Shocked... Shocked I tell you!
A wonderful example of over-the-top "
yellow journalism" found in
Khaleej Times Online:
Saudis shocked at discovery of wine factories
Recent reports in the local media giving details of raids on illegal wine factories across the Kingdom have shocked Saudi society where alcohol is banned.
A number of government departments took part in the crackdown, including the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, with others providing general assistance.
Saudi society continues to refuse to admit alcohol use is rife in the country, with the authorities arguing that those who engage in the illegal activity aim to spread evil without realising that large amounts of alcoholic drinks are due to local demands, according to a report in the Arabic daily Asharq Al Awsat on Saturday.
On Tuesday, a residential place in the Al Rabwa neighbourhood, east of the capital, was broken-into and a complete alcohol-producing factory was uncovered along with SR15,000 worth of goods ready to be distributed across the Kingdom.
The house had been rented by a Saudi national in charge of the marketing side with a number of workers, mostly from Africa, overseeing the production.
The report said that further searches of the property provided details of how large quantities of wine were being produced, using heavy machinery to process the grapes, rat carcasses to accelerate the fermentation process as well as sewage water and several banned chemicals.
It said that similar equipment was discovered at raided properties elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, none of which followed basic rules of hygiene as they sought to maximise profits with no regards to health and safety.
A two-litre bottle of beer can cost as much as SR 250 with some producers offering discounts for large orders. On an average, the number of barrels used to ferment grapes in each of the twenty illegal factories discovered by the police was 50, holding 500 litres, the price of which was SR 3.75 million, usually sold within a two months period. A single factory could therefore generate SR 22.5 million every year.
Wine bottles, smuggled into the Kingdom and sold on the black market, cost SR700 and are sometimes laden with chemicals to increase alcohol content and volume.
Distribution occurs mainly on Wednesdays and Thursdays, when agents deliver their shipments to consumers, in areas designed to evade supervision, usually through trusted intermediaries. Wine merchants conduct their affairs with extreme caution fearing a trap by the moral police.
An official involved in the latest raid told Asharq Al-Awsat that wine factories were, for the most part, uncovered with the help of individuals previously involved in the trade, who regretted participating in illegal activities and cooperated with the authorities. The Riyadh Health Centre, responsible for promoting awareness of the dangers of locally- produced wine, said drinking could cause kidney failure and damage the liver due to harmful chemicals.
Ongoing investigations with individuals arrested for their involvement in producing or selling alcoholic beverages, revealed that most of them were non- Saudis who had learned the necessary skills before travelling to the Kingdom and then teaching locals.
Most of those arrested said economic gain was the main motive behind their actions since they could obtain large sums of money in a limited period.
I know a little bit about making wine as I have been homebrewing for over twenty years and my wife and I are starting up a commercial booze business. A few comments...
To get a handle on what dollar amount we are talking about, One Saudi Ryal equals 0.266 US Dollars. Think of them as equal to a quarter, four SR's equals about a buck ($1.06 to be exact).
The report said that further searches of the property provided details of how large quantities of wine were being produced, using heavy machinery to process the grapes, rat carcasses to accelerate the fermentation process as well as sewage water and several banned chemicals.
The equipment used to process grapes is not heavy -- a crusher destemmer and bladder press are small enough to be operated by one person and equipment of this size is fine for a small commercial winery.
Rat Carcasses -- gimme a break. There are some very early recipes which call for adding a piece of meat at the beginning of fermentation. This was to provide amino acids and specific enzymes for the yeast to use. This technique was dropped when the yeasts were studied and a system of nutrients were developed to ensure a vigorous fermentation.
Sewage Water -- belongs in the sewer. There are waste streams from wine making (mostly cleaners and sanitizers mixed with water) but these are not incorporated into the product. The author of this "news item" is trying to make people think that the sewage was a component of the wine.
As for Banned Chemicals -- how about telling us what chemicals the "Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" and the "Moral Police" have banned. These people probably had sodium or potassium metabisulfate, some jugs of chlorox (sanitation) and a few kilos of yeast nutrient.
Back to the news article:
A two-litre bottle of beer can cost as much as SR 250 with some producers offering discounts for large orders. On an average, the number of barrels used to ferment grapes in each of the twenty illegal factories discovered by the police was 50, holding 500 litres, the price of which was SR 3.75 million, usually sold within a two months period. A single factory could therefore generate SR 22.5 million every year.
What is it they were making -- wine or beer? And for $62.50 for two liters, that had better be some really fine beer!
But then they are back to "barrels used to ferment grapes"
500 litres is about 133 Gallons. A smallish hot tub is about 400 gallons so you can get a handle on the size of 500 liters. They had 50 of these barrels? In a house? If it was 50 ten litre barrels, that might make more sense but each barrel would only be just under three gallons -- not very efficient.
And finally:
Wine bottles, smuggled into the Kingdom and sold on the black market, cost SR700 and are sometimes laden with chemicals to increase alcohol content and volume.
They are buying wine bottles and ordering them specifically contaminated with "chemicals to increase alcohol content". The only thing that can do this is either sugar or more alcohol. Adding sugar when it is bottled is not a good way to go unless you are looking for champagne as the yeast starts fermenting again and the evolved CO2 gas has no where to go. It serves to carbonate the wine (or beer) and can be dangerous if the pressure of the CO2 buildup exceeds the breaking strength of the bottle.
Like I said, perfect example of yellow journalism -- all hype and hysteria and zero actual facts. Glad to see that our own Mainstream Media doesn't have a monopoly on this technique.
Posted by DaveH at September 22, 2005 1:18 PM