origin of booze?

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While some crude forms of distillation may have existed before 1200, the stills probably couldn't get the ABV much higher than 25% to 30%. We know that, with tender loving care, you can get fermentations without distillation to from 20% to 25% ABV.

Brandy which is distilled wine (~40% ABV) was available, at least in northern France, in the late 1100's.

I suspect the Scots were the first to run stills that reached 40% ABV and were probably the first to use double distillation to reach 80%+ ABV.

Dick

The Wikipedia article seems fairly well sourced to me, and jibes with what I know of the history of Alchemy. Certainly, the Islamic scientist Geber is widely credited with the development of "scientific" distillation, and the name alcohol itself reveals its Islamic origins (from Arabic al-kuhl, meaning "spirits" or something like that).

Mark Lipton

Yes, I have heard about the Islamic origins of distillation, and frm there distillation spread to Europe. However the early history of distillation may date back to the Chinese in 3000 BC. See a brief discussion of the use of distillation at

I doubt if many modern people would like to drink any of this early brew, including that first made in France where it was called eau de vie at first. "Firewater" likely would have been a more apt name back then. Crude alcoholic distillates back then were considered medicine for the most part. As time passed the firewater was sweetened and various herbs and spices were added. An early example called Goldwasser still can be found today. It is sweet, has considerable herb-spice character, and has small particles of gold leaf in it. Likely the early versions of Goldwasser were much less smooth, since they were based on a less refined alcohol. At one time sugar was very expensive. Thus a brew of alcohol, sugar, then expensive spices and herbs, and gold should be a super medicine besides being far easier to drink than the crude alcohol alone.

And you can get higher concentrations by freezing the crude prep and fishing out the ice. When the crude prep is apple wine, the result is called applejack. In northern Europe, this may have been discovered accidentally when barrels were stored where they would freeze in the winter (which is pretty much anywhere in medieval northern Europe).

A few years ago, when I researched this on the web, it quickly became apparent from reports of hobbyist applejack-makers that you don't get a very good result. It concentrates the alcohol, but it also concentrates the fusel oil. Distillation gives you a much higher quality product.

Half fill a glass with Goldwasser, and slowly add Absinthe. It forms two layers, green and clear. Or maybe it's the other way around. Can't remember - but it's good:-)

I have read similar comments. The problem is the methol alcohol and proper distillation protocol eliminates it. But keep in mind that most alcohols get their flavor from the barrels in which they are aged Eisbock is a freeze distillation bock beer. The comments I have read on it consistent suggest skimming the ice chips of the top every day or two as opposed to letting chunks form. But I've never read the science behind that.

Dick

I have come across a mention that indicates the Romans had it but not very efficient and did not catch on. It all depends on the equipment.

Reportedly the pot still was perfected in Islam and there came to be used in alchemy for extracting essences from every thing as in perfumes. The next improvement would be the coil condenser.

Clearly freeze separation would have been known in any climate cold enough to have freezing temperatures.

Alcoholic distillation was first carried out in China. It travelled to the West during the Middle Ages via Islam. Hence the name: Al-Cohol.

Cormac.

Interesting... doesn't the Koran have a few words on the use of spirits?

-- Rich

Just about everything was done first by China at some point. Iron and suspension bridges in 600AD etc...

Dick wrote on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:14:29 +0000 (UTC):

Just don't try to make denatured alcohol drinkable by distillation! Removing methyl alcohol from ethyl is very difficult

Likewise, absolute ethanol (200 proof) was a no-no for drinking because of the use of benzene for the azeotropic removal of the 5% water present in the azeotropic distillate of ethanol. I've wondered whether absolute ethanol is still produced that way, or whether zeolites are now used to remove the water. If so, I doubt that the fact is being widely advertised, for obvious reasons.

"We never stagger We never fall We sober up on wood alcohol While our loyal friends go marching Back to the bars for more..."

(Sung to the tune of the Notre Dame fight song)

Mark (hic) Lipton

What appears to be an alembic set-up was found in a "perfume factory" at Pyrgos, Cyprus. It is dated to the early 2nd millenium BC.

It was probably an apparatus for sublimation used by alchemists.

Cormac.