Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-08-31
Misrellanegns.
How Bar Room Liquors are Made.

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How Bar Room Liquors are Made.
To those who know hGW liquors are
adulterated. the childlike faith in the hon.
esty of bartenders and saloon keepers
shown by men who keep barroons going
is q wonderful exhibition of mans conf
dence in his fellow. Imam. The patron Of
saloons may hold his grocer and his milk
man to a strict account. From them he
must have what he pays for. He may be
careful about the quality OF his food. He
NAV not like to be cheated and deceived
bv those who furnish his household sup
plies. But when he asks for drink in q
public saloon he throws caution and doubt
aside. Apparently it does not enter his
head that bartender can or will deceive
him..
For the simple and confiding patron Of
saloon bars there is great store of valua-
BILE information in little book-"The
Artof Blending and Compromising Liquors
and Wines, recently published in New
York for the use of saloon keepers. This
book shows, according to the prospectus,
''how all the leading and favorite brands
OF Whistles, brandies, and other liquors
and wines are prepared for the trade by
recti6ers at the present time" and con-
tains complete and correct receipts for
making all the ingredients. favoring, &C..
employed in their manufacture" The
authors object is to show saloon keepers
how they can do the work which the
wholesale dealers and rectifiers in most
cases now do for them, land thus secure
the additional profit and at the same time
produce as good an article as the market
affords-if not better"
| Newly distilled bourbon and rye whis-
kies are worth from 40 to 70 cents gal.
lon when placed in bond. The tax is 80
cents. The cost of these WHISTLES to the
owner, tax paid, when taken out of bond
al the end of three years, is about 81 IS a
gallon But they are used ''in any large
proportion only in the very highest grades
of blended liquors." For lower grades
the rectifier uses "spirits," costing from
81 10 to 81 25 a gallon. Rules for COM
pounding FIVE low grades of whlskey. six
grades of bourbon. and six grades of rye,
are given in this manual. The basis in
the five low grades is "spirits," to which
are added coloring matter. prune juice,
New-England rum, and 'beading oil," the
cost ranging from IS cents to 81 20 a gal
lon. This "beading oil" is delicious
compound of sulphuric acid, oil of sweet
almonds, and ammonia. Of this acid the
"Bispensatory'' says: "When swallowed
in concentrated form it destroys all the
tissues it touches" Even when greatly
diluted it Injuries the teeth and the contin-
ued use of it exhausts the digestive pow
ers.
The cost of the six grades of "bourbon"
ranges from 81 80 to 81 80 gallon. and
depends upon the quantity of real bourbon
whiskey used. In the first grade only
FIVE gallons are used, with 40 gallons OF
"spirits - in the second only 10 gallons,
or % per cent. of the whole. and in the
fifth Is per cent. of the compound is gen.
uine whisky. The cost of the six grades
of rye ranges from 81 80 to 81 IS, and
likewise depends upon the quantity OF
"spirits" used in the mixture.
In preparing low grades OF so-called
rye" and bourbon" WHISTLES bourbon
oil and rye oil are used. Bourbon oil is
distilled from a compound of fusel oil,
acetate of potash. sulphuric acid, sulpnate
of copper ,oxalate of ammonium, and black
oxide of manganese. Rye oil is distilled
from mixture of fusel oil, enanthic
ether. chloroform. sulphuric acid, and
chlorate of potash. Sulphate of copper is
a deadly poison. Oxalic acid is a poison
that sometimes kills in few minutes
Fusel oil is used by some authorities to
cause the dyspeptic and nervous disorders
that follow the habitual use of alcoholic
liquors. Those who would like to know
what effect these ingredients have upon
the human system will find an abundance
of information in any Dispensatory.
The author of the manual remarks that
it can easily be seen that very little pure
imported brandy, Scotch whisky, Irish
whisky, or Holland gin finds its way into
from $3.50 to S1U 90 gallon. Rules for
making seven grades are given. In two
of these the place of brandy is supplied
by "spirits" and "cognac OIL" This oil
is distilled from oil of cocoanut. sulphuric
acid. and alcohol, mixed in the proportion
of two parts cocoanut oil to one part
pulphuric acid and two parts alcohol.
The cost OF these grades is 81 % a
gallon. Higher grades are made by
putting few gallons of French brandy
or California brandy into barrel oil
Spirits" Scotch whisky is made out Oh
"spirits." little Of the real liquor. and
oil of birch. for 81 40 gallon Holland
gin costing 81 20 is made out of spirits
and oil OF juniper berry. Jamaica rum is
made out of ''spirits," New England rum
and rum essence. This essence is a mix.
ture of sulphuric acid. black oxide Of
Manganese, pyroligneous acid, acetic ether
butyric ether. and oil of birch
The ingredients of the essence by which
"spirits" is transformed into apple brandy
are tusel oil. sulphuric acid, valerianie
acid, acetic acid, and oil of bitter almonds
'ihe oil of bitter Almonds" says the Dis
pensatory. sis hardly inferior to dilute
hydrocyanic acid in its poisonous power. y
velerianic acid quickens and weakens the
hearts action. 1t causes debility and Their
paralysis.
There is a long list OF cordials and
wines for the manufacture OF which the
manual gives directions. Two kinds Of
blackberry brandy-one "a superior arti
cle"-are described. and there is no trace
of the black berry in either of them. Oils
and acids are there. however. in abun