Oozo

Oozo is an herbal spirit made by refining, fermenting, and distilling Ooze. Despite being a very old alcohol, it has quickly become a recent classic among drinkers of all backgrounds due to the Crunch increasing access to Ooze.

Oozo is a sour and herbal alcohol that has an earthy flavor. Its color varies from light to dark green depending on whether it is authentic or imitation. Only the Oozo made in District 11 by strict traditional methods can bear this name. It must also be bottled in a large teardrop-shaped bottle with a cork made of sewerwood, and aged for 10 years.

## History

Oozo became a popular after the Crunch, when many massive Ooze geysers breached the surface of the Earth. While it had existed long prior to that, it had only been a common drink among groups who lived underground and had more convenient access to subterranean ooze pockets, such as the residents of District 11, who consider it their national drink.

Originally, Oozo was only produced in small quantities by a handful of distilleries in District 11 where it was a common household drink. Attempts were made to export it to New Crunk City, as well as other cities across the world, however it never became popular until after the Crunch.

### After the Crunch

After the Crunch, large Ooze geysers began to pop up across the surface, much larger and more frequent than they had before. This influx of raw ooze became a concern, as it had known corrupting properties and being a petri dish of diseases (in addition to being a pain in the ass to clean up). Despite all this, some entrepreneurial individuals took advantage of these new geysers and began processing the ooze into "Oozo". These individuals even struck up a deal with the NCC government who was eager to have a solution to the new Ooze geyser problem and made the alcohol exempt from tax.

Miraculously, the alcohol really took off. Either through it's cheap cost or unique flavor, people began buying it up like crazy. Suddenly, an obscure alcohol from District 11 was being sold on store shelves everywhere, with high end and bargain bin varieties to boot. Naturally, this somewhat upset the residents of District 11 who had become accustomed to their own private type of alcohol, and for never having been able to sell it outside of the district previously. While some would call it jealous gatekeeping, the District 11 government would petition the NCC government to protect the name of Oozo in an attempt to keep it's reputation and cultural background maintained. Afraid of a revolt from a bunch of sewer dwellers, the NCC government relented, and passed a bill that required that any alcohol advertised as Oozo must be produced in District 11, and follow a set of very strict requirements

## Description, How It's Made, and How To Enjoy

Oozo is a very unique drink, beyond the fact it is made from a toxic substance that is known to corrupt biological matters. It is sour, with a very herbal, almost earthy flavor. The residents of District 11 have been enjoying it as an aperitif for generations, and many of identify it as part of their culture.

To be called Oozo, very strict rules must be followed. While some consider this overboard, it truly is important to maintaining the identity of the alcohol, and ensuring all bottles labeled Oozo are of high quality:

* The alcohol must be produced in District 11, by either Slimy Steven's Oozo Distillery or LDFG (La Distillerie de la Famille Gautier). The raw Ooze does not have to be sourced from District 11, but it must at the very least be fermented, distilled, and aged in District 11. If any part of it is not sourced from District 11, it must be disclosed on the bottle.
* The alcohol must be distilled in copper stills, that have at least 20 years of patina. Patina may be artificially induced, but if such is the case it must be disclosed on the bottle.
* Once distilled, the alcohol must be aged in 100% crunkwood barrels for at least 10 years. It is okay if they are aged in any other type of barrel as well, so long as it has aged for at least 10 years in 100% crunkwood barrels. If any amount of time was spent aging in a different type of barrel, it must be disclosed on the bottle.
* The resulting alcohol must be at least 50% ABV.
* To be bottled, the alcohol must be put in large, clear teardrop shaped bottles, and corked with sewerwood. The bottles are to be sourced from District 11 glassblowers, and cannot be factory produced.

Only once all of these things have been achieved can the alcohol legally be called Oozo.

### How It's Made

Oozo is made from Ooze. It can be imported from the surface, or sourced from underground pockets in District 11. SSOD and LDFG both have their own pockets and refineries on site. Typically, Ooze can be imported in its refined state. It is preferable to use refined Ooze when importing, as it is more stable, sanitary, and reliable to transport. The refined Ooze is then moved to large fermentation vats, where a special blend of yeasts and microbes are added to control the fermentation process

Now, the Ooze slurry is fermented in large vats for 24 to 48 hours, depending on the batch size. Then, it is filtered and distilled in copper stills for another 10 hours. A master distiller monitors the distillation and makes the proper cuts at the right time, relying on their decades of experience to know when to do so. The resulting alcohol is a dark green liquid with a sharp taste and a strength of about 60% ABV. It is too harsh to drink at this stage, so it is aged in crunkwood barrels for a minimum of 10 years. The aging mellows the flavor and adds complexity. After aging, the alcohol is either diluted with water to 50% ABV or bottled at cask strength of 60%. The bottles must be clear glass, teardrop-shaped, and corked with sewerwood. Only then can the alcohol be called Oozo.

### How To Enjoy

Oozo can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a mixed drink. More traditional folks will enjoy it with small amount of honey, while others will simply do shots of it at a bar. As for mixed drinks, one mixed drink is the most popular, the Oozo Sour.

To make an Oozo Sour:

* Place 2 oz of Oozo, 1 oz of lemon juice, 0.75 oz of simple syrup or .45 oz of honey, and 1 egg white in a cocktail shaker and add a handful of ice.
* Shake until cold and frothy.
* Strain into a cocktail glass.
* If desired, garnish with a lemon wheel.
* Enjoy!