British Designer Creates Whisky from Urine
Whisky made from human urine, and we're not taking the piss.
Let's not be coy: it's fairly safe to say anyone reading this has likely spent an occasion or two on the piss. British designer and biomedical researcher, James Gilpin, has taken the concept a little far with his latest project, Gilpin Family Whisky.
A type-one diabetic, Gilpin has created a high-end malt whisky, made from the treatment of the sugar-rich urine of elderly, type-two diabetics. The urine, “sourced” from elderly volunteers, including Gilpin's own grandmother, is purified in the same way mains water traditionally is, with sugar molecules removed and used to accelerate the whizz-ky's fermentation process.
Proposed as an art piece to question whether it's "plausible to suggest that we start utilising our water purification systems in order to harvest the biological resources that our elderly already process in abundance", the pissky will be exhibited at 100% Materials, a design and architecture event in London this month, and again at the Abandon Normal Devices festival in Manchester in October. Don't worry – tasting sessions will be available. Gilpin will be airing three films alongside the bottles of amber, each intended to promote awareness of diabetes.
The number one innovations will be bottled with the name and age of its original creator. Make mine a Patricia Gilpin, Age 73, on the rocks.
Images from www.di10.rca.ac.uk