Interesting Alcohol..Genus Gentiana
I don't usually post on #STEM but when I do it includes alcohol. I saw this at the liquor store and bought a couple of small boxes. I was reading the Ingredients:
"water, alcohol, roots and herbs of the genus gentiana"
I was hmmmmm what is genus gentiana:
"Gentiana /ˌdʒɛntʃiˈeɪnə/[2] is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family (Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their mostly large, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are often of an intense blue."
"Uses
Many beverages are made with gentian root.[5] Gentiana lutea is used to produce gentian, a distilled beverage produced in the Alps. Some species are harvested for the manufacture of apéritifs, liqueurs, and tonics.
Gentian root is a common beverage flavouring for bitters. The soft drink Moxie contains gentian root.[6] The Swiss apéritif Suze is made with gentian. Americano apéritifs contain gentian root for bitter flavoring.[7] It is an ingredient in the Italian liqueur Aperol. It is also used as the main flavor in the German after-dinner digestif called Underberg, and the main ingredient in Angostura bitters and Peychaud's Bitters.
The bitter principle of gentian root is primarily gentiopicrin (also called gentiopicroside),[8] a glycoside. A 2007 paper by a Japanese group identified 23 compounds in fresh gentian root.[9] Gentiopicrin was absent from fresh root, so it possibly develops during drying and storage of the root.
Gentian has had a limited use in parfumery, most notably as a glycerine soap (Crabtree & Evelyn) and a perfume (Corday's Possession, 1937)."
The genus name is a tribute to Gentius, an Illyrian king who may have been the discoverer of tonic properties in gentians.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentiana
Thanks wiki!
It's bitter and has a minty after taste. Definately has alcohol in it. Not something I recommend getting drunk off of, but at least it gave me the inspiration for a STEM post (which I never really do!)
Cute none the less, and with medicinal value. I'll try it next time I have a stomach upset.
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