LONDON — Britons are buzzing over a temporary entry in the capital's already saturated drinking scene: breathable booze.
The pop-up bar, Alcoholic Architecture, uses a humidifier to pump a gin and tonic vapour into an enclosed space. Patrons absorb their alcohol from the "Cloud" by breathing in the vapours and by soaking it in through the skin and eyes.
The concept isn't new. Douglass Miller, a beverage expert at the Culinary Institute of America, recalls seeing the idea in action back in 1998.
Descending into a basement on the south bank of the Thames, customers are handed plastic ponchos to prevent the smell from permeating their hair and clothes, then are led into a corner of the bar sheathed in plastic strips.
They walk in. And breathe. Deeply.
"I think the last time I did something like this was where we accidentally spilled lots of vodka into the sauna," said Tom Foreman, 28, who works in marketing.
![](https://media.darpanmagazine.com/library/uploads/news/content/breathable-alcohol@#</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
sam bompas, one of the project's designers, says the alcohol "goes straight into the blood stream, bypassing the liver." patrons are limited to one hour in the cloud so they don't get too inebriated.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
medical experts don't share his excitement. dr. william shanahan, a consultant psychiatrist at nightingale hospital, which specializes in addictions and mental disorders, called the method "a gimmick."</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
"the alcohol avoids first pass metabolism in the liver and goes directly to the brain, which makes it much more intoxicating and the intoxication is very rapid," he said. "this has the potential to cause serious side effects as well as brain damage in the developing young brain."</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
dr. niall campbell, an alcohol addiction specialist at the priory hospital in roehampton, was even more blunt. "the last thing this country needs is another way of ingesting alcohol."</div>.jpg)
MORE Interesting ARTICLES
Educated women less inclined to use dialectal words
Though the study focused on a group of speakers in a single Italian region, the modelling methods used could be applied to predict how geography and...
Educated women less inclined to use dialectal words
Brain wave may help investigators spot liars
Bringing out the truth from people involved in an investigation may soon be a lot easier as researchers have found that a particular brain wave could be...
Brain wave may help investigators spot liars
Age at first drink decides alcohol addiction among teens
An early onset of drinking is a risk factor for subsequent heavy drinking and negative outcomes among high school students, finds a new study....
Age at first drink decides alcohol addiction among teens
US Woman Jasmine Tridevil Adds Third Breast To Make Herself Less Attractive To Men
A 21-year-old Florida woman has surgically implanted a third breast on her chest which, according to her, is to make herself less attractive to men because she's sick of dating.
US Woman Jasmine Tridevil Adds Third Breast To Make Herself Less Attractive To Men
Why Australian couples can't have 'sober' sex anymore
Most Australian couples avoid sex unless they are on alcohol or drugs to get the kick, reveal experts. According to sex therapist Jacqueline Hellyer, there has been a rise in the number of couples who have never had "sober" sex.
Why Australian couples can't have 'sober' sex anymore
Why unequal pay irks employees
Ever wondered why it bothers you when your colleague earns more even when both of you do the same job? This is because humans have a...