(Fusel is the German for “rotgut.”) A small dose of fusel oils gives a distilled alcohol character; too much makes it unpleasant Concentration by Freezing Distillation is the most common way of making concentrated alcohols, but it’s not the only way Freezing also concentrates the alcohol in fermented liquids, by causing the water to form a mass of solid crystals from which an alcohol-enriched fluid can be drained (Alcohol freezes at – 173ºF/–114ºC, far below water’s freezing point of 32ºF/0ºC.) In the 17th century, Francis Bacon noted Paracelsus’s claim that “if a glass of wine be set upon a terrace in bitter frost, it will leave some liquor unfrozen in the center of the glass, which excelleth spiritus vini [spirit of wine] drawn by fire.” The nomads of central Asia apparently applied “freezingout” to their alcoholic mare’s milk, koumiss, and European settlers in North America made apple brandy — applejack — in the same way Freezing-out produces a different kind of concentrated alcohol There’s no heating step that alters the aroma, and unlike distillation it retains and concentrates the sugars, savory amino acids, and other nonvolatile substances that contributed to the original liquid’s taste and body Purity and Flavor The best indication of how strongly flavored a distilled alcohol will be is the percentage of alcohol in the liquid immediately after distillation, before it’s further treated by aging and/or dilution with water to its final strength (see box, p 765) The higher the alcohol content to which it’s distilled, the purer a mixture of alcohol and water it is, the lower the proportion of fusel oils and other aromatics, and so the more neutral the flavor Vodkas are usually distilled to 90% alcohol or more; brandies and ... aroma, and unlike distillation it retains and concentrates the sugars, savory amino acids, and other nonvolatile substances that contributed to the original liquid’s taste and body Purity and Flavor The best indication of how... further treated by aging and/ or dilution with water to its final strength (see box, p 765) The higher the alcohol content to which it’s distilled, the purer a mixture of alcohol and water it is, the lower the proportion of fusel... Purity and Flavor The best indication of how strongly flavored a distilled alcohol will be is the percentage of alcohol in the liquid immediately after distillation, before it’s further treated by aging and/ or dilution with