Some drinks in Costa Rica likely contaminated with methanol

[Slater]

I think they should license this name:

E.S. Distillery | Fremont, Ohio

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by Crazee Cat Lady

Good way to effectively kill your tourist industry and economy.
There are some places that I would just not care to go to at all anymore.

It doesn't appear aimed at the tourist industry, unlike the reports from resorts in DR and in Mexico. Especially in Mexico, what was so concerning was that it did appear that the unopened liquor bottles used at the bar were tainted, so it wasn't someone trying to slip a drug into someone's drink that they saw at the resort - the adulteration was somewhere before it got to the resort.

Originally Posted by AustinB

When I've been to Costa Rica, the Guaro was the cheap drink that the locals could afford. You tried it to say you had, but it wasn't anything you stuck with.

Exactly. This was a nationwide contamination specifically of guaro. It's not typically a drink that lots of tourists drink, but the "national" drink, similar to cachaca in Brazil or Pisco in Chile.

Ultimately, it could be true that international adulteration of liquor across various countries has some common source. But so far we don't have evidence to prove that. It's definitely a concern that these counterfeit bottles are so well done that it is difficult for most people to tell the difference. If you can't trust a sealed bottle you buy off the shelf of an established store, then it would seem you can't trust anything.

As far as traveling to C.A. or S.A. broadly right now, I haven't seen any evidence that this contamination has been found in anything other than liquor. Seems like you could just not drink liquor. I'm going to Guatemala next week and Costa Rica next February, and I'm not overly concerned at this point.

[2x3x29x41]

Originally Posted by 2x3x29x41

They weren't drinking beer. The 'original containers' weren't Budweiser or Coors. Those bottles are brands of liquor. No one mistakes liquor for beer. If you take a swig from a bottle of Bud and it's actually liquor, you know immediately. If someone is passing off homebrew beer as branded beer, you might get ripped off financially but you won't die. There's not enough methyl alcohol in beer - even in badly-crafted bootleg beer - to cause any issues. That's why Bob down the street with his craft beer obsession might serve you crappy-tasting swill, but it won't hurt you. It's only an issue of Bob tries his hand at moonshine. Then, worry.

Originally Posted by kitty_nina1

Bootleg beer (NOT a homebrew) in the brand name beer bottle.
Bootleg liquor in the brand name liquor bottle.

Don't be naive. These things happen around the world, especially in 3rd world countries where they think they can fleece rich and naive americans of their money by serving garbage to up their profits.

Your reading comprehension skills are lacking.

I did not deny these things happen - how you got that is beyond me.

Let me repeat:
Methyl alcohol poisoning is not a potential problem in beer because the fermentation process cannot result in toxic levels of methyl alcohol. It is a potential problem in liquor because the distillation process can result in toxic levels of methyl alcohol.

Anyone who avoids beer in order to avoid methyl alcohol poisoning is clueless.

Was that simple enough for you to follow along, or are you still confused?

[rodolfocostarica]

i live in costa rica and have followed this story. the people affected are lower income and buy cheap adulterated liquor.
not one tourist has died.

best for people to do some homework before comparing this to the dominican republic

[upthere22]

Originally Posted by rodolfocostarica

i live in costa rica and have followed this story. the people affected are lower income and buy cheap adulterated liquor.
not one tourist has died.

best for people to do some homework before comparing this to the dominican republic

like the life of tourist has more value than the locals .. you are a true morron