1872 Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks (Mixellany)

ALCOHOL .

Alcohol, which is the living characteristic, or principle of wines, spirits, beer, and all in- toxicating liquors, is produced from 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 spirits, is owing to some alien substance, as an essential oil, and other causes; for the basis is the 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.