“What is a pound?” was a favourite query3 of the great Sir Robert Peel. “What is brandy?” is a question asked now and then; and the answer thereto should be an ambiguous one. Brandy is supposed, by good easy people who trouble not to enquire4 too closely into the composition of their daily food, to be a liquid obtained by distilling5 the fermented6 juice of the grape. The red wines are preferable, although in the seventeenth century the best French brandy was made entirely7 from white ones. The original distillation8 is clear and colourless, but when placed in casks the liquid dissolves out the colouring matter of the wood, brown sugar and other pigments9 being also added. {73}
But if you want the best French brandy, distilled10 from the luscious11 grape, see that you get it; and let your vision be in thorough working order. With the exception of the good, conscientious12 spirit-distillers, all French houses import potato-spirit in large quantities from Germany, and re-ship it to the home of the brave and free as superior cognac. This alone would seem sufficient excuse for another invasion of France; although these evil-minded distillers seek to justify13 their actions by blaming the phylloxera, a little insect which has laboured more assiduously in the cause of temperance—by destroying the main source of intemperance—than Sir Wilfrid Lawson himself. “The ravages of the phylloxera,” say the distillers, in effect, “compel us to employ other matériel, in order to fulfil our cognac contracts with the merchants of the perfidious14 isle15.” It is related of a theatrical16 “property-man” that, upon being rebuked17 by the tragedian for making a snowstorm out of brown, instead of white, paper, he replied curtly18: “It was the only paper I had; and if you can’t snow white you must snow brown.” This excuse is on a par19 with that urged on behalf of the German potato-spirit.
Phylloxera vastatrix (why not devastatrix?) has cost France, it is said, a pecuniary20 loss far exceeding that of the Franco-Prussian war. The little monster was discovered in North America in 1854, and whether the discoverer or one of his friends brought the vine-killer on a holiday-trip to Europe, or whether it worked its own passage will never be known. But certain it is that the {74} little monster made its first appearance on this side in the year 1863. Striking an attitude, with the exclamation21, “Hallo! here’s a vine, let’s have the first suck,” the phylloxera commenced a long starring engagement (to borrow another metaphor22 from the theatres), which in another fifteen years’ time had developed into an enormous success, as far as the vastatrix was concerned. Naturally, it is the she-phylly who does the harm. From August to October Madam lays her little eggs on the vine-leaves, beneath the surface. The ova develop late in autumn into males and females, who migrate to the stem of the vine. There each bold, bad female lays an egg, under the bark. This egg lies dormant23, after the manner of pesky little insect-nuisances, through the winter, and develops in April or May into a wingless, voracious24, merciless little “vine-louse,” with power to add to its number. “The rest,” as the mechanical engineers tell us, just before our brains go, “is easy.” The vine-louse attacks the roots, without waiting, the silly idiot, for the grapes to ripen25, the vine dies, and the potato reigns26 in its stead. Without burning the plant, or drowning it, it is impossible to eradicate27 the phylloxera, without spending three times as much cash, in chemicals, as the vine is worth. This is the true story of France’s great trouble.
Beetroot-spirit is also largely used in making cognac, the coarse spirit being flavoured with ?nanthic ?ther, cognac-oil (made from palm-oil) and—other things. Also of late years the French have discovered that almost as good wine can be made from raisins28 as from the uncooked {75} article, provided they use enough raisins; three pounds being required to make a gallon of liquor. A good deal can also be done, in the way of imitation wine, by chemicals; it being quite possible to make sherry which will fetch at least four shillings per bottle, for the ridiculous sum of fourpence for the same quantity. And it is also a fact that a large quantity of alleged29 claret which (mainly through the endeavours of the late Mr. W. E. Gladstone) we are able to import on the cheap from the other side of the water, is made from currants and raisins steeped in water and mixed with cheap Spanish wine.
And what is to be said of British brandy? A country which can man-u-fac-ture superior Dorset butter from Thames mud, and real turtle-soup from snails30 and conger-eels, is not likely to get “left” in a matter of dis-til-ling. A great deal of brandy is, therefore, made in the tight little island from ordinary grain alcohol, by adding Argol—I’ll tell ye what this is presently—bruised French plums, French wine-vinegar, a little—a very little—good cognac, and redistilling. I believe that it is also possible to extract a good midnight sort of brandy—specially rec-om-mend-ed for roysterers—from coal-tar and paraffin.
The Americans make brandy from peaches and other stone-fruits, good wholesome31 liquor, but their French cognac is not to be rec-om-mend-ed. For it is nothing more nor less than the common whisky which America has exported to France, sent back again, after the necessary treatment. Fact. {76}
Argol, mentioned just now, is a crude variety of cream of tartar which forms a crust within wine-vats and bottles. Originally it exists in the juice of the grape, and is soluble32 therein; but during the fermentation of the juice, and as it passes into wine, much alcohol is developed, which remaining in the fermenting33 liquor, causes the precipitation of Argol. Thus the “crust” of port wine is Argol, the principal uses (and abuses) of which are in the preparation of (besides cognac) cream of tartar and tartaric acid. And malicious34 people say that you have only to scratch French brandy to find the Tartar.
A few years ago a German chemist discovered that a very drinkable brandy can be made from sawdust—whether deal sawdust or any description of dust does not appear; and under the heading, “A New Danger to Teetotalism,” an American journal published the following effusion:—
“We are a friend of the temperance movement, and want it to succeed; but what chance can it have when a man can take a rip-saw and go out and get drunk with a fence-rail? What is the use of a prohibitory liquor law if a man is able to make brandy-smashes out of the shingles35 on his roof, or if he can get delirium36 tremens by drinking the legs of his kitchen chairs? You may shut up an inebriate37 out of a gin shop and keep him away from taverns38, but if he can become uproarious on boiled sawdust and desiccated window-sills, any effort must necessarily be a failure.”
I can believe in the ability of most German chemists to do most things; and possibly {77} sawdust is used in the Fatherland for the man-u-fac-ture of lager beer, Rhine Wine, and—but ’tis a saw subject.
The pure brandy at Cognac is divided into two principal classes—“champagne” brandy, from grapes grown on the plains, and “bois” brandy, the product of wooded districts—I am not alluding39 now to sawdust—and the last-named variety is subdivided40 into many different names. It takes eight and a half gallons of wine to furnish one gallon of spirits; and the ravages of the vine-louse have made a terrible difference in the supply. In fact, the amount produced in 1897 was about one-tenth of the amount produced twenty years previously41. But thanks to beet-root, potatoes, and—other things, the distiller manages to “get” there just the same. But the man who wrote in 1889, prophesying42 the speedy disappearance43 of pure eau de vie from the market, was probably not far wrong. “It would seem on the whole,” he wrote, “that unless the phylloxera be stamped out, pure brandy will soon be a thing of the past.” But they do not tell you this in saloon-bars, and places where they drink.
It was stated by Mr. Dewar last year (1898) that there were 89,000,000 gallons of whisky lying idle in bond because sufficient suitable water to dilute44 it to the orthodox strength could not be found. This statement is calculated to give a moderate drinker the gapes45; whilst Sir Wilfrid Lawson and others must have longed for permission to set fire to every bonded46 warehouse47 in the Kingdom. But the same great authority {78} on the wines of bonnie Scotland made another statement at the same time which is eminently48 calculated to remove all fears lest whisky, like brandy, be on the down line. “The serpent Alcohol,” remarks a writer in the Daily Telegraph, in discussing Mr. Dewar’s speech, “may have been scotched”—was this meant for a joke?—“but it is far from having been killed.” According to the Ex-Sheriff’s statistics the distillation of Irish whisky, despite its diminishing popularity, has increased during the last fourteen years by about thirty per cent; while in Scotland during the same period the increase has been at the rate of nearly eighty per cent. Ireland, that is to say, which produced eleven million gallons in 1884, now produces fourteen million and a half gallons; while the Scotch49 output, which was eighteen million gallons in the former year, had risen in 1898 to the enormous figure of thirty-three millions and a half. Hech sirs! these be braw figures indeed.
Yet let not the British be held up to reprobation50 as hard drinkers, as long as France is a going concern. Statistics prove that in Scotland, the land o’ the barley2 bree, the consumption of spirits during the year 1892–93 averaged a little more than twelve and a half pints51 per month, which is little more than the proportion of spirits required by the Parisians, without wine, absinthe, and—other things. The boulevardiers are called “temperate,” although they drink as much spirits as do the Scots, and thirty times as much wine, not to mention cider and beer.
Distilling in Britain dates from the eleventh {79} century, but in the be-gin-ning it was worked solely52 in the monasteries53 by the jovial54 monks55. What a good time those monks of old would seem to have had! According to the popular prints they were usually engaged either in fishing, eating oysters56, drinking out of flagons, catching57 beetles58, confessing pretty women, or being shaved; and we know that their abiding-places were built, for the most part, on the banks of a river which absolutely swarmed59 with salmon60 or trout61, in the midst of a district teeming62 with game. Any how the monks made spirits, or “strong waters” as they were called in those days, first.
Pure malt whisky is, and has been, made almost exclusively in Scotland. In Ireland they use about one-third of malt to two-thirds of oats and maize63. In England they make whisky of pretty nearly everything, including German spirit, petroleum64, and old boots; whilst in gallant65 little Wales—well the only acknowledged Welsh whisky I have tasted was excellent in quality, and apparently66 made from pure malt. Distilling, as a trade, commenced in England during the Tudor period, and from the reputation bluff67 King Hal bore for feathering his nest, it is probable that the industry was fully68 taxed. In 1579 Scotch distilleries were taxed for the first time. In Ireland as far back as the eleventh century the natives made uisge beatha—now called potheen—without interference from landlord or gauger69, and continued at it until the sixteenth century, when licenses70 were enforced in the cases of all but the gentry71, and to run an illicit72 still was {80} punishable with death and dismemberment. But they ran ’em just the same; for in those days an Irishman was never really happy unless he were drinking, fighting, or being sentenced to death. But whether it was English, Scotch, Welsh, or Irish whisky, or French brandy, or Dutch gin, smuggling73 and illicit distilling were rampant74 through the centuries, and the Inland Revenue officer was no more respected or worshipped than at the present day. Still there has not been much blood shed over those differences of opinion; except in Western Pennsylvania at the close of the last century—a period when the greater part of the universe was fighting about something—when it took 15,000 soldiers from Washington to quell75 a riot amongst a populace discontented with the Excise76 regulations.
Blending and diluting77 whiskies are for the most part done in the bonded warehouses78. “All commercial spirit,” says an authority on the subject, “however pure, contains a small proportion of impurities” (which sounds Irish) “or by-products of distillation known as fusel-oil.” It will relieve the minds of some to know that fusel-oil is merely a by-product79 of distillation, and not the “low-flash” stuff which causes the accidents with the cheap lamps. It used to be thought that during the “maturing,” or “ageing,” of whisky the constituents80 of fusel-oil underwent decomposition81; but my good friend Doctor James Bell, C.B., the chief Government analyst82 at Somerset House (he retired83 some three years ago), utterly84 refuted this theory by analysis.
Whisky is, like brandy, naturally white, and {81} takes its trade colour, and, to a certain extent, flavour, from the sherry-casks in which it is matured. It is also coloured by the direct addition of caramel (burnt sugar), or a maturing wine.
In America, Rye or Bourbon whisky is made from wheat or maize grown in the Bourbon country, Kentucky, and some of it would kill at forty yards. The chief distillery states on the other side of the Atlantic are Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania. At the Cape85, and through-out South Africa, there is decent whisky procurable86, as also a pernicious compound known as “Square-face” or “Cape smoke,” and in much favour with the dusky races of the country. On the Congo, palm-wine—similar to the fermented toddy of the East Indies—was for centuries the only livener, but with the march of civilization have come the whiskies of Great Britain, more or less adulterated; and whereas in the past death by the sword, or the club, was the only known punishment for the subjects of the native tyrants87 who are so fond of thinning out the population, a well-fuselled whisky is now freely employed for the same purpose.
Although whisky is now freely partaken of all over Great Britain, it was comparatively speaking despised in England until the first half of the present century had slipped by. This fact is apparent from a perusal88 of contemporary literature. And in no country has “malt” had such a rise in public estimation as in the great continent of Hindustan, where “John Exshaw” and “John {82} Collins”—the last named a seductive compound of gin, limes, Cura?oa, and soda-water—have been almost knocked out by John Barleycorn and Jean Pomme-de-terre. Until the visit of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, brandy was almost the sole potation of the heroes who helped to hold the big wonderland, the old-fashioned brandi-pani gradually giving place to the brandy diluted89 with Belati pani, or “Europe water.” Thirty years ago a “peg” meant a brandy-and-soda; but whisky has now usurped90 the proud position once occupied by the products of John Exshaw, Justerini and Brooks91, and others.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
ravages
|
|
| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
barley
|
|
| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
query
|
|
| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
enquire
|
|
| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
distilling
|
|
| n.蒸馏（作用）v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )( distilled的过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
fermented
|
|
| v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
distillation
|
|
| n.蒸馏，蒸馏法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
pigments
|
|
| n.（粉状）颜料( pigment的名词复数 )；天然色素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
distilled
|
|
| adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
luscious
|
|
| adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
conscientious
|
|
| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
justify
|
|
| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
perfidious
|
|
| adj.不忠的，背信弃义的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
isle
|
|
| n.小岛，岛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
theatrical
|
|
| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
rebuked
|
|
| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
curtly
|
|
| adv.简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
par
|
|
| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
pecuniary
|
|
| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
metaphor
|
|
| n.隐喻，暗喻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
dormant
|
|
| adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
voracious
|
|
| adj.狼吞虎咽的，贪婪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
ripen
|
|
| vt.使成熟；vi.成熟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
reigns
|
|
| n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 )；君主统治时期；任期；当政期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
eradicate
|
|
| v.根除，消灭，杜绝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
raisins
|
|
| n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
alleged
|
|
| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
snails
|
|
| n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
wholesome
|
|
| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
soluble
|
|
| adj.可溶的；可以解决的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
fermenting
|
|
| v.（使）发酵( ferment的现在分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
malicious
|
|
| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
shingles
|
|
| n.带状疱疹；（布满海边的）小圆石( shingle的名词复数 )；屋顶板；木瓦（板）；墙面板 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
delirium
|
|
| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
inebriate
|
|
| v.使醉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
taverns
|
|
| n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
alluding
|
|
| 提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
subdivided
|
|
| 再分，细分( subdivide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
previously
|
|
| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
prophesying
|
|
| v.预告，预言( prophesy的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
disappearance
|
|
| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
dilute
|
|
| vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
gapes
|
|
| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的第三人称单数 )；张开，张大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
bonded
|
|
| n.有担保的，保税的，粘合的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
warehouse
|
|
| n.仓库；vt.存入仓库 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
eminently
|
|
| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
scotch
|
|
| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
reprobation
|
|
| n.斥责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
pints
|
|
| n.品脱( pint的名词复数 )；一品脱啤酒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
solely
|
|
| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
monasteries
|
|
| 修道院( monastery的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
jovial
|
|
| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
monks
|
|
| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
oysters
|
|
| 牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
beetles
|
|
| n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
swarmed
|
|
| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
salmon
|
|
| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
trout
|
|
| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
teeming
|
|
| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
maize
|
|
| n.玉米 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
petroleum
|
|
| n.原油，石油 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
bluff
|
|
| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
gauger
|
|
| n.收税官 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
70
licenses
|
|
| n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
gentry
|
|
| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
illicit
|
|
| adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
smuggling
|
|
| n.走私 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
rampant
|
|
| adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
quell
|
|
| v.压制，平息，减轻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
excise
|
|
| n.(国产)货物税；vt.切除，删去 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
diluting
|
|
| 稀释，冲淡( dilute的现在分词 )； 削弱，使降低效果 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
warehouses
|
|
| 仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
by-product
|
|
| n.副产品，附带产生的结果 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
constituents
|
|
| n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
decomposition
|
|
| n. 分解, 腐烂, 崩溃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
analyst
|
|
| n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
cape
|
|
| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
procurable
|
|
| adj.可得到的，得手的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
tyrants
|
|
| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
perusal
|
|
| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
diluted
|
|
| 无力的，冲淡的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
usurped
|
|
| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
brooks
|
|
| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |