Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-29
By RAYMOND w. PULLMAN.

What Is ginger ale? This is not a
frivolous question. Uncle Sam would
really like to know. Per-
Ginger Ale sons who have satisfied
n.l, themselves on answering
A0~A0A' What is whisky" What
is sausage" and other mooted pure food
and pure drink questions may now have
an opportunity to solve problem which
Is not covered by the food and drugs law
and which is still puzzling officials OF
the United States bureau Of chemistry.
Ginger ale is a popular summer drink
with many people, some Of whom like 1t
alone and some with whisky and other
liquors. For this latter reason there is
some connection between the two ques-
tons. What is ginger ale?" and What
is whisky" When asked what ginger ale
is. an average person will do best by
quoting Harry LADDERS answer made IA
nous in one of his sketches when he
says: Il don't know. you don't know,
nobody knows" for it seems a fact that
nobody knows just what standard or
formula to set and say that this or that
beverage is or is not ginger ale.
The pungent quality or bite which
people get in most grades of ginger ale
cayenne pepper, and not by ginger. as
many people suppose In u few of the
best grades no capsicum is used and both
the flavor and pungency are given entirely
by ginger, although some manufacturers
claim that ginger used to the amount to
give the desired bite" to which most peo-
pie are accustomed in drinking ginger ale
would not be soluble in water and would
produce a turbid fluid instead of the
clear amber liquid to which the trade is
now used.
Just what is ginger ale and when it
may be considered misbranded under the
pure food and drug laws has been a prob
lem with the bureau of chemistry for
years, and just at what point the use of
essence of pepper along with ginger can
he stopped is question. Various pure
food authorities have he Id that the pres
ence of pepper essence or capsicum
should be shown plainly on the label and
il there was as much ginger as pepper in
the beverage it should he called ginger
capsicum ale, or if there was practically
no ginger 1t should be called capsicum
ale. Objections have also been made to
the use of soap bark to make unnatural
foam on ginger ale. The use of capsi-
cum in the making of ginger ale pungent
is not considered by pure food authori-
ties to be harmful to the human system.
although to most people the use of this
pepper essence looks like an adulteration
within the meaning of the law
The various formulas for making ginger
ale are carefully guarded by the most
successful manufacturers. many of whom
claim that a beverage made from the use
of plain ginger flavor would not be very
palatable, and that the introduction Of
other fiavoring substances is necessary.
Among the various flavors which are in
troduced are included a number OF oils.
lemon. orange and lemon Juices.
Why the beverage is called ginger ale.
except because of custom. few people
know. Ale is made by fermenta ton from
an infusion of malt and ginger ale as
Is generally known. contains neither ma It
nor any other agents to make 1t ferment.
There being no fermentation to make the
beverage an ale. it is really ginger tea.
and the of the word ale may be
considered some day misbranding under
the meaning of the pure food law.
To prevent the use Of capsicum it would
be necessary either to get an amendment
to the pure food law or to make stand
ards of food drink manufacture which
many authorities claim is already pos
sessed under the pure food act.
Not only has much of the ginger ale
used in the country been found to con-
tain undue amounts of capsicum but at
times the cheaper grades have been found
to contain saccharne. coal tar dyes and
benzoic acid in varying degrees.