Whenever a new product comes out that makes alcohol distribution simpler and more accessible, people who fight against drunk driving sit up and take notice. That’s exactly what’s happening right now at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) as they are previewing the newest alcohol dispensing method: the Keurig for booze.
Although you may never have heard of ot. there is more than one Keurig for booze previewing at CES this year. The Somabar and the Bartisian are both robotic bartenders that distribute shots of alcohol via pods. The pods hold both liquor and mix, and when you use the associated app you can set for strength and it mixes you a drink. For beer lovers there is Picobrew, a home brewing system that’s the size of a coffee machine but has the power to brew mini kegs of beer. It’s also connected to Wi-Fi, so you can download and use beer recipes.
All of these devices are designed to be convenient and simple to use, but will consuming alcohol via a Keurig for booze make you more likely to drink and drive? Because they aren’t actually on the market yet, there is no way to tell. Having an alcohol dispenser that makes it as easy to mix up a cocktail as a cup of coffee may make it more likely that people drink at home or serve mixed cocktails on the spur of the moment.
Another concern is that when you can adjust for strength without actually seeing what’s going into your drink, what seems like one innocent drink can actually have the alcohol content of a double. That’s fine if you’re planning on staying home, but the trouble starts if you quickly whip up and consume a bunch of drinks then head out to your car.
Whether you mix your drinks on your own or you plan on pre-ordering a Keurig for booze, there’s only one thing to keep in mind: if you drink, even one drink, don’t drive.