spooky wine

[TipsyDragon]

im thinking of making a halloween wine. i thought it would be cool if it had a spooky tingly/numbing affect on the drinker's lips and tongue. of course i want this to be harmless and just for show. any ideas on what i could add?

 

[Yan]

Szechuan pepper has a pretty numbing tingly effect.

 

[Llysse]

Oil of cloves, but it would probably have to be pretty overpowering a flavor to get any effect--not worth it, IMO!

 

[klyph]

 

[Hinermad]

I find insect repellent does that to me, but you probably don't want to drink it. (Although the first time I tried Dixie Blackened Voodoo it reminded me of insect repellent. But good insect repellent!)

If you're looking for something that's actually intended to go in someone's mouth, maybe Chloraseptic or some other throat spray that comes in a pump spray bottle.

DISCLAIMER: I haven't tried it, and for all I know it could cause health problems like making you unable to drink beer. If you try it you're on your own.

Dave

 

[DubbelDach]

Doesn't nutmeg have a numbing effect?

Pumpkin spiced wine?

Nevermind.... You don't want to OD on nutmeg...

 

[Emerald]

Here is how I would do it!
First rim the glass with just a bit of the oragel, then dip the glass into green sugar(the kind you put on Christmas cookies) then just put wine in the glass, drop in just a small chunk of dry ice for fog and you got a tingly numbing Halloween drink! Just don't tell them that the secret is in the liquid that you dipped the rim of the glass in.

 

[Matrix4b]

Honestly, I don't think that you are going to get a drinkable wine or beverage if you try to brew it in to it. That said, the effect that emerald said would be good but for a non-medicinal way, Try rimming the glass with nutmeg and cinimon. Maybe a bit of food coloring in the wine to make it black or dark. Dark liquid with a bit of dry ice. Presto, you have an evil draught of a potion.

With this one it seems all in the serving, not the beverage.

Ohhh, a sweet apple wine, sparkling, with dry ice, and dyed black. Talk about your evil apple.

 

[TipsyDragon]

yea treating the glasses sounds like the way to go. but it would be cool if i could treat the wine with something that is odorless, colorless, and tasteless but i don't think that is possible. definitely going to make it as dark and black as i can.

if anyone else has any ideas i would love to hear them.

 

[klyph]

Roofies, spooooky.

 

[khiddy]

I think you'd have to go with a mulled, spiced wine, and then just use Oil of Clove on the rims of the glasses as suggested above. This way, the flavor of the numbing agent won't be jarring to the expected flavor of the beverage. Clove oil is a well-established local anesthetic, often used in dentistry prior to the modern novocaine and similar preparations.

One thing - you'll want to warn your guests that you've done it. Putting something in their drinks that will cause numbing can be quite irresponsible and may lead people to think you have far more nefarious purposes at hand...

 

[Yan]

Seriously. Szechuan pepper. It doesn't really taste like anything, but has a very numbing quality. Cloves taste like cloves.

 

[TipsyDragon]

Seriously. Szechuan pepper. It doesn't really taste like anything, but has a very numbing quality. Cloves taste like cloves.

in small doses cloves might not be bad. if your right about the Szechuan pepper not having a taste it would definitely be near the top of my list.

 

[TipsyDragon]

well according to Wiki

"Sichuan pepper has a unique aroma and flavour that is not hot or pungent like black or white pepper, or chili peppers, but has slight lemony overtones and creates a tingly numbness in the mouth "

definitely sounds like a winner to me. now the question comes .... how much to use and when? sounds like its time for an incremental taste test.

 

[Cart]

Seriously. Szechuan pepper. It doesn't really taste like anything, but has a very numbing quality. Cloves taste like cloves.

I have to disagree with this point. I find it has a very distinct but somewhat mysterious taste, as we westerners aren't entirely familiar with it. The numbing effect is very real though. Not sure how the exotic flavour and aroma would go with a wine/wine based beverage though.

 

[hilohwn]

common plant found in tropics but powder can be found online or at health food stores...used medicinally for natural numbing effect...mixes well with alcohol.

 

[Yan]

I have to disagree with this point. I find it has a very distinct but somewhat mysterious taste, as we westerners aren't entirely familiar with it. The numbing effect is very real though. Not sure how the exotic flavour and aroma would go with a wine/wine based beverage though.

I didn't mean to say it has no taste, even though I did. It sure does, but it's really not like the eugenol in cloves, where the numbness is intense, but takes a backseat to the aromatic flavour. I find with szechuan pepper, the aroma comes after the numbness and is comparatively mild. If it was put into a strong and full bodied red, the earthy taste of the spice would likely compliment the wine, I'd think. But then it might be excessive if used in an amount that would bring numbness. But cloves are cloves, and the aroma is mighty obvious and familiar to almost everyone. Szechuan pepper not so much, unless you're really familiar with it.

Might be pricey though.

 

[jcobbs]

The oragel could work. Don't try the Chloraseptic. Its numbing effect comes from phenol and the medicinal flavor will definitely clash with anything you serve. Same phenol flavors you try to avoid by controlling fermentation temps.

 

[Teromous]

This sounds really cool. I've never heard of this spice. Do you need to leave the ground peppercorns in the actual brew to get the mouth numbing effect, or will it impart oils if used with an infusor/muslin bag?

Please, definately keep us updated on this. I am also interested in getting this spice for cooking.

 

[Cart]

.But then it might be excessive if used in an amount that would bring numbness. But cloves are cloves, and the aroma is mighty obvious and familiar to almost everyone. Szechuan pepper not so much, unless you're really familiar with it.

It would appear that we agree! I think you'd really taste the szechuan pepper if it was enough to provide numbness, but it'd be considerably less intense and overbearing than the oil of clove.

 

[TipsyDragon]

thats one reason i was leaning more toward using szechuan pepper. if they do notice the taste, assuming its not a bad taste, i could just say "its the poison".