Bum wine

A bum wine is a colloquial reference to any of a class of inexpensive fortified wines that are popular among the poor and homeless in the United States for the quick inebriation they deliver.

Some popular beverages in this category are Thunderbird, MD 20/20, Cisco, Night Train, and Wild Irish Rose. Buckfast Tonic Wine and formerly Ripple have similar reputations, though Ripple is no longer produced. In Canada, Bright's Pale Dry Select Sherry is considered a potent bum wine. Another bum wine that is out of production is Sly Fox. These wines typically have an alcohol content of between 15 and 20% ABV. Other characteristics include added sugars, artificial colorings and flavorings.

In contrast to table wine, which may be enjoyed as an accompaniment to a meal, bum wines are generally considered suitable only for intoxication. Note that its classification as "wine" is a very loosely used term, and many people refer to it as "hooch", "street wine", "fortified wine", "wino wine", or "twist-cap wine". Likely the most accurate and overly politically correct description of these products, "beverage for the economical drinker" is also used synonymously with bum wine.
 
< Prev   Next >