Have you heard the one about the
super simple way of packing a high amount of alcohol into gummi bears? I was
extremely skeptical, so like any good scientist* I decided to test it myself.
The result? Hooboy...
The technique is simple to the point
that it sounds preposterous:
Step 1: Empty a bag of gummi bears into a container.
Step 2: Pour in enough vodka so that the gummis are completely covered—and then some.
Step 3: Cover the container, put it in the fridge, and leave it for 3-5 days.
Step 1: Empty a bag of gummi bears into a container.
Step 2: Pour in enough vodka so that the gummis are completely covered—and then some.
Step 3: Cover the container, put it in the fridge, and leave it for 3-5 days.
That's it. There's no way that could
work, right? My hangover says otherwise.
For my experiment I used a bag of
Haribo Gummi Bears and some very tasty Tito's vodka. After three days I pulled
the gummis out. They were significantly bigger, as you can see in the photos
with the tape measure. I popped one in my mouth, and there was that
unmistakeable high-proof alcohol burn. These things are strong. And the
texture had dramatically changed. It no longer had the gummi chewiness—it was
more like a very firm Jell-O, and you could almost slurp them. Yes, small,
bear-shaped Jell-O shots. They weren't quite "done" after three days,
though. They still had a harder gummi core, so I put them back in the vodka,
and let them go for another two days.
After five days had passed, I pulled
them out, and ate half a bag's worth. In the name of science.*
Half a bag gave me a pretty decent
buzz. I have no doubt that the sugar in the gummis adds to the effect. It may
also be because you're holding the booze in your mouth longer as you chew and
explore the texture. Regardless, I was all warm n' giddy. The solid core was
gone. They were bigger, jigglier, and a bit smoother going down. That brings me
to an important note: these don't taste like gummi bears that happen to have
booze in them. No, they taste like vodka with gummi bear flavoring. Not really
my thing, but I was won over by the novelty. So why not try it with other
spirits, right?
My second round, I used Jameson's
Irish whiskey, Cornelius applejack, and Mansinthe absinthe. They were all
pretty good. The whiskey and applejack batches were both very sweet, but pretty
mild. The absinthe batch was very absinthey. Hard notes of licorice,
lots of burn, and they kind of turned white-ish (see photo). A neat experiment,
but I'll probably stick with vodka next time.
