alcohol beverages generally

Here it is. What all the controversy is about. EtOH. It is quite possibly the most popular psychoactive substance in the world, running neck and neck with caffeine, at least among substances that don’t require a prescription or jail time. EtOH is otherwise known as ethanol or alcohol or ethyl alcohol. Ethanol is a contraction for ethyl alcohol and ethyl derives from “ether.” This particular EtOH is bottled by Ballast Point Spirits of San Diego, California.

This Liquor Sicle label features a prominent reference to “Liquor.” This has become rare. Where did the term come from, and where did it go? The Online Etymology Dictionary defines “liquor” this way:

early 13c., likur “any matter in a liquid state,” from O.Fr. licour, from L. liquorem (nom. liquor) “liquid, liquidity,” from liquere “be fluid.” Sense of “fermented or distilled drink” (especially wine) first recorded c.1300. To liquor up “get drunk” is from 1845.

It is semi-ironic that this term is being applied to one of the few TTB products that is not intended to be consumed in a “liquid state.” From way back in 1892, here is a court struggling with the term, and trying to find the distinction between beer and liquor. In a further irony, the term is probably used more commonly, these days, on malt beverages (such as Colt 45) compared to distilled spirits. “Malt liquor” goes back to at least 1937, and Alvin Gluek secured a patent on it in 1948.

The Seagram name still carries a lot of weight, even though the company got obliterated about ten years ago. Wiki says The Seagram Company Ltd. (headquartered in Montreal, Canada) became “defunct” in 2000. Until then it was “the world’s largest producer and distributor of spirits and wines.” The brands live on. TTB’s database shows more than 500 approvals, with the brand name “Seagram,” within the past three years. This excludes famous brands formerly owned by Seagram, such as Chivas, Crown Royal, Martell, Captain Morgan, etc. The City of Waterloo’s history makes the point that “like so many success stories,” Joseph E. Seagram’s early success was “almost accidental.” Joseph was asked to look after an Ontario grain mill, back in 1864, while the owner traveled to Europe. The main business was grinding flour. Distilling was a side issue, to use up excess grain, but Seagram began buying out his colleagues and shifting production from flour to spirits. The Bronfman family acquired Joseph E. Seagram & Sons in 1928. In another “almost accidental” quirk of history, “Bronfman” means “liquor man” in Yiddish. Here is a great song that happens to feature Seagram (in a not entirely flattering light). It is Uncle Lloyd by Darrell Scott. The pertinent lyrics explain:

He and Dad...