[Sca-cooks] Hard liquor in period recipes, was Adamantius pants?

[Terry Decker]

I went rooting into the Cambridge World History of Food for information on 
hard liquor in period.  The following comments and citations are based on 
that resource.

Bear

The essential problem with distilling alcohol is to efficiently boil off the 
alcohol and cool the vapors to collect the liquid distillate.  The alembic 
allows too much of the vapor to cook off.  The distillation of alcoholic 
beverages primarily occurs after the development of the worm cooler and the 
pot still.

Culturally, the Romans and the Moslems would have avoided distilled spirits.

There are 4th Century Chinese references to "strong wine" from the "western 
regions," but they are problematic and probably represent a form of 
alcoholic concentration by freezing (refrigerator distillation).  Needham, 
Joesph. 1984. Spagyrical discovery and invention, "Science and Civilization 
in China, Vol. 5, Part 4", London.

The 6th Century Irish date is probably tied to a Bushmill's Distillery piece 
attributing the introduction of distillation to Ireland by St. Patrick. 
Following Henry II's invasion of Ireland (1171 CE) Irish "wine" was taxed, 
which might mean mead, ale or whiskey.  Old Bushmills claims its founding 
from this date.

Archeological evidence of a worm cooler and alembic pots in Ulster dating 
from the Late Middle Ages suggest that distillation was occurring.  The size 
of the vessels suggests domestic rather that commercial production. 
McDuire, E.B.  1993.  Irish Whiskey: A history of the spirit trade, 
distilling and excise controls in Ireland, New York.

Vodka production starts in the 16th Century.