Article text: LAFAYETTE — “I became a user 12 years ago,” Larry Wright said. “I was feeling arthritic pain in my hands so bad that I couldn’t button buttons or zip zippers.”

Instead of following his doctor’s suggestion of medication or surgery, he turned to gin-soaked raisins for relief.

And within a couple of weeks, he noticed a significant decrease in pain.

Disappointed that he couldn’t find any sources to buy the raisins from, Wright recently decided to continue making them and turn his relief into a business.

He launched his company’s website — DrunkenRaisins.com — in September and is now in the full-speed-ahead mode of building inventory, developing marketing and making sales.

It’s the gin, rather one of the ingredients of gin, which gives the raisins their superpower, according to Wright. “Juniper berries are a known anti-inflammatory,” he said. “But they’re really not palatable.”

So whereas gin-soaked raisins have been a home remedy recipe passed down from generation to generation for years, Wright adds his own touch: honey and cinnamon. The addition makes the jumbo golden raisins soaked in gin more appetizing — tasty, actually.

Although there are no clinical trial results that point to the pain relieving and anti-inflammatory qualities of gin soaked raisins, there is anecdotal evidence, according to Wright.

He refers to The People’s Pharmacy online as a testimonial source for DrunkenRaisins. “About 275 people wrote in as to the pros and cons of gin-soaked raisins, and 80 percent-plus endorsed them as a pain reliever.”

When asked her thoughts about gin soaked raisins and arthritic pain relief Nguyet-Anh Tran, a rheumatologist at Colorado Center for Arthritis and Osteoporosis, said, “We, as physicians, advocate evidence-based medicine. When patients ask about homeopathy or herbal supplements, I always say they’re not backed by clinical trials so it’s hard for me to support them.

“But I looked it up on PubMed and found a study in 2001 where they looked at a substance in grape seeds that showed anti-inflammatory qualities in a study with rats,” she added.

“Nothing cures arthritis,” Wright acknowledged. “Gin soaked raisins have helped me, and I’ve got friends they’ve helped. Whereas 80 percent of people swear by them, 20 percent said they did nothing. I tell people to buy them, eat them and enjoy them. Maybe they’ll help and maybe they’ll just satisfy your sweet tooth in a more healthy way.”

Wright processes the DrunkenRaisins from his home in Lafayette although he has a separate space lined up in Louisville when production reaches 100 pounds a day.

“I can handle about 30 pounds a day right now, which means I end up with about 300 pounds in 10 days,” he said.

His process involves soaking raisins for about 10 days and then moving them to the sobering process for 48 to 72 hours where a lot of the alcohol evaporates. They are then vacuum- packed and labeled.

“The shelf life of a raisin in 65 to 75 degrees is about 12 months,” Wright explains. “Mine, however, are not normal raisins. The gin, the honey and vacuum packing must extend their life.”

He recommends keeping them in the refrigerator for up to one year. And if your palate still cringes at the taste of the gin, he suggests leaving a package open on the counter long enough to evaporate the remaining alcohol.

Wright has personally invested between $30,000 and $40,000 into DrunkenRaisins. “I’ve thrown away a ton of raisins,” he said, talking about his quest to find the right blend of flavors.

Other expenses include ingredients, creation and management of his website, development of the logo (which looks a bit like Mr. Peanut), printing educational and marketing material and packaging. He’s currently looking into having the gin made locally or at least being able to buy it wholesale.

Wright is selling DrunkenRaisins only through his website. Prices range from $24.95 a pound plus shipping for one pound (about one month’s supply) to $19.95 a pound plus shipping for three pounds.

He recommends eating about 10 DrunkenRaisins a day — doubling the amount the first two weeks — to find relief from inflammation. “I don’t even eat them every day now. When I have a flare-up, though, I eat some and within 15 minutes the pain is gone.”

Publication: Boulder County Business Report

Published date: October 29, 2010

Byline: Elizabeth Gold