Hee hee ~
Silentrun's rather 'concise' summary in Post #36 of the Real Deal re: Alcohol caused this interesting Flashback to pop into my Head...
Our W. Colorado Joint is in the midst of Wine and Small Batch Distillery Country. I'm over it, at this point in permanent Sobriety. One thing a Neighbor does, besides Making/Selling Wine, is to also sell Grappa, and flavored Vodkas. Like, Lavender-infused.
I was at his place one day pre-Sobriety - checking out the operation - and he'd just gotten in a Shipment. His 'Value Add' is not to make Spirits; just flavor them. And, Bottle/Label them. Well, I'm standing there, and here is this Pallet with 4 - 55 Gallon Drums of bright blue Food Grade 'Plastic' with ~190 Proof Ethanol in them. Still wrapped together in Plastic on the Shipping Pallet. As the Lyric goes in the Song 'Up On Cripple Creek' by 'The Band': 'A Drunkard's dream if I ever did see one...'
Watered down with Spring Water - Standard Procedure - you'd get 4.75 Standard 1.5 Ounce Shots of 40 Proof out of one 1.5 Ounce Shot of 190 Proof 'Everclear'. Which is what this Shipment was, sans the Brand Name. So, in running the numbers just now, my Calculator tells me I was in the presence of 133,760 - 1.5 Ounce Shots of 40 Proof Alcohol concentrated in 4 x 55 Gallon Drums of this 190 Proof Ethanol. The proverbial 'Fort Knox' of Intoxication.
In other words, a 220 Gallon Guano-load of potential misery on a ~3' square Shipping Pallet. When I recall it now, it was like standing in the presence of a taped Parcel of Cocaine or something. Right there within Arm's reach. Except, this 40 Proof version can be legally bought about anywhere.
And, none of it is ever again going down my Throat. It's just that simple. Free at last...
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