Pee Whiskey: Urine of Diabetic People Used to Make Expensive Whisky

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James Gilpin, a designer with type 1 diabetes, has created a whisky using purified urine from elderly diabetics, merging art with biomedical recycling

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Urine is collected from volunteers, including Gilpin's grandmother, purified, and sugars are extracted for fermentation, replacing traditional starch-based sugars

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The alcohol produced is blended with whisky for taste and texture, with bottles labeled with the contributor’s name and age

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Inspired by claims of pharmaceutical companies recycling chemicals from urine, the project questions the value of biological resources

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The whisky is not for sale but featured as an art exhibit at 100% Materials in London and the Abandon Normal Devices festival in Manchester

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This project explores sustainability, provoking conversations about the creative reuse of resources and life with diabetes

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