.
That’s because the popular beverage, made up of rum, sugar, and arabica coffee, has now lost its status as a safe drink for those who abstain from eating meat or using any animal by-products.
So for vegetarians, the days of topping a shot glass of Kahlúa with a creamy ‘head’ of Baileys are over – and coffee-based cocktails like Espresso Martinis – are off limits too.
It’s all to do with the way the strong stuff is made – and believe it or not, the whole process can take up to seven years.
Kahlúa explains that its coffee cherries – which are a safety blanket for the ‘precious beans’ inside – are grown in the shade, which means they take a lot longer to sprout before they are ready to harvest.
The beans are then dried and rested in huge burlaps bags for around six months, while the rum – made from sugarcane – is extracted, boiled and mixed with water before the distillation process begins.
You might have to say goodbye to your beloved Baby Guinness. (Getty Stock Photo)
After all that time, the beans and rum finally meet back up in Kahlúa’s distillery in Veracruz, Mexico.
The coffee is roasted before being blended with the spirits and this concoction then ‘rests’ together for four weeks.
Which all sounds pretty above board for vegetarians, right?
Wrong – because the new refinement process of the sugar used in it’s production now doesn’t align with their values.
Bone char, which is exactly what it sounds like… porous, black material produced by charring animal bones, is used during the sugar refinement process to make Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur.
Although this is sort of standard practice in the alcohol industry, it means that Kahlúa is not vegetarian-friendly.
It’s also not suitable for vegans, of course, but it never was in the first place due to other ingredients.
Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur isn’t suitable for vegetarians or vegans (Kahlúa)
In a statement regarding the matter, Kahlúa said: “We can confirm that Kahlúa is NOT suitable for vegetarians or vegans. This is because of the sugar refinement.
“It appears there was some confusion as, prior to 2016, Kahlúa was deemed suitable. At this time, Kahlúa is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.”
But don’t be too disheartened that the go-to ingredient for your Baby Guinness is now not an option, as bartender Bryan Levato explained that it’s not the end of the world.
The drinks whizz, from Spin & Shake, said: “While the news about Kahlúa is disappointing, there are still plenty of delicious vegetarian options out there.
“Simply ask your bartender for a vegetarian coffee liqueur like Tia Maria. It’s a great alternative that won’t compromise on taste. Check the labels and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Awareness and communication are key.
The festive season is pretty much here, which means the majority of UK households will finally start chipping into their stockpile of Christmas treats.
Brits don’t mess about when it comes to food and drink at this time of year, especially in the chocolate department – but there’s going to be a few unmerry people when they crack open the Celebrations tub.
The vibrant red containers are brimming with various tasty confections from the cocoa world in miniature size, allowing us all to feel a bit less guilty about constantly snacking on them.
We all have our favourites, and I think it’s safe to say we can collectively agree there is nothing worse than peeling back to lid to find they’ve already been ravaged.
However, some people think the fact that one of the most iconic flavours in the Celebrations collection has been discontinued is even more of a tragedy – which really is saying something.
Brits still have the likes of Snickers, Mars, Twix, Bounty, Galaxy, Maltesers, Milky Way and Galaxy Caramel to tantalise their tastebuds, but nothing can replace the iconic Galaxy Truffle.
Let’s not beat around the bush about it – the entirety of the UK was left outraged after the fan favourite was given the axe back in 2011.
Despite desperate pleas and even petitions calling on Mars Confectionary to reverse the decision, the velvety chocolate treat with a firm outer shell has never been seen in the tubs again.
It marked the end of an era for Celebrations buyers, as the Galaxy Truffle had been a staple in the tubs since they launched back in 1997.
To rub further salt in the wound, it was replaced by a Twix…and although we’re all partial to one from time to time, they aren’t a patch on its predecessor.
Tubs of Celebrations will never be the same again without this iconic chocolate (Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images)
Speaking to LADbible in 2022, Mars Wrigley General Manager Michelle Frost discussed the prospect of bringing the Galaxy Truffle back and making the nation whole again.
Unfortunately though, she’s firmly on the Twix train.
Frost told LADbible: “We replaced Galaxy Truffles with Twix in 2011 and it’s been a hit. Who doesn’t love a caramel, chocolate and biscuit treat?
“We don’t have current plans to bring back Galaxy Truffles to the Celebrations mix.”
In what appeared to be something of a compromise, Mars brought out boxes of Galaxy Truffles as a standalone product in 2019, rather than stuffing them in Celebrations tubs.
Brits who were in desperate need of a fix could pick up 190g gift boxes for £5 at UK retailers such as Tesco – a move which Galaxy described as ‘ extremely exciting’.
The esteemed Galaxy Truffles was discontinued in 2011 (Galaxy)
At the time, Brand Director Sarah Mellor said: “We are extremely excited to be launching Galaxy Truffles in the UK this year and to be entering the all year-round gifting market for the first time as a brand.
“For so many, Galaxy Truffles were part of a much-loved festive tradition and we are thrilled to be answering the undeniable demand, reinventing this favourite, now available all year round, as the perfect gift to bring pleasure to the next generation of Galaxy fans.”
These didn’t hit the same for a lot of fans…which might be why these also seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth now too.
It seems like we’re all just simply going to have to come to terms with the fact that Galaxy Truffles brought us sheer festive joy at one time, but those days are over.
Good gosh it’s only a few days until the actual Christmas Day is here and if you’re looking for some last minute gift ideas then you might end up getting someone a bottle of Baileys.
It’s certainly gained a reputation as a festive drink, not least because there’s something weird about drinking it during the height of summer.
Baileys is a pretty common Christmas gift and even if someone doesn’t buy it for you, you might have decided to stick one in your fridge anyway.
However, there’s a common problem people keep encountering with the bottles, they don’t always get all the way through them before the festive period is over.
Once the festive period is over and you’re in the cold, harsh light of January it doesn’t seem like a very appropriate drink and it becomes the thing which just stays in your fridge for months on end.
That’s a bit of a problem because Baileys does have an expiration date, and if you are getting rid of it, there’s something you absolutely shouldn’t do.
Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
While the drink company itself says it has a shelf life of two years from the date of bottling, opened or unopened, there are others who warn that you’d better quaff the lot within six months.
As a general rule of thumb if the bottle is unopened then it might be alright for two years, but once opened you should probably finish it off within six months.
The drink contains dairy cream, which goes bad over time, and since you don’t want to chug a rancid drink you might end up having to chuck it out.
Now normally you’d think about pouring the expired beverage down the kitchen sink and sticking the bottle in the recycling, but according to the Daily Mirror that’s not what you should do.
They report that tradesmen from MyBuilder.com have warned that Baileys can ‘wreak havoc’ with your plumbing and even end up blocking your pipes.
Getty Stock Photo.
Since dairy cream contains a lot of fat, it puts Baileys in the list of things that should never go down your sink.
The big three are fat, oil and grease, they’re not good for your pipes and can end up clogging your plumbing up which is really not what you need at this time of year, or any time really.
If you want to get rid of old, rancid Baileys properly it seems as though the proper method is to pour the liquid contents into a container and then chuck that in your bin.
That’s how you get rid of the stuff that shouldn’t be going down your kitchen sink.
Millions of Brits have been given a manhood warning as temperatures are set to rise again this week.
Yep, the weather in the UK is finally going to feel like summer again, apparently. Well, kind of.
While the Met Office seems to be forecasting that we’re set for plenty more of the pouring rain dampening our mood, it seems like something else could be more wilted than damp.
Sure, it wouldn’t be a British summer without all the rain but apparently the folks at Exacta Weather reckon we’re in for a bit of a wet bake.
Expected to warm us up for up to 10 days this July, the team alerted Brits on Facebook to prepare for ‘some sort of potential heat dome scenario’, kicking off tomorrow (9 July).
But whether you’re enjoying the heat here or some real hot weather abroad, experts have a warning for Bits cooling down ice-cold beers.
Apparently, it can be bad news for your manhood and lead to a bit of a drought.
Kiran Jones, a clinical pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy warned people to opt for water to cool down rather than alcohol to avoid any flops.
The expert told the Daily Star: “Millions of Brits are set to travel across Europe this summer, but with temperatures in some areas set to reach a scorching 40 degrees Celsius, it’s not just vulnerable people who should be careful.
“Hot weather conditions could pose risks such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke to anyone not taking proper care.
Keep hydrated to avoid a flop lads. (Getty stock)
“But did you know it can also affect you or your partner’s ability to perform in the bedroom? When dehydrated, your body reacts by producing less red blood cells and plasma needed for proper blood flow.
“It also produces increased levels of a hormone called angiotensin to compensate for low fluid levels, meaning your blood vessels will narrow to conserve fluid, reducing the amount of blood able to reach the penis, causing issues getting or maintaining an erection.
“Consider limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake as these can have diuretic effects.”
Well, even if we are supposedly getting some hot weather here, that warning might be better for those of you escaping the British rain for some pure, dry sun abroad. Keep your manhood hydrated, lads.
