“We Are Drinking Paraffin”: Revellers At Risk Of Alcohol Poisoning For Drinking Fake Whiskey In Zimbabwe

People who booze are at risk of alcohol poisoning owing to drinking fake whiskey and other alcoholic beverages flooding the market in Zimbabwe.

The Fake Alcohol Pandemic In Zimbabwe

The issue of fake alcohol in Zimbabwe has become a significant concern. There have been reports of counterfeit whiskey being sold in Zimbabwe, which has led to severe health consequences. For instance, in 2019, three people died after binging fake Jameson Irish Whiskey. Some of the counterfeit alcohol brands are smuggled in from Mozambique and Zambia.

ALSO READ: Health Officials Raid Posh Night Club After Reveler Dies From Consuming FAKE Jameson Whiskey

The proliferation of “backyard distilleries” in low-income suburbs like Mbare is another primary source of this fake alcohol. These distilleries refill luxury whiskey bottles with cheap alcohol or illicit substances, selling them at significantly lower prices than the formal market.

Freezing Jameson Whiskey Causes A Stir On X

Recently, one X user decried how he forgot his bottle of whiskey in the refrigerator. When he finally remembered it, it had frozen to a stone.

I forgot to take it out 🥺🥺 pic.twitter.com/iLT6Is3OiX

— TakuTT (@TakudzTT) May 14, 2024

People streamed into the comments section to indicate that the Jameson Irish Whiskey was fake. One user probed:

“Triple distilled whiskey freezing 🤔🤔🤔 You need to check your supplier. They might be selling you fake booze.”

Original whiskey does not freeze. Jameson Irish Whiskey explained this on its website:

“While we may love our whiskey on the rocks, the idea of it turning into a glacier in our freezers seems, well, a tad too frosty for comfort. Whiskey doesn’t freeze under normal conditions. The alcohol content in whiskey, typically 40% to 60%, has a lower freezing point than water. While water freezes at 0°C (32°F), whiskey must be exposed to extremely cold temperatures below -27°C (-17°F) to freeze solid. In a home freezer, whiskey simply won’t freeze.”

The brewer also addressed claims that Jameson Whiskey may freeze when mixed with water:

“The misconception that whiskey can freeze stems from the fact that whiskey may partially freeze when diluted with water, causing it to look slushy. While it is true that water freezes at a higher temperature than alcohol, the alcohol content in whiskey is high enough to prevent it from freezing in a standard freezer.”

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The post “We Are Drinking Paraffin”: Revellers At Risk Of Alcohol Poisoning For Drinking Fake Whiskey In Zimbabwe appeared first on iHarare News.