I feel compelled to write this article. Why? My namesake, Vincent Summers of Australia, died from drinking grappa. Or, rather, what he thought was that beverage. It appears it was actually biofuel. What is the stuff? Before describing it, let’s clarify terms.
Glossary of Terms
- Brandy – spirit produced distilling wine
- Grappa – a grape-based pomace brandy
- Pomace – the solid remains, stems, skins, pulp, and seeds, after pressing out the juice
After crushing grapes to produce wine, and pressing the wine from the solids, the remains are distilled to—in part—avoid waste, and to produce a tasty spirit.
Although originally the drink may have been something to be endured as much as it was something to be enjoyed, the spirit is now commercially available and highly prized among enthusiasts. To purists, it is uniquely a product of Italy.
Grappa…
How it was that biofuel could be mistaken for a purportedly tasty alcoholic beverage, who can say? But that’s what happened. Vincent Summers of Australia was one of four partakers. Sadly, this led to the death of three of the four, including Vincent. Fortunately for him, Joshua recuperated. Even his vision is unimpaired.
Note: You might also enjoy Alcohol is Yeast Urine
References:
- Clear Creek Distillery: Grappas
- Life in Italy…Italy’s Elixir
- ABC News – Australia: Grappa Poisoning…
- ABC News – Australia: Joshua Lynam Released from Hospital
