1869 Cooling Cups and Dainty drinks by William Terrington

ALCOHOL. —

Alcohol, which is

the living characteristic or

and

wines,

of

principle

in-

beer,

spirits,

all

toxicating numerous sources; all vegetables containing farina or saccha- rine matter can be employed to obtain alcohol. The various peculiarity of flavour, &c., in the different liquors, is produced from

is owing to some alien substance, as an

spirits,

and other causes ;

for the basis is the

essential oil,

same, from whatever source derived. Absolute, or pure, Alcohol, is a limpid, colourless fluid, of agreeable smell ; it readily absorbs water, and unless it be carefully protected, it soon loses its purity : pure alcohol never freezes. Proof Spirit is a term used when spirit is proved of the proper strength ; that is when it is found to contain two pints of rectified spirits of wine with one of distilled water.