Operation Swill

[Barrel_Proof]

I for one will be interested in the brand identification technology used by the undercover officers in this sting operation. Tomorrow's press conference should be interesting to say the least.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/05/top-shelf_scheme_authorities_r.html

[Alden]

This has been going on for decades in places like TGI Fridays, Bennigans, etc.

Why just now is it becoming a big sting operation?

[Barrel_Proof]

Why just now is it becoming a big sting operation?

[P&MLiquorsEric]

Mark Browns daily industry report had articles about counterfeit booze. With claims that 8% of booze sold worldwide was not genuine. The articles were geared more towards outright fakes and suggested laser etching as the only real solution.

[squire]

Just think, if they had filled most of those bottles with Evan Williams Black label they might not have been caught.

[mosugoji64]

If the clientele doesn't notice, does it matter? Yeah, from an ethical standpoint, it does. Still, with the drinks that most are ordering at Applebee's and TGI Friday's, I can't imagine it made any difference.

[LostBottle]

Oh man, I am pissed now that I found out TGI Fridays's was probably swapping out the high-end booze in my mudslides!

[squire]

Ethics aside fraud and false pretenses are crimes and if the area chain stores are in it together it's criminal conspiracy.

On the civil side I'm sure the Atlanta trial lawyers will think up some more stuff.

[mosugoji64]

Ethics aside fraud and false pretenses are crimes and if the area chain stores are in it together it's criminal conspiracy.

On the civil side I'm sure the Atlanta trial lawyers will think up some more stuff.

I was making light of the subject, but it really is a terrible thing. Imagine if the restaurant were substituting Aldi stew meat for Kobe beef. The outrage would be devastating to those establishments. The press conference will be very interesting.

[p_elliott]

They don't do it in Iowa anymore but it used to be the law in Iowa that empty bottles had to be broke. Bars and restaurants would keep a divided box like you get from the liquor store behind the bar, put the bottle in it and punch the bottom out with a steel rod. I think they quit doing this when they added the $.05 deposit on the bottles.

[squire]

Those with larceny in their heart will cheapen the one on the shelf.

[smokinjoe]

Oh man, I am pissed now that I found out TGI Fridays's was probably swapping out the high-end booze in my mudslides!

[squire]

If one manager's profit margins are up the others will do what it takes to stay even.

[Meruck]

The simplest solution is to make all whiskey premium. See......problem solved.

[squire]

I believe that's what they did, quickest way to age whisky is with a funnel.

[Jono]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/05/23/new-jersey-bars-filled-premium-liquor-bottles-with-cheap-booze-authorities-say/?intcmp=HPBucket

New Jersey bars filled premium liquor bottles with cheap booze, authorities say

Published May 23, 2013

Associated Press

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/05/23/new-jersey-bars-filled-premium-liquor-bottles-with-cheap-booze-authorities-say/?intcmp=HPBucket#ixzz2U8OriSxW

Stick with the regular tequila instead of the "premium".

[Alden]

Ditto.

http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?20099-Operation-Swill

[ChainWhip]

Somewhat related (mods feel free to yank this post somewhere), I'd been reading recently about whisky counterfeit detection technologies (these stories came out around 2011):

http://nanopatentsandinnovations.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-tell-real-whisky-from-fake.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-15520904

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/news/Panda_news/kd_Whisky_on_chip_31_10_11.php

Back on topic: I don't think counterfeiting is anything new in NJ (see the oh-so-historically-accurate "Boardwalk Empire" depictions of this practice)

[squire]

Here a swill, there a swill, everywhere a whiff of swill, T.G. Friday's had a bar, Eee-yi, Eee-yi, Ohhhh.

[squire]

The latest news report says one of the bars served a Scotch that was made up from rubbing alcohol and caramel flavor/coloring.

[GaryT]

The latest news report says one of the bars served a Scotch that was made up from rubbing alcohol and caramel flavor/coloring.

What kind of flavoring? I mean - they might could argue they had improved it

[Richnimrod]

Seeeee, This is why I've always said it's so much better to buy new, full, unopened bottles of whatever high-end spirit you wish, take 'em HOME to dump 'em; then, refill 'em with your own swill, where the cleanliness and purity of your own rubbing alcohol can be trusted!

Happy bar-hopping to all the poor fools who do that sort of thing, I guess.

In all seriousness; I've always wondered what would prevent someone from 'stretching' their high-end liquors with some lower priced spirit; other than a moral compass... So Rare to find one of those these days.

[smokinjoe]

The latest news report says one of the bars served a Scotch that was made up from rubbing alcohol and caramel flavor/coloring.

OK, Squire just Teed it up! Who wants to take the first hack!

Oops, Sorry Gary. I see you stepped right up early!

:toast:

Edited May 24, 2013 by smokinjoe

[GaryT]

OK, Squire just Teed it up! Who wants to take the first hack!

Oops, Sorry Gary. I see you stepped right up early!

:toast:

That was lobbed nice and slow, right over the plate

I'm more concerned by Richnimrod's remark . . . I've always wondered why he's so eager to serve me his "good stuff", when it never tastes nearly as good as I recall? :skep:

[qman22]

This is messed up. I don't like scotch, but I think I could tell if it was rubbing alcohol.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/05/rubbing_alcohol_as_scotch_nj_o.html