Tempus Fugit’s Cease & Desist (Abbott’s)

Posted by Darcy O'Neil on May 08, 2013

The inevitable has happened. Tempus Fugit Spirits has sent me a cease and desist letter asking me to stop using the Abbott's Bitters name as they feel they have a legitimate trademark on it. I disagree and I will explain why below. Though the letter is polite, like all cease and desists, it is implied that it will get much less pleasant if I ignore them. Consider this the first response. And it should be noted that legal arguments are complex and this post isn't an attempt to deal with… Continue

Abbott’s Bitters

Posted by Darcy O'Neil on April 19, 2013

After 3½ years of extensive research, Abbott's Bitters is just about ready to be revived. This is not a reverse engineered project, this is based on an old recipe I found that had an Abbott's name on it.

For the full history of my Abbott's research, check out this slidecast. I am taking pre-orders for bottles of Abbott's which should ship sometime in May or very early June. Pre-orders can be placed here for the Abbott's… Continue

From Soda Fountain to Bar

Posted by Darcy O'Neil on February 22, 2013

The soda train keeps on rolling and this time it stopped in Antwerp for the 2013 edition of the Belgian Bar Show. The show is a fun 2 day event with presentations spread through out each day. I was the opening act for Ian Rum-Ambassador Burrell, on Tuesday. Below you will find a slightly modified edition of my presentation. So if you are curious about the soda trend, this will give you some insight, though without my witty commentary… Continue

The Hangover

Posted by Darcy O'Neil on December 21, 2012

Tis the time of year for hangovers. This also means it is time for my annual message about the myth of caffeine and hangovers. If you drink coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages your body has already adapted to the very mild diuretic effect of caffeine. In fact, scientific studies show caffeine does not have any diuretic effect at less than 550 mg (i.e. it won’t start dehydrating you until your fifth cup of coffee). So, when you have a hangover, it is absolutely okay to have… Continue

Patent Medicine, The Endless Search

Posted by Darcy O'Neil on December 14, 2012

One of the historical blights on the soda fountain was the cure all patent medicines that were hocked for every know illness. Some were marketed as health supplements, while others were cures for specific ailments. The one common thread they all shared was their spurious health claims. This didn't go unnoticed and many publications from the period made barbed statements about  the nature of the practice.

Some of the illustrations are still relevant today, especially… Continue