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drinks contained rather large proportions of alcohol. I therefore
determined the alcohol in all the samples of Ginger-beer and Gingerale.
The largest quantity found was 1.2 per cent. of proof-spirit and
the lowest 0.2 per cent. These quantities are so small as to be really
of no moment either to the excise officer or to the teetotaller. The
presence of this small amount of spirit is essential, and is due to the
mode of manufacture. Ginger-beer is essentially a solution of sugar
that is caused to ferment either by exposure to the air or by the
addition of a little yeast. It is flavoured with ginger and the head
or foam is produced either by white of egg or by quillaia bark. In
the process of fermentation the alcohol is necessarily produced.
Soda-water is merely a name for water impregnated with carbonic
acid gas, it formerly contained bicarbonate of soda; but the public
not liking the taste this ingredient was soon left out altogether.
Unless specially ordered, it is not easily to be obtained containing any
soda.
A perfect non-alcoholic drink is still greatly needed ; most of the
mineral waters to the popular palate are unsatisfying, they leave
behind either a vapid taste or a sweet cloying flavour. A beverage
that can well replace the national drink, beer, has yet to be found.
Appending a tabular list of the various articles analyzed.
I remain
Yours faithfully and obediently,
ALF. W. STOKES,
Public Analyst.