1883 The Bar-Tenders' Guide or How to Mix all kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks (1976 edition)

Champagne." The"greater part of (he brandy of to-day ts prepared from alcoholobtained from gi-ain,potatoes or beefs. Coincident with the failure of the white wino was the appearance of large quantities of alcohol in the ports of the Charcnte, the most of it coming from Gerninny.' This importation in creases from year to year and is to-ilay forty-six per cent, greater than in 1880. "Whoever will take the trouble to look may see barrels of this German alcohol pUed up in the storehoiiscs of merchanlB. A simple process of reduction and sidmi.xturc of drug.s, a little pure hriindy or the dregs of wine to give the brandy • taste, and the color of the wood, ordinarily suflice, with the brand of Cognac, to create a bcvoi'age which finds a vondy sale in foreign countries. It is hccom- Ing the custom to eell lliis brandy in twelve-hotllc cases raarke