Buckfast Tonic Wine
Encyclopedia
Buckfast Tonic Wine, commonly known as Buckfast or Buckie or Tonic , is a fortified wine
licensed by Buckfast Abbey
in Devon
, south west England. It is distributed by J. Chandler & Company.
monks at Buckfast Abbey first made the tonic wine in the 1890s. It was originally sold in small quantities as a medicine using the slogan "Three small glasses a day, for good health and lively blood".
In 1927 the Abbey lost its license to sell wine. As a result, the Abbot allowed wine merchants to distribute on behalf of the Abbey. At the same time, the recipe was changed to increase the appeal of the product. These changes resulted in increased sales. Modern bottles carry a notice stating that the wine does not have tonic properties of the type claimed by the former slogan.
The wine, which comes into distinct brands depending on the market, has achieved popularity in working class, students and bohemian communities in the United Kingdom
and Ireland
. In the Republic of Ireland, Buckfast (packaged in a darker bottle) has a slightly lower alcoholic strength and lacks vanillin
flavouring of the British version. Buckfast sold in Northern Ireland is the same as the rest of the UK.
Buckfast has become closely linked to the Scottish ned culture
. Due to its notoriety, the drink has also entered the popular culture lexicon in Scotland leading to nicknames, such as "Wreck the Hoose Juice", "Commotion Lotion" and "Mrs. Brown". Other nicknames are "Bucky", "Lurgan Champagne", "Buckie Baracas", "Sauce" and "Coatbridge Table Wine".
when drunk, especially drinkers under 18 years old. Its high strength (15% ABV/14.8% in the Republic of Ireland), relatively low price and sweetness are characteristics that are thought to appeal to underage drinkers. The drink also has a very high caffeine content, with each 750ml bottle containing the equivalent of eight cans of cola
.
Several Scottish politicians and social activists have singled out Buckfast Tonic Wine as being particularly responsible for crime, disorder, and general social deprivation in these communities. Although Buckfast accounts for only 0.5% of alcohol sales in Scotland, the figure is markedly higher in Lanarkshire
. Helen Liddell
, former Secretary of State for Scotland
, called for the wine to be banned. In 2005 Scottish Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson
MSP
, suggested that retailers should stop selling the wine. On a subsequent visit to Auchinleck
within her constituency, she was greeted by teenagers
chanting, "Don't ban Buckie". Jamieson then received correspondences from lawyers acting for Buckfast distributors, J Chandler & Co., in Andover
. A further consequence was that Buckfast sales increased substantially in the months following Jamieson's comments.
In September 2006, Andy Kerr, the Scottish Executive
's Health Minister described the drink as "an irresponsible drink in its own right" and a contributor to anti-social behaviour. The distributors denied the claims and accused him of showing "bad manners" and a "complete lack of judgement" regarding the drink. Kerr met with J Chandler & Co. to discuss ways of lessening Buckfast's impact on west Scotland but the talks broke up without agreement. Three months later, Jack McConnell
, First Minister of Scotland
stated that Buckfast had become a "a badge of pride amongst those who are involved in antisocial behaviour." In response the distributors accused the Scottish Executive
of trying to avoid having to deal with the consequences of failed social policy and the actual individuals involved in antisocial behaviour by blaming it all on the drinks industry.
However in January 2010 a BBC
investigation revealed that Buckfast had been mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in the Strathclyde
area of Scotland from 2006–2009, equating to an average of three per day. One in 10 of those offences had been violent and 114 times in that period a Buckfast bottle was used as a weapon. A survey at a Scottish young offenders’ institution
showed of the 117 people who drank alcohol before committing their crimes, 43 percent said they had drunk Buckfast. In another study of litter
around a typical council estate
in Scotland, 35 percent of the items identified as rubbish were Buckfast bottles.
The monk
s of Buckfast Abbey
and their distribution partners strenuously deny that their product is particularly harmful, saying that it is responsibly and legally enjoyed by the great majority of purchasers. They also point out that the areas identified with its acute misuse have been economically deprived for decades and Buckfast represents less than one percent of the total alcohol sales in these places - actual figure 0.58% of alcohol sales.
content about equal to brewed or percolated coffee, while the "green bottle" Buckfast has a caffeine content about equal to black tea.
However, according to Alex Riley's Britain's Really Disgusting Drinks, the "green bottle" Buckfast contains the caffeine normally contained within six cups of coffee. The series also mentions that drop for drop, Buckfast has more caffeine than Red Bull
.
, a biologically important sugar
which has a role in cellular energy metabolism. Both glycerol-3-phosphate and its close relative 3-Phosphoglycerate are intermediaries in the glycolysis
pathway, the major biochemical pathway for energy production in animals. They are downstream from glucose
and therefore can be converted more quickly into energy
than glucose. They therefore have a tonic property in people who are depleted of energy.
Glycerophosphate is used in intravenous drip solutions as a source of phosphate
, a biologically important ion
used in energy-requiring reactions.
Fortified wine
Fortified wine is wine to which a distilled beverage has been added. Fortified wine is distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation, while fortified wine is simply wine that has had a spirit added to it...
licensed by Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Dedicated to Saint Mary, it was founded in 1018 and run by the Cistercian order from 1147 until it was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, south west England. It is distributed by J. Chandler & Company.
History
The wine, which is still manufactured using many of the same ingredients, is based on a traditional recipe from France.The BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks at Buckfast Abbey first made the tonic wine in the 1890s. It was originally sold in small quantities as a medicine using the slogan "Three small glasses a day, for good health and lively blood".
In 1927 the Abbey lost its license to sell wine. As a result, the Abbot allowed wine merchants to distribute on behalf of the Abbey. At the same time, the recipe was changed to increase the appeal of the product. These changes resulted in increased sales. Modern bottles carry a notice stating that the wine does not have tonic properties of the type claimed by the former slogan.
The wine, which comes into distinct brands depending on the market, has achieved popularity in working class, students and bohemian communities in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. In the Republic of Ireland, Buckfast (packaged in a darker bottle) has a slightly lower alcoholic strength and lacks vanillin
Vanillin
Vanillin is a phenolic aldehyde, an organic compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3. Its functional groups include aldehyde, ether, and phenol. It is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. It is also found in Leptotes bicolor, roasted coffee and the Chinese red pine...
flavouring of the British version. Buckfast sold in Northern Ireland is the same as the rest of the UK.
Buckfast has become closely linked to the Scottish ned culture
Ned (Scottish)
Ned is a derogatory term applied in Scotland to hooligans, louts or petty criminals, latterly with the stereotypical implication that they wear casual sports clothes. Such usage in Glasgow dates back to the 1960s or earlier.-Early use of term:...
. Due to its notoriety, the drink has also entered the popular culture lexicon in Scotland leading to nicknames, such as "Wreck the Hoose Juice", "Commotion Lotion" and "Mrs. Brown". Other nicknames are "Bucky", "Lurgan Champagne", "Buckie Baracas", "Sauce" and "Coatbridge Table Wine".
Controversy in Scotland
In Scotland, Buckfast is associated with drinkers who are prone to committing anti-social behaviourAnti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is behaviour that lacks consideration for others and that may cause damage to society, whether intentionally or through negligence, as opposed to pro-social behaviour, behaviour that helps or benefits society...
when drunk, especially drinkers under 18 years old. Its high strength (15% ABV/14.8% in the Republic of Ireland), relatively low price and sweetness are characteristics that are thought to appeal to underage drinkers. The drink also has a very high caffeine content, with each 750ml bottle containing the equivalent of eight cans of cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
.
Several Scottish politicians and social activists have singled out Buckfast Tonic Wine as being particularly responsible for crime, disorder, and general social deprivation in these communities. Although Buckfast accounts for only 0.5% of alcohol sales in Scotland, the figure is markedly higher in Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
. Helen Liddell
Helen Liddell
Helen Lawrie Liddell, Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Monklands East from 1994 to 1997, and then for Airdrie and Shotts until 2005, whereafter she became the British High Commissioner to Australia until 2009...
, former Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
, called for the wine to be banned. In 2005 Scottish Justice Minister, Cathy Jamieson
Cathy Jamieson
Catherine Mary "Cathy" Jamieson is a UK Labour party politician and the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock & Loudoun. She has previously been Deputy Leader and Acting Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, former Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, and Labour Co-operative Member of the...
MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
, suggested that retailers should stop selling the wine. On a subsequent visit to Auchinleck
Auchinleck
Auchinleck ; is a village five miles south-east of Mauchline, and a couple of miles north-west of Cumnock in East Ayrshire, Scotland.Near the village is Auchinleck House, past home of the lawyer, diarist and biographer James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck.Auchinleck has much been associated...
within her constituency, she was greeted by teenagers
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
chanting, "Don't ban Buckie". Jamieson then received correspondences from lawyers acting for Buckfast distributors, J Chandler & Co., in Andover
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
. A further consequence was that Buckfast sales increased substantially in the months following Jamieson's comments.
In September 2006, Andy Kerr, the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
's Health Minister described the drink as "an irresponsible drink in its own right" and a contributor to anti-social behaviour. The distributors denied the claims and accused him of showing "bad manners" and a "complete lack of judgement" regarding the drink. Kerr met with J Chandler & Co. to discuss ways of lessening Buckfast's impact on west Scotland but the talks broke up without agreement. Three months later, Jack McConnell
Jack McConnell
Jack Wilson McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale is a British Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was third First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007, making him the longest serving First Minister in the history of the Scottish Parliament...
, First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
stated that Buckfast had become a "a badge of pride amongst those who are involved in antisocial behaviour." In response the distributors accused the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
of trying to avoid having to deal with the consequences of failed social policy and the actual individuals involved in antisocial behaviour by blaming it all on the drinks industry.
However in January 2010 a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
investigation revealed that Buckfast had been mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in the Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
area of Scotland from 2006–2009, equating to an average of three per day. One in 10 of those offences had been violent and 114 times in that period a Buckfast bottle was used as a weapon. A survey at a Scottish young offenders’ institution
Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution
Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution is a type of British prison intended for offenders aged between 18 and 20, although some prisons cater for younger offenders from ages 15 to 17, who are classed as juvenile offenders...
showed of the 117 people who drank alcohol before committing their crimes, 43 percent said they had drunk Buckfast. In another study of litter
Litter
Litter consists of waste products such as containers, papers, wrappers or faeces which have been disposed of without consent. Litter can also be used as a verb...
around a typical council estate
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
in Scotland, 35 percent of the items identified as rubbish were Buckfast bottles.
The monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s of Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Dedicated to Saint Mary, it was founded in 1018 and run by the Cistercian order from 1147 until it was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
and their distribution partners strenuously deny that their product is particularly harmful, saying that it is responsibly and legally enjoyed by the great majority of purchasers. They also point out that the areas identified with its acute misuse have been economically deprived for decades and Buckfast represents less than one percent of the total alcohol sales in these places - actual figure 0.58% of alcohol sales.
"Green bottle" Buckfast tonic wine, usually found in the United Kingdom
- Red wine based aperitif, 15% abv.
- Sodium glycerophosphate, an emulsifier.
- Dipotassium phosphate, a protein stabiliserAntioxidantAn antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
- Disodium phosphateDisodium phosphateDisodium hydrogen phosphate is a sodium salt of phosphoric acid. It is a white powder that is highly hygroscopic and water soluble. It is therefore used commercially as an anti-caking additive in powdered products. It is also known as disodium hydrogen orthophosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate...
, a stabiliser and emulsifier. - CaffeineCaffeineCaffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
, 37.5 mg/100ml (i.e. 0.0375 % w/v) - VanillinVanillinVanillin is a phenolic aldehyde, an organic compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3. Its functional groups include aldehyde, ether, and phenol. It is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. It is also found in Leptotes bicolor, roasted coffee and the Chinese red pine...
"Brown bottle" Buckfast variant, typically from Ireland
- Red wine, 14.8% alcohol v/v.
- Sodium and potassium glycerophosphates - both measured at 0.65% w/v.
- Disodium phosphateDisodium phosphateDisodium hydrogen phosphate is a sodium salt of phosphoric acid. It is a white powder that is highly hygroscopic and water soluble. It is therefore used commercially as an anti-caking additive in powdered products. It is also known as disodium hydrogen orthophosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate...
, a stabiliser and emulsifer. - CaffeineCaffeineCaffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
, 55 mg/100ml (i.e. 0.055% w/v) - SulfiteSulfiteSulfites are compounds that contain the sulfite ion SO. The sulfite ion is the conjugate base of bisulfite. Although the acid itself is elusive, its salts are widely used.-Structure:...
preservatives.
Alcohol
Buckfast contains 15% alcohol in the 750 ml green-bottled UK version, and 14.8% in the brown-bottled Republic Of Ireland version. That equates to 11.25 units (UK) of ethanol.Caffeine
The "brown bottle" Buckfast has a caffeineCaffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
content about equal to brewed or percolated coffee, while the "green bottle" Buckfast has a caffeine content about equal to black tea.
However, according to Alex Riley's Britain's Really Disgusting Drinks, the "green bottle" Buckfast contains the caffeine normally contained within six cups of coffee. The series also mentions that drop for drop, Buckfast has more caffeine than Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
.
Glycerophosphates
Sodium and potassium glycerophosphate are salts of glycerol 3-phosphateGlycerol 3-phosphate
Glycerol 3-phosphate is an organophosphate derived from the reaction catalysed by glycerol kinase where ATP + glycerol ADP + sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. It is a component of glycerophospholipids. It should not be confused with the similarly named glycerate 3-phosphate or glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate...
, a biologically important sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
which has a role in cellular energy metabolism. Both glycerol-3-phosphate and its close relative 3-Phosphoglycerate are intermediaries in the glycolysis
Glycolysis
Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose C6H12O6, into pyruvate, CH3COCOO− + H+...
pathway, the major biochemical pathway for energy production in animals. They are downstream from glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
and therefore can be converted more quickly into energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
than glucose. They therefore have a tonic property in people who are depleted of energy.
Glycerophosphate is used in intravenous drip solutions as a source of phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
, a biologically important ion
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. The name was given by physicist Michael Faraday for the substances that allow a current to pass between electrodes in a...
used in energy-requiring reactions.
In popular culture
- An episode of Rab C. NesbittRab C. NesbittRab C. Nesbitt is a Scottish sitcom which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who believed unemployment was the life for him...
features Rab and Jamesie making a pilgrimage to Buckfast Abbey. - Buckfast was featured on the BBC documentary Britain's Really Disgusting Drinks.
- A green bottle of Buckfast can be seen in the final scene of TrainspottingTrainspotting (film)Trainspotting is a 1996 British satirical/drama film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The movie follows a group of heroin addicts in a late 1980s economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their passage through life...
, as Renton exits the hotel room. - Ted LeoTed LeoTheodore F. Leo , called "Ted," as a short form of "Theodore," is an American punk rock/indie rock songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, though he is most known for his singing and guitar playing...
recorded a song titled "A Bottle of Buckie" on the album Living with the LivingLiving with the LivingLiving with the Living is the fifth album by the Washington, D.C. rock band Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, released in 2007 by Touch and Go Records. It was the band's first album for the Touch and Go label and debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number 109, selling about 8,000 copies in its first...
. - The cartoon character Groundskeeper WillieGroundskeeper WillieWilliam McDougal, usually referred to as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is head groundskeeper at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is a Scottish immigrant, almost feral in nature and immensely proud of his homeland...
is seen drinking a bottle of buckfast in The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your LifeLisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life"Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons 22nd season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 14, 2010.-Plot:...
". - The Scottish Folk MetalFolk metalFolk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band AlestormAlestormAlestorm is a folk metal band from Perth, Scotland. Their music is characterized by a pirate theme, and as a result have been dubbed a "Pirate metal" band at a popular heavy metal related website....
recorded a song entitled Buckfast Powersmash, for their third album. - Buckfast is regularly referred to in the Irish RTE comedy series, Hardy BucksHardy BucksHardy Bucks is an Irish mockumentary TV show written by Martin Maloney, Chris Tordoff and Mike Cockayne. The Hardy Bucks started out with a series of largely improvised online webisodes directed and edited by Tordoff who had studied Media Production. A six-part webisode series went on to win the...
.