And pray, from what vegetable is the favourite spirit of the lower orders of people, gin, extracted?
MRS. B.
The spirit (which is the same in all fermented liquors) may be obtained from any kind of grain; but the peculiar flavour which distinguishes gin is that of juniper berries, which are distilled together with the grain—
I think the brandy contained in the wine which we are distilling must, by this time, be all come over. Yes—taste the liquid that is now dropping from the alembic—
CAROLINE.
It is perfectly insipid, like water.
MRS. B.
It is water, which, as I was telling you, is the second product of wine, and comes over after all the spirit, which is the lightest part, is distilled.—The tartar and extractive colouring matter we shall find in a solid form at the bottom of the alembic.
EMILY.
They look very like the lees of wine.