40 GIBBS AND HOLMES. 
and apparatus of distillation, as will result in a more thorough 
rectification of the product, will, in general, be advantageous. 
While some question exists as to the harmfulness of the pre- 
sence of comparatively large amounts of acids and esters, it is 
well to reduce the amount of these ingredients so far as may be 
accomplished in a practical manner without altering in any es- 
sential respect the nature of the beverage. When the liquor is 
to be sold as a beverage in distinction from that portion of the 
liquor which is supplied as crude alcohol to the rectifiers, it is 
reasonable to demand that it shall conform to certain specifica- 
tions of alcoholic strength and purity. At present, vino de coco 
is sold of grades varying from 60 per cent to 100 per cent proof, 
and contains very variable amounts of secondary distillation con- 
stituents. There was, at the beginning of this work, no recog- 
nized standard of purity for this product. 
We believe that the beverages distilled in pot stills, from fer- 
mented palm saps, are of such quality, flavor, and merit, when 
properly made, that they might be properly bottled and labeled 
and then find a better market in the Philippines and be the 
medium of considerable export business of great benefit to the 
owners and operators of nipa and coconut groves. 
With the view of improving the character and of establishing 
standards and extending the market for this class of beverages, 
the questions involved were laid before the Collector of Internal 
Revenue, and, later, before the Food and Drug Board of the 
Philippine Islands. 
The principal questions were the labeling, standards, methods 
of manufacture, and storage. 
Labeling.—The name vino or bino must be discarded for two reasons, (a) 
the beverages are not wines and (b) a great local prejudice has arisen 
against anything which is known as “native drink” or bino. The name 
“whisky” can not be employed for it is contrary to the decisions under the 
United States Food and Drugs Act. The name “rum” does not seem to be 
applicable for the reason that, while the beverage is made from fermented 
sucrose or materials from which sucrose can be refined, it has not the 
general characteristics of rum as now found upon the markets. The name 
“brandy” was adopted for the following reasons. Brandy is not defined by 
any standards adopted by the United States. It is usually defined and 
believed to be the distillate of fermented fruits of various kinds, such as 
grapes, peaches, blackberries, apples, etc. 
The Century Dictionary defines brandy as “A spirituous liquor obtained 
by the distillation of wine, or of the refuse of the wine-press. The average 
proportion of alcohol in brandy ranges from 48 to 54 per cent. The name 
brandy is now given to spirit distilled from other liquors, and in the United 
States to that which is distilled from cider and from peaches. * * * 
