Drink

Sales of ethyl alcohol in supermarkets are reportedly skyrocketing across Turkey, as many locals opt to produce alcoholic drinks at home, including the traditional beverage rakı, amid rising taxes on alcohol. 

The Turkish Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry has banned the sale of energy drinks for those under the age of 18, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on June 30. 

Such products will have to be sold with a tag to be read easily, saying: "[It] should not be consumed together with alcohol, or mixed with it."

Ice from three of the UK's biggest coffee chains has been found to contain bacteria from faeces, according to a BBC investigation, quoted by BTV. 

Samples of iced drinks from Costa Coffee, Starbucks and Caffe Nero contained varying levels of the bacteria, the BBC's Watchdog found.

Expert Tony Lewis said the levels found were "concerning".

Tsipouro and raki producers risk losing their favorable tax status if Greece loses its battle at the European Court of Justice, following a referral on Wednesday by the European Commission.

The plant looked completely useless. A shrub with green leaves and no fruit. The tiny leaves seemed to be inedible; one could not even use them leaves in wrapped leaf dishes. What's more, the local peasants were not convinced. 

Which European countries tend to drink the most beer every year? The Czech Republic is well known as a haven for beer lovers, tracing its brewing history all the way back to the Břevnov Monastery in 993.

Ninety years after the first production of soft drinks in Greece under the name Ivi, and 43 years after the Ivi-Panagopoulos company first started making Pepsi Cola in the country, the machinery at the PepsiCo-Ivi plants ground to a halt on Monday.

Several Greek food brands recently won honors during the annual Great Taste Awards, hosted by the London-based Guild of Fine Food organization , with Anassa Organics, Melitheon and Tresors de Greece winning distinction in a contest with more than 10,000 other brands from around the world.

The first day of the New Year will see a rise in excise duties on fuel and alcoholic drinks, Tanjug is reporting.

However, "for now there is no fear the price of fuel would go up at the very start of the year," the agency said on Thursday.

The industry news magazine Drinks International released its annual list of the World’s 50 Best Bars, while the awards ceremony took place in London’s Christ Church Spitalfields.