RECTIFIED SPIRIT

'Rectified spirit' or 'rectified alcohol' is high concentration alcohol purified by the process of rectification (repeated or fractional distillation). It is used for medicinal purposes, as a household solvent, or in mixed drinks. Neutral grain spirits are rectified spirits made from grain. However, rectified spirits can also be made from other raw materials, most often from potatoes or sugar beet.
Rectified spirits are illegal for non-medical purposes in several countries (such as India), but are legal in most industrialized nations. Until recently rectified spirits were banned in Canada.

Contents

United States

Poland

Germany

See also

United States

In the United States, a rectified spirit labeled as 96% (192 proof), is imported by Stawski Imports out of Chicago, Illinois^[1]. It also comes in a 76% (152 Proof) variety. Because of its multi-distillation and purification process, it is colorless, tasteless and virtually odorless, making it the perfect base for any mixed drink. The 192 proof version is illegal in California.
Another popular recified spirit in the states is Everclear, bottled by Luxco. Everclear is available in both 95% alcohol (190 proof) and 75.5% (151 proof), although a few states have banned the 190 proof drink.

Poland

In Polish, '''spirytus rektyfikowany''' means rectified spirit.
''Spirytus'' is in the same category as Vodka. It is commonly understood that ''spirytus'' is distilled to the maximum purity achievable, which is slightly above 95% (190 proof in the USA), but it is labeled 95% for practical and legal reasons.
Tourists are allowed to buy and drink ''spirytus'' in Poland, but it is illegal for them to export it. Enforcement of the export restriction is fairly lax.
Spirytus is distilled by Polmos Warszawa [1] and comes in many different strengths and sizes for export [2].

Germany

In German, rectified spirit is called 'Primasprit', 'Weingeist', or 'unvergällter Alkohol'.
The term ''Primasprit'' is generally only used for rectified spirit which was originally produced for drinking. In East Germany the alcohol content of Primasprit was always at 96% ABV (192 USA proof), but in reunited Germany the alcohol content can be between 60% (120 USA proof) and 96% (192 USA proof), since the taxation for Primasprit with a very high alcohol content is unusually high. Primasprit is in very most cases used for homemade liqueurs, other types of usage are rare. Most Primasprit in Germany is made from grain and therefore in fact neutral grain spirit.
''Unvergällter Alkohol'' is originally the legal term for taxed neutral spirit with 96% ABV. In colloquial usage (and officially) this term is used for rectified spirit which was originally not produced for drinking. This refers almost only to rectified spirit for medical purposes, available at a German ''Apotheke'' (pharmacy). However, the term ''Weingeist ''is also often used for rectified spirit from pharmacies.

See also

★ Absolute alcohol

★ Everclear