Exploring "meatwater"
When the meatwater product first came across my desk (in the form of a link, not physically), it had me and some of my coworkers stumped. Was this real, or some super elaborate hoax? What qualifies this as “super elaborate”? The product has a full fledged website, boasts 50+ flavors, pictures from events with people apparently sampling the product, social media sites (@meatwater, Myspace), “candid” video interviews with its creator, several misguided mentions on late night talk shows and to be completely honest, it had me completely in awe. If you squint at the nutrition facts so interestingly photographed in all of the product shots, you can take note the high levels of protein, low amounts of sodium and tongue in cheek safety warnings. Take for instance, the Fish & Chips flavor reading “Now with extra high Mercury count“.
In fact, this is not even going to be an article that sets out to “debunk” this product, because, I feel we’d be doing it a rather great injustice by unfurling what is a great allusion if you are whimsical enough to buy into it (I’m whimsical!).
What some visitors to their website, dinnerinabottle.com, may find disappointing, is the lack of options to purchase the drink itself. Their webstore only offers apparel donning their logo, and an e-mail to their “distribution” department to see if you’re “qualified” to be a distributor of single bottles, six-packs, cases or palettes of the meat-flavored drinks; that very e-mail will lead you to [email protected]. Sounds like an interesting sales department!
But here’s where things get disgusting, and you can definitely see the agenda behind the creation of such a n elaborate art project. The following video is definitely not for the faint of heart, but serves as an interesting jump-off point for social significance of meatwater. I won’t read into it anymore, a majority of our readers are smarter than I am, so enjoy it for yourself:
What’s most interesting about meatwater besides the super copyright infringing artwork/design (vitaminwater, duh) is the Sasha Baron Cohen level of disguise the creator, Till Krautkrämer, will keep up to keep the illusion of the meatwater brand strong. Everything from Tweeting about the upcoming Poached Salmon flavor, to answering questions of cost with, “If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it“.
From here at Foodbeast, we’re going to chalk up Till Krautkrämer as a great artist, thinker, and dare we say…comedian? I leave you with a slew of the pictures, promotional, product and otherwise that were floating around the web that accompany the promotion of this product that exists…but doesn’t. Also, we know how [/funny] Jay Leno is, so of course he chimed in on this product. Multiple times. Eat on Foodbeasts!
Current list of meatwater products: Stuffed Quail, Bangers ‘n Mash, Venison Confit, Beef Jerky, Beef Stroganof, Cheese Burger, Chicken Teriyaki, Dirty Hot Dog, Fish’n Chips, Hungarian Gulash, Italian Sausage, Peking Duck, Tandoori Chicken, Texas BBQ, Wiener Schnitzel, BBQ Wings, Buffalo Wings, Pigs With Wings, Swedish Kottbullar, Italian Meatballs, Konigsberger Klopse, Basic Breakfast, English Breakfast, Brunch Omelette, Pizza Prosciutto, JBBB, Liverwurst Sandwich, Gryos, Cubano, Fried Oysters, Grilled Clams, Mountain Oysters, Currywurst, Escargots, Gelfite Fish, Haggis, Irish Stew, Juicy Pork Dumpling, Moules Frites, Pork Hocks, Pulled Pork, Sauerbraten, Shrimp Pad Thai, Taco Chorizo, Kenyan Beef Stew, MRE Pork Chops, MRE Beef Burrito, MRE Sashimi, and currently testing Carpaccio, Sushi and Poached Salmon flavors.
