190 Proof Secret Behind the Counter at Oregon Liquor Stores

Secret Behind the Counter at Oregon Liquor Stores the Versatile 190 Proof Bargain Lex Loeb Contributor Network . Oregon State controlled liquor stores have as their origin the attitudes of the great American prohibition experiment. To this day the stores have a secret that they tend to keep behind the counter hidden out of sight. It is 190 proof pure grain alcohol. The bottle runs about $14 but contains more than twice the sin of more expensive brand name 80% proof bottles. Many of the cheaper bottles in the Oregon state stores are just the same thing watered down and flavored. It is not that cheap to buy pure sin. It does have advantages for the creative that the pre-mixed bottles do not have. First is purity. Second is lack of additives. The 5 percent that is not alcohol is water and it seems some sugar since it seems sweet to the taste. Liquors can contain super saturated sugar. Here the sugar might actually be sugar as a preservative if the alcohol is not one of the best preservatives for the sugars remaining after the distilling process. One does not want to drink this stuff straight. Notice the bottle says danger: Flammable handle with care. This maybe the stuff that causes spontaneous human combustion. An 80 proof bottle of Rum or gin contains just 40% alcohol in volume. Much of the rest of what is found in these bottles is water and sugar. Buying 190 proof you can get 47.5 % alcohol by diluting with an equal part of water. But why bother with water When you can add unsweetened fruit juices or other beverages. The 190 Proof can also be used to marinate fresh cut fruits. Starting with nothing but 190 proof you may want to add water later after the fruit is in direct contact with the pure alcohol. Soaking the fruit is one way to preserve fruit for a slightly longer duration. At least one famous sea captain who died on the high seas had his body preserved in a vat of lower proof rum a few centuries ago. The best use for 190 proof that is similar for your own use is to add some to your bath water if you want to absorb alcohol though the skin. Definitely don't over do it. Don't add much. This stuff is absorbed right though the skin. It might even be a good cleaning fluid as a grain alcohol based solvent. Local herb shops use 190 proof to make essences, extracts and elixirs by soaking the herbs in it. One can buy a vanilla whole bean and soak it in a jar of 190 proof and come out with pure non imitation vanilla sometimes at a price much lower than the store price for pure vanilla extract. Here some other things you can do with 190 proof: take one part 190 proof and one part water and add vanilla extract or almond extract. Then add ice and drink it. If you have access to fresh young coconut juice, not the sweetened stuff, use the coconut juice instead of the water . Mix at least equal parts. Use one part Coka-Cola, Coffee or Orange juice and a bit less than one part 190 proof to make your own liquor to taste. The nice thing the absence of the rum flavoring . There is rum extract you can use if you want it or you can even look up the rum spices by googling them. Branded liquors are more complicated tastes when mixed this is simplicity of taste where you can choose what the taste is. Say you want the cocktail taste of the tonic without the gin it is easy to do. The brand pictured may be just one of several the State stores carry? Clear Spring Grain Alcohol 190 from Clermont-Frankfort, Kentucky. See the picture attached. There are other culinary uses. One can dice fresh garlic or basil and soak them in 190 proof for a number of days before adding the contents to a recipe. Other extracts can be made by soaking. Pealed orange sections and some maraschino cherries can be made. It might still be a good idea to do the soaking in a closed container in the refrigerator instead of letting it stand out. Soaking fresh cut lemons with the peel can render a nice cooking extract that can be used on fish and other foods. 190 Proof has it's best advantages in not having additives in brand name liquors added. It lets you turn almost anything to taste into an alcoholic beverage of choice or an alcoholic desert. This is not to say that brand name liquors can be ignored for their best purposes. For making crapes flambé' 190 proof beats the competition and reduces the sugar content. This great for making flaming cheese of fondue. Don't add too much because this really does catch fire. It may be advisable to reduce it with some water before lighting a fire. Never put a flame near the bottle and keep off the stove top. One good reason the State regulates this stuff is because it would be the Molotov cocktail makers choice. 190 [proof is a great bio fuel too. It is just a little expensive for buying 750 ml for $14. Some model airplanes may run on the stuff! It is just an option that one finds hidden behind the counter at the Oregon sin supply stores. .