Move over David Copperfield-there's a new magician in town. But this trick doesn't involve any mirrors or smoke. Using a Brita filter and a bottle of liquor, I attempted to magically transform one of the worst drinks in Madison into a high-quality, cheap alcohol alternative. Would this research succeed-opening the floodgates for a slew of broke students to enjoy cheap liquor without gagging or choking?
Background
One weekend, searching for the perfect way to make Jell-O shots, I stumbled upon an alcohol forum site where an experienced drinker claimed to have actually enjoyed taking shots of straight Fleischmann's vodka after filtering the substance through a Brita pitcher a few times. After research, I came to the surprising realization the anonymous poster wasn't kidding.
Sites and authors on the Internet have tried to see if a simple carbon filter could turn their $6 bottles of burning agony into smooth, quality brew. However, I was unable to find a scientifically-controlled experiment to see if the rumors were valid. I decided to perform the first scientific \Better Alcohol with Brita"" experiment.
Hypothesis
After filtering the vodka through the Brita filter three times, participants will not only notice a difference between the two types of alcohol, but will rate the filtered alcohol as better than the unfiltered alcohol.
Materials
After many unpleasant house parties and painful memories involving the self-proclaimed ""No. 1 alcohol in Wisconsin,"" it was decided this particular experiment should involve a 1.75 Liter, 80-proof bottle of unflavored Fleischmann's vodka. Half the bottle was filtered three times through a new Brita filter, taking approximately 45 minutes. In other online filter experiments, filtering the vodka one or two times did not always produce noticeable effects. Three filter cycles seemed optimal since four cycles would have taken over an hour to complete-too much time for impatient weekend drinkers. After filtering the vodka, the different drinks were placed into clear containers and discretely marked.
Participants/Methods
There were only two requirements for participants. First, they had to be sober. Not only does alcohol numb the senses, but facial expressions of agony are a hundred times more entertaining when participants are sober. Secondly, participants had to be over 21 because that is the legal drinking age.
Twenty brave individuals who volunteered for the experiment were randomly assigned to take either a shot of filtered or unfiltered vodka first.
Procedure
Before each person approached the vodka, two identical shot glasses were filled with a shot of filtered vodka and a shot of unfiltered vodka. Each person approached the shots, cleansed their palate with a chaser and was randomly assigned to one of the two shots. After taking the first shot, the participants rated the taste of the vodka shot on a scale of one to five. A five indicated the worst taste while one represented an enjoyable experience.
Then, after a minute of ""rest,"" they washed the taste out of their mouths with the same chaser and repeated the experiment with the second shot. However, for the second vodka shot they judged the shot on how it compared to the first shot they took. After recording their responses, participants were thanked... and allowed to gag.
Results
Does filtered vodka actually taste better than non-filtered vodka? The results speak for themselves. Out of the 20 participants, 19 individuals said they noticed a difference between the two shots. Seventeen said the filtered vodka was better than the unfiltered vodka. Regardless of the order in which participants were administered the shots of vodka, participants constantly ranked the filtered Fleischmann's as better than the unfiltered vodka.
Analysis
But what exactly was the difference between the two vodkas? While every participant said they noticed an immediate difference between the two shots, the second part of the experiment was designed to determine how much better the filtered vodka tasted than the unfiltered liquor. Could a $6 bottle of Fleischmann's be marketed as a $30 bottle of Grey Goose Vodka? In terms of taste, participants on average ranked the filtered vodka as 20 percent better than and unfiltered vodka. This indicates that there was a significant difference in taste between the two vodkas.
However, the most important difference between the filtered and unfiltered alcohol was not in the taste, but in the aftertaste. Almost every single person interviewed after the experiment said the filtered vodka went down smoother and left very little aftertaste.
""Where's the burning?!"" asked UW-Madison junior and participant Scott Williams.
Unanswered Questions
The vodka experiment appears to be a resounding success. But there was still one question to be answered. Why did this experiment succeed? According to Helen Blackwell, an assistant professor of organic chemistry at UW-Madison, the secret is in the carbon filter used in most Brita filters. Brita uses coconut shell carbons, the most expensive and arguably the best carbon filter on the market.
""The filter probably removed most of the organic materials, metals or impurities that were in the alcohol,"" Blackwell said.
This means a better taste for the drinker, the elimination of the bitter aftertaste and less chance of a bad hangover. As an added ""bonus,"" the filter leaves the alcohol content unchanged.
Conclusion
A Brita water filter seems to improve the quality of vodka. Drinkers will probably notice the most difference after filtering a cheap alcohol rather than a higher quality one that has, in all likelihood, already been filtered numerous times. But before everyone rushes out to buy a new filter, a couple of disclaimers are necessary. No matter how many times the alcohol is filtered, the alcohol content remains the same.
Just because the liquor tastes better does not mean students should drink more. Secondly, while filtering vodka through a filter won't damage it, it will make the next five or six batches of water taste awful. Students should consider buying a separate filter or even a separate pitcher for water and alcohol. Patience is also necessary, since it takes over 45 minutes to filter 1.75 liters of liquor three times.
Despite this, the Brita filter is a cheap, easy way to transform a bottle of low-end liquor into something relatively palatable. Guests will thank you, the freshman paying $1 per shot will thank you and your head will thank you the next morning.
