The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-18

AT IIHerV&SClnR OEAhAASs
Some Foreign Compounds.
From the Philadelphia Times.
There are more kinds of intoxicating
liquors used in the United States than in
any other country on the face of the earth.
This is not because we are such abnormal
ly Incorporate people, for, as matter OF
fact, this nation is quite as abStemtouS
as any, and more so than many others.
But our very large population has brought
with it not only the general habit Of Eu-
ropean countries in the use Of intoxicants,
but also the thirst for the national bever-
ages of the old countries. Thus comes
about the picturesque variety of intoxi-
cants.
No other country in the world can show
such huge importation of all sorts or
queer and outlandish stimulants from ev-
cry part of the globe, as well as the erec-
ton of establishments which turn out skill
full limitations of the imported articles. In
nearly every American city to-day are
places where the brewing, fermenting, and
distilling practised in every part OF the
globe can be witnessed by the sightseer
and the student In every port of entry
from New York to San Francisco can be
found samples of not hundreds, but thou
sands, of foreign alcoholic beverages. Few
Americans have any idea of the variety
and wealth of this field The average
wine card of hotel, restaurant and saloon
alike seldom has more than 100 entries.
Yet in the literature upon the subject, and
more especially in the official records of
the custom house, there are more than
6, 900 different brands of legally recognized
intoxicants.
Our next door neighbor, Mexico, sends
us a limited quantity of pulque and mes
cal The former is a sweetish-sour beer,
resembling milk and water in appearance,
which IS made from a cactus similar to
the Towering aloe of our hot houses. There
is nothing pleasant about 1t at the first
taste. The Mexicans say that one must
drink it twenty times before he appreci-
ates it. To strangers both the taste and
the smell of pulque are horrible, some
thing in smell like rotten eggs; but people
seem to get accustomed to its flavor, and
like it, as the natives do. Bayard Taylor
thus speaks of it: II can only liken the
taste OF this beverage to distillation of
sour milk Qf there can be such a thing)
strongly tinctured with cayenne and
hartshorn." And yetit is a national drink,
and the taste for it once acquired, 1t is a
kind of nectar in its way, sort of liquid
Limberger cheese. From the pulque mes
cal is distilled. 1t Is a rank and corrosive
liquor along side Of which Jersey light
ming is as soft as cream. 1t is popular
with the Indians and half-breeds, who en-
ploy 1t, apparently, as substitute for sui
eide. The native aguidiente of Mexico
rarely crosses the Rio Grande. 1t is a
coarse and poorly rectified whisky.
Central and South America produce a
large number of intoxicants, each of which
is from time to time brought into the Uni
ted States. Some are horrible to nostrils
and palate alike. OF these representative
fluid is casasha, or white sugar-cane rum.
1t bears the same relation to Jamaica and
Santa Cruz that the poor Irish potheen
or potato spirit, does to rye or bourbon
Large amounts of casasha are made illic-
lily by negro farm hands and retailed at
ridiculous prices In the interior of Porto
Rico, Jamaica and Brazil, it can be pur-
chased everywhere at from to cents
glassful, and no little glass, mind you but
a good old-fashioned tumbler holding
over half a pint.
Far different from this mephitic com
pound are the liquors and cordials made
in the Latin-American countries from the
countless leaves, barks, flowers and
fruits of the tropics. Among the more
notable are those whose bases are the
banana, pineapple, lime, lemon, orange.
chocolate, tonks bean, mango, guava, cap
odilla, cassai sassafras, cocoanut, date
tamarind, fig, lily and lemon verbena. To
increase the variety the makers will COM
bine two or more fiavors to produce a
novel flavor. This now and then will be
half familiar to the American taste, as.
chocolate and villa or banana and orange
Nearly all these liquors, however are
utterly strange, and all are delicious.
Generally they are trifie too sweet for
the masculine taste, containing too much
sugar as to be cloying. But for women
and invalids, or for a pousse cafe, sher-
bet or punch, they are simply invalIa BILE.
They have the further advantage of be-
ing quite inexpensive. Before passing on
mention should be made of larangina. or
orange peel gin. This is a thin, yellow
fnlz III 11Rt
bouquet and pleasant but strong taste
OF orange. 1t is credited with all sorts
OF medicinal virtues, and is used by those
who like 1t upon every pretext possible.
1t contains large percentage of alco-
hol; and would suit any Anglo-Saxon
70 perfection From Chilli we get white,
nnely haVored spirit made from apples
and from British Guiana liquor resem-
bling champagne, extracted from the
undeveloped palm flowers.
From Europe comes an inexhaustible
stream of odd drinks. In Hamburg and
Bremen are score OF manufacturers
whose sole business is adulterating. or
rather initiating, every known stimulant
whose value allows fair profit upon the
work. Champagne Cognac and Otard
Madeira, Chateau Lafitte Steinburper
Cabinet and Clos Vouguet are SO skill
fully initiated as to deceive any one but
an expert. Besides this, there is another
branch of their villainous profession
which consists in manufacturing the
drugs and chemicals wherewith dishonest
dealers and hotel keepers can TRANSMITS
raw spirits into four-star brandy OF the
thinnest California vintage into a world
famous wine of the Rhine or MoselIe
While the trade is prohibited, SO FAR as
home consumption is concerned, the com
mercial policy Of the government gives II
full sway to the rest of the world As
a result, huge invoices Of bogus wines
and strong liquors, essential oils and da-
voring others are continually being for
warded from Emperor Williams Tyre ana
sidon to every port Of entry in the United
States; The business done in this line
with Yankeeand already exceeds Ssoo COO
annually and Is on the increase
Our Scandinavian citizens keep alive the
love and pleasures OF home by imnor.-
ing red caraway liquor. Norwegian beer
Danish corn whisky and Swedish nr,,o,,'