PCC#8 "Broken Spirits" (Sept. 16, 2023)

[pchow13]

Finally getting around to posting my old puzzles here on this forum.

Please see below for PCC#8 - "Broken Spirits" originally posted on Crosshare 09/16/23

[Level 3] Meta prompt: The answer to the meta is the name of a German beer

Note: the level is the intended difficulty I had in mind when I designed the puzzle, but may play differently since every solver has their own area of expertise... what one person may find easy, another may find difficult.

Have fun and keep in mind if you're ever lost at sea, google is your best friend (actually, I don't know if you'd get internet service in the middle of the ocean)
-Phil

Broken Spirits
crosshare
PUZ
PDF

Nudges below:

Hint #1: The name of five drinks are hidden in the puzzle

Hint #2: Take the title literally

Hint #3: Broken (across a black square), spirits (as in alcoholic spirits)

Hint #4: The five alcoholic drinks have something in common

Hint #5: What color is absinthe?

Caveat: For the meta solution, consider the color of the drink itself, not the bottle

Solution below - SPOILER ALERT:

Answer explanation: Five spirits or cocktails are broken across two entries... (CHART/REUSE), (GRASS/HOPPER), (MID/ORI), (BASIL/GIMLET), (ABS/INTHE)... they are all alcoholic drinks that are green. Googling "German beer green" yields the meta solution of "Berliner Weisse"... if you ever get the chance to try it, I highly recommend it... the green one is flavored with sweet woodruff syrup. Happy Oktoberfest! (which oddly begins in September instead of October)

[KayW]

Nudged around the corner. Nice construction, Phil - thanks! And a drink to add to my "to try" list. I'd never heard of this one.