The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-18
State Officer Completes In
vestigation of the VAR
iOuS Near Beers.
RESULT NOT FLATTERING
FINDS ONE KIND, ADVERTISED As
CONSUMPTION CURE, MERELY
DARK BEER WITH FOUR PER
CENT ALCOHOL.
palladium Specially

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept 1S-A report
has been prepared by H. E. Barnard,
state chemist. on result of his anal
yses of near-beers during the last year,
and it contains some interesting read
ing. Among other things, he says in
his report:
THE widespread agitation against
the sale of malt and Intoxicating hq:
uors has resulted in a decreased pro-
duction of beer and the closing of
many breweries. The permanent
abandonment of plants in which hun
dreds OF thousands of. dollars are in
vested is too serious a loss to be &C
cepted without some struggle, and so
in an attempt to utilize their capital
and at the same time to produce bev-
erage that will satisfy the needs of the
thirsty, but dry community. the brew
ers have developed the manufacture
of non-alcoholic beers, dry or temper
ance beers. as they are commonly
known. These beers look like the
genuine malt beer and some of them
taste like beer. but because of their
low alcohol content, and supposedly
Notwithstanding qualities, under GER
tain conditions may be sold In dry
territory unrestricted by licenses or
permits. Some states, however, which
have laws prohibiting the sale of malt
liquors, whether intoxicating or not,
rule agains the most innocuous bever-
ages which have a hop flavor and are
brewed in whole or in part from malt.
Indiana is one of these states and in
response to requests from county pros
ecutors and city officials for assistance
in their endeavors to regulate the sale
of liquor, we have in the past year had
occasion to examine large number Of
these non-alcoholic beverages for the
purpose of determining. first, their al
cohol content, and second. whether O.:
not they are made in whole or in part
from malt.
interestingly Named.
These beverages are most interest
ingly named. Included in the list we
have analysed is Quaker Temperance
Beer" the alcohol content Of which is
above per cent: "Nextobeer," Non
Intoxicating Beer" white Ribbon
'Non-Alcoholic. on-Intoxicating:"
"Minnehaha." "a Mild and Healthy
Tonic for Temperance People" The
name of this beverage suggests the
common translation. Laughing Wat
err term usually applied to a far
more exhilarating and expensive bev-
erage: Hop Cream, sold in all Temper
ance Communities;'' Absolutely Non
Intoxicating Beer Since this bever-
age contains full as much alcohol as
ordinary beer. 1t is seriously to be
doubted whether the statements on the
label are true. Another we'll known
brand is labeled in part as follows:
"Dry Beer Health Beverage. Non-ln-
toxicating. Refreshing, Nourishing. Re
lieves Fatigue. Valuable where a
Liquid form of Nutrition Is Required !:
Stimulates the Appetite, especially dur
ing Convalescence: Is Tissue Builder,
Creates Muscle and Nerve Force" In
as much as the alcohol content is but
IA of a per cent, and the total solids
content but 6 per cent the value Of this
beverage as a tissue builder and a Gre
ator of muscle and nerve force is very
doubtful. Still another brand is called
''vigorine'' although it contains moth
ing which is productive of vigor unless
Eit be the small amount of sugar it con-
(1ains.
One of the most interesting Of the
: n6t8 sold in dry territory, Is
Hop and Malt Extract" the
= 1Alch states that it is Intend
e6s pe 1Dclnal purposes, Not as a
BEN nong other things, the
Label - it as follows:
'Consunf 1870 suffering from
fevers o. ing diseases. or
those unabs - Of or retain
solid foods, d1Gee Nenefit from a
liberal use Of E 1T Extract. .
An analysis Of the A0ws it to
be nothing more ofuAAe iAeA dark
beer containing over 4rrM ut Of al
cohol." III Aae4Y
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