, 1869-03-05
"FIRsr-cLAsss LIQUORS.
HOW THEY ARE ADULrERArEB .

! AO" IHEY ARE ADULTERATED.
The New York World has been iovestiga.
ting the adultentions in the food, spices and
liquors sold 10 that city. The following is
an account of the authorizations in the liquors
sold al the best saloons and hotel bars in
New York. The analyses were made by
Professor Draper, the eminent chemist. We
quote: -'t uao - 4s..-l !
BRANDY. -sG
Brandy is the spirit obtained by the dis
tillation of wine. When first distilled it is
quite colorless. After being kept for some
time in oaken casks, it becomes Of pale
amber tint, tSe color being derived from the
wood of the cask. Very dark brsndies owe
their color to burnt sugar, whereby the favor
is much injured. The characteristic taste
and aroma,of brandy is due to the presence
of volatile oil obtained from the grape
Pure brandy, therefore, should be the pure
distilled juice of the grape. But pure brandy
is adulterated largely with water and with
the spirits obtained from corn, molasses, beet
root aud potatoes.
The presence of fasl oil is positive proof
Of aduiteration with foreign spirits. Pure
brandy does not contain fiIsiI oil.
FUsIL OIL.
This is the dangerous and and poisonous
property in grain spirits which is eliminated
| by rectifying. Each successive rectifcation
expes more of the fusi oil, and the spirits are
purest which have the least of the element in
it. The process of rectifying is costly, and
therefore the cheaper spirits always have
more or less of fusil oil remaining in them.
Fusil oil is also the most intoxicating prop
erty in common liquors DR.. Taylor, in his
medical Jurisprudence, says: {" have ex-
perieuced the effects of the vapor of fusil oil
aud found them to be giddiuess accompanied
with feeling of sufocation and a sense of
falling headache followed, which lasted for
half an hour. Two drachms Of the oil killed
a rabbit in two hours, three drachms in an
hour, half an ounce 10 quarter of an hour,
and one ounce in four minutes"
IMITATION BRANDY.
There is much of the liquor sold as brandy
which has not particle of the graz spirits
in it 1t is simply corn spirits Cor raw whisky,
as it is called by some,) with the favor of
brandy communicated BY an artificial favor
ing extract. These extracts are now easily
made, owing to the advance in chemistry
The brandy cholOr is obtained from burnt
sugar Imitation brandy, or British bran
dy," as i: is known to the trade is corn spir-
its doctored in this way, and nothing more
Great quantities of our raw grain spirits are
imported yearly into France and sent back to
us ss the best French brandy. This stuff is
injurious because it invariably contains fusl
oil. Even after it reaches these shores, it is
| frequently still further adulIerated by an in-
fusion Of corn spirits. Many of the samples
of braudy reported upon below are apparently
of this character.
TANNIN.
1t will be observed that Professor Draper
has discovered tannin in most of the samples.
Tannin may come from catechu, kino or oak
| bark A little of it can always be found
even in genuine brandies, as it may be de-
rived from the oaken cask In which the liauor
is kept. 1t is an astringent. and ia the prop
erty valuable in curing diarrhea. An undue
quantity in the liquor is, Of course, injurious.
BOURBON WHISKY
Professor draper reports on several samples
of Bourbon whisky, which were purchased
at well known first class saloons. The
whisky was found generally of a purer
quality than the brandy. but still the exist
euce of the fusil oil was apparent in nearly
every case.
Pure brandy should contain so to 60 per
cent. of alcohol None of the samples evans
ined by Professor Draper contained over 80
per cent of alcohol, apd some ranged as low
as 20 per cent The difference between the
ascertained per centage of alcohol aud the
standard per centage shows the amount OF
dilution by water Brandy and whisky, if
pure, should contain no trace of burnt sugar.
ONLY FIRST CLASS SALOONS.
It must be borne iu mind that the samples
reported upon in this article are of the best
liauors sold at the best bar rooms in New
York. In future article we will show the
character of the liquors sold at the corner
shops and lower class saloons, in which cay
enne, salt, and mineral poisons, form parts
of the ingredients.
METROPOLITAN HOTEL.
Samples of brandy sold at forty cents the
glass, ana OF tue HutoAg eOA3 ~ 1"SubI-A'e
cents the glass were purchased here and snb'
mitted to Professor Draper for chemical anal
ysis. The following is bis report;
No. 6. Sample marked brandy-Water
&c per cent, alcohol "a. Contains slight
traces of tannn and fusil oil, and a very
small quantity of sugar. Is an imitation
brandy.
| No. IS. Sample marked Bourbon whisky
Water, 6s per cent, alcohol, 80. Contains
very small quantity Of tannin and sugar
and a considerable quantity Of fusil oil. L
is fair whisky. not sufficiently rectihed, anG
is diluted with water.
AST0R HOUSE. -str
/ Samples of the brandy sold at forty cent
the glass, and of whisky sold at twenty cent
the glass, were purchased here, and submit
ted to Professor Draper for chemical analysis
The following report: y.
No. l3. Sample marked Bourbon whlsE.
Water 72 per cent, alcohol, %, Contains
j k.,k fnnolI nj sI