The most common form in which alcohol is employed in this country is that
of beer. Beer is distinguished from other alcoholic beverages by the
addition of hops, which are the female catkins of a plant extensively
grown in this country. Case 35 contains the materials from which porter
is brewed, and illustrates the changes which malt undergoes during its
conversion into beer. The analysis of stout, porter, pale ale, mild ale,
and strong ale are exhibited in Case 35, and the quantities of water,
alcohol, sugar, and acetic acid are shown in an imperial pint of each.
Next to beer the beverages containing alcohol consumed in this country
are wines. The visitor is referred to the printed descriptive labels for
details concerning the sources and manufacture of various wines from the
juice of fruits, especially grapes. In Case 36 the quantities of water,
alcohol, sugar, and tartaric acid, are shown in an imperial pint of the
following wines:—Port, Brown Sherry, Pale Sherry, Claret, Burgundy, Hock,
Moselle, Champagne, and Madeira.
In this country wines are made from oranges, raisins, gooseberries,
currants, elderberries, and other fruits. They are usually called
“home-made” or “British” wines. They contain other acids besides
tartaric, hence the necessity of adding to them large quantities of sugar
to cover the taste of the acid. Samples of British wines are exhibited
in the Collection.