Romulan Ale

[HappyMcWonderful]

What's the appeal? Is it just alcohol but really really strong (100 proof or more)? Does it have other effects on the drinker? Is the appeal of this strange brew simply because it's illegal or is there more to it?

And do other cultures try to smuggle in "human beer"? It'd be hilarious to walk into an office and find an illegal Sam Adams on the desk of some alien admiral's desk

 

[1001001]

It’s like the Everclear of the Star Trek universe.

Just enough and you go stupid.

Too much and you go blind.

 

[Kor]

What's the appeal? Is it just alcohol but really really strong (100 proof or more)? Does it have other effects on the drinker? Is the appeal of this strange brew simply because it's illegal or is there more to it?

And do other cultures try to smuggle in "human beer"? It'd be hilarious to walk into an office and find an illegal Sam Adams on the desk of some alien admiral's desk

The element of scarcity due to its illegality may increase the appeal. All indications are that it was illegal simply as part of economic sanctions/trade embargo, not because of any effects more harmful than the many alcoholic beverages that already exist in the Federation. That would fit the interstellar Cold War that was always on the brink of heating up between the Federation and the Romulans or the Federation and the Klingons.

In real life there is a connoisseurs' niche interest in liquors from embargoed countries, with certain brands spoken of with awe in hushed tones. But I'll avoid specifics so as not to accidentally start some discussion about real-world issues.

Kor

 

[JoseNoodles]

It’s like the Everclear of the Star Trek universe.

Just enough and you go stupid.

Too much and you go blind.

Too bad it's not like absinthe. Then you could have called it The Romulan Fairy.

 

[Oddish]

Talk to Riker and have him hook you up with a case, then you can find out for yourself.

 

[at Quark's]

Generally it's surprising that there are so many things that can be consumed by multiple species. Romulans have an entirely different blood chemistry (based on copper IIRC) so you would also expect that a lot of the things they eat would be poisonous to humans (and vice versa).

Perhaps that's also one of the reasons you have to be careful with Romulan ale.

 

[F. King Daniel]

It's likely just a political thing. Romulans were the enemy for centuries, so their drinks were banned. But because they're nice, people found a way.

 

[Henoch]

Anytime we start talking drinking booze in Star Trek, I'm in. Start the party:
https://movies.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/tuchd/tuchd0541.jpg
As for Romulan Ale, besides the alcohol and other pharmaceutical properties, I'd like to think (nay, taste) that Romulan Ale has an unique, alien taste about it. Something odd, but tasty. Also, they don't use blue food coloring, so, your mouth and tongue don't turn blue (but you may feel a little green, later. )

 

[Xhiandra]

And do other cultures try to smuggle in "human beer"? It'd be hilarious to walk into an office and find an illegal Sam Adams on the desk of some alien admiral's desk

I'd hope that admiral would have the taste to smuggle some Westvleteren 12s instead. A bunch of Rochefort 8s or Chimay Bleues, at the very least.

 

[TrickyDickie]

My old room back home, 30 years ago:

 

[HappyMcWonderful]

I'd hope that admiral would have the taste to smuggle some Westvleteren 12s instead. A bunch of Rochefort 8s or Chimay Bleues, at the very least.

While I have no doubt those are great, the gag is the alien doesn't know good from bad.

How do we know the Rom Ale we're "importing" is the good stuff and not the Romulan version of Old English or MD20/20?

 

[Kor]

The stuff that the Romulan government's Department of Commerce or equivalent allows to be exported and distributed off-world is probably some mass-produced swill specifically made for that purpose. In Federation space you would probably never see the small-batch artisanal Romulan ales that are actually enjoyed on Romulus. You see that kind of thing quite in liquor-producing areas of earth, too. A great deal of the "big names" that get sold on the international market through conglomerate corporations are really products of marketing departments, and not the exact stuff that is consumed locally.

Kor

 

[Xhiandra]

While I have no doubt those are great, the gag is the alien doesn't know good from bad.

Ah, ok. I don't know American beers, so I didn't get that. All I know is Bud Light is supposed to be terrible. Maybe even worse than Heineken, though I'm unsure such a thing is possible.

 

[E-DUB]

This could turn into a world's worst beer thread quickly. If so, I nominate this...........

Pronounced just like you think.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Ah, ok. I don't know American beers, so I didn't get that. All I know is Bud Light is supposed to be terrible. Maybe even worse than Heineken, though I'm unsure such a thing is possible.

It is.

 

[HappyMcWonderful]

No you aren't wrong. American commercial beers are awful. For the good stuff you have to get out of the supermarket and find a good craft brew. That's an entirely different thread though.

 

[Kor]

In my head canon, "Romulan Ale," Kali-fal, and the unnamed blue stuff from "The Enterprise Incident" are all variations of the same beverage.

But "ale" seems to be a misnomer. Unlike true top-fermented grain malt ales of Earth, the Romulan stuff has no effervescence or frothy head. And Kirk's reaction to it seems more like he just took a sip of hard liquor.

Kor

 

[Xhiandra]

In my head canon, "Romulan Ale," Kali-fal, and the unnamed blue stuff from "The Enterprise Incident" are all variations of the same beverage.

But "ale" seems to be a misnomer. Unlike true top-fermented grain malt ales of Earth, the Romulan stuff has no effervescence or frothy head. And Kirk's reaction to it seems more like he just took a sip of hard liquor.

Yeah, I've always viewed it as a form of spirits, rather than an ale. In fact, isn't it called "Romulan Whisky" at some point? Or something like that?

 

[Kor]

Yeah, I've always viewed it as a form of spirits, rather than an ale. In fact, isn't it called "Romulan Whisky" at some point? Or something like that?

Spoiler: Lower Decks Season 1

I can't remember if we are at the point where we can openly discuss LD season 1 without spoiler tags or not, so I'm doing this just to be on the safe side...

Romulan Whiskey appears for the first time in the premiere episode of Lower Decks, "Second Contact." Beckett Mariner has a bottle of the stuff she got from Douglas Station. It is also a shade of blue, so I presume it is closely related, if not just another variety of the same stuff. Behind the scenes, the writers have said that the Romulan name of this whiskey is "Mel'shat." But I don't think that name has actually been used in the show.

Kor

 

[The Wormhole]

Everything from Lower Decks season 1 is safe to discuss without spoil code. As will the first four episode of season 2 as of tomorrow.