Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-08-14
CHEMISTRY IN LIQUORS.
How Cognac Brandy Is Mnde-Hum Is-
sence-E thers-fiavoring Extracts.

-Ethers-flaVoring Extracts.
Chicago Herald Interview.
The reporter for half an hour was cosi-
~ quartcrcd IN the snug little private
Office of leading chemist. The man of
science laughed after the reporter had re-
lated some OF his experience, and said:
BLESS YOU, that essence of cognac
never saw France. How could IL, when
California brandies and shcrrics, made
from the genuine grape, sell for 50 a gal
Ion at wholesale. The essence of cOgnac
is made from what is known TO the trade
a. the oil Of cognac, and the latter Is one
of the triumphs Of chemistry. Why, sir,
there Is no more cognac about II
taan there Is photographic art In a
COW, but just think of 1t, II is so care
fully compounded as TO deceive the best
Judges of the genuine article"
"Bit what is 1t made off" interrupted
the reporter.
"Oh, great many things, First, the
oil of cognnc Is compound of others,
chief among which are the acctic and
butyrc ethers. Then there is the acctat-
ed oxide of amyl. and Il great many other
ingredients too numerous TO mention. An
ounce of the oil costs 81 80 and one drachm
of II Is sufficient to make cognac out of Il
barrel Of proof spirits. The essence of
cognac Is a dilution of the oil, and ~
such Is inferior, but 1t Is easier handled,
bccausc'it does not cvaporatc so much rs
the hlgh-grade oil. The essence costs
about 80 cents a pint, and II takes just
that quantity 10 convert barrel Of proof
spirits into cnOicc Cognac. The product
Is aged that Is, brought To the ripcness
of NJ least live years by Il iudicious addi-
ton OF strychnnc."
GLOW Is 1t ABOUT the rum csscnceg'
"About the same, replied the chemist.
with winning smile, "only that butyric
ether is the main constituent because IT
is more of Il fruity flavor. Tannin and
colclricum also enter into the ingredients
of essence
"But what Is aman to drink, doctor?"
asked the scribe, aghast
"Purc water, my boy; you will grow old
on thnt.n
as it. true that pineapple essence is
made OF rancid buttcryn qucricd the re-
porter, who had heard something of the
sort
"No," replied the doctor, "thc process
would he too tedious. We make pine
apple, strawberry, raspberry, and other
essences from butyric ether, which, rs ]
have said, has very iruity flavor.
Butyric acid, as you know, is the oily,
limpcd fluid contained in all fats, more
or less. II that is distilled with alcohol
YOU have butyric ether. Oman
THE and acctic others also make excellent
fruit essences. All these others are made
hy diStllling alcohol with acids. The fact
is, there is no such thing as essences of
apricot, apple, banana, pineapple, straw
berry, raspberry, cherry, ounce, pear,
blackberry and such like, made from the
fruit lou can't make them from the
fruits, because they contain too much wa
ter, and This fruit juice would be lost i'm
the process OF making ether, which in
tulm Is necessary to make an essence
The only way 10 retain the aroma of the
real fruit in liquid or scmi-liquid form is
to make SirupS-that is, TO express the
juice, boil II with n certain amount of
sugar, and preserve IT in air-tight bottles.
Bul, aS this process costs mt least five
times nS much as that of making essences,
the latter carries the day. Seer"
"Thcn the pureSt does not even stand
u show IN temperance drinksyn remarked
the reporter.
sob, yes" replied the doctor. "Thc
llavorn" extracts of coffee. chocolate.
vanilla, orange, lemon, wintcrgrecn, pep.
pcrmini, Glove, celery, nutmeg, allSpicc,
ginger and almond are true, as Il rule.
Most OF these contain sufficient oily sub
stance TO warrant distillation with alco-
hol, and Others are 50 cheap that adultcra-
tionS wouldn't pay"
"Oinngc and phosphate is very popu-
lar iavoring for soda watcr,n suggested
the scribe
Brightly so" was the answer. "But if
people take the phosphate as Il brain
Stimulnnt they are sadly mistaken. Phos-
phorus, this great brain food, can not he
taken Into the system by minerals, be
cause no mineral viii assimilatc with the
system; on the contrary, it will result in
blockade of the latter. The phosphorus
stimulating the brain powers is the
product OF the action of the system ON
certain food taken, fish especially"