Have a bottle here...

[NukleusX]

Just joined up, not sure if this is in the right section (mods please move to off topic if this does not belong in this section, though it very well may).

Anyhow, my dad has this bottle of what I am not sure at all what it may be. Description of bottle (may be able to take and post up a picture, though probably not tonight) is as follows:

Clear wine looking bottle, corked.
Black label
text/image on bottle from top to bottom:

circle at top with '1876' in it

The Grandaddy
[picture of the man]
"Col. James Radhe"
of
Smoothe ~ Booze

Los Alamos
California

It has been bugging me as to what this actually is in this bottle, for quite some time now. If anyone has some insight as to what it is, or any further origins, I would like to know. I do not plan on drinking the contents, as the bottle belongs to my dad (he doesnt plan on drinking it either); and a friend of his whom has since died gave it to him.

I would smell/taste test it, though the cork is old and appears to have deteriorated some with age; thus why I have not smelled/tasted it.

Thanks in advance everyone!

[punkin]

If it don't belong to you, best you leave it alone rather than tamper with it.

That's something that can never be undone.


As far as your quest for knowledge of it's history, that's a good thing, and something your father will appreciate.

[Ayay]

As Punkin says. Your bottle could be of historical signifigance. May be worth showing it to some established wine/spirits experts.

[Ugly]

Sometimes before buying an ancient bottle of brandy or what not they test it at the lab by sticking a hypodermic in there and drawing a little off. If it's a test you're looking for, following links to a local importer exporter of antique ports and brandies might lead to a lab that can check it out without screwing up the overall integrity of the package.

[NukleusX]

If it don't belong to you, best you leave it alone rather than tamper with it.

That's something that can never be undone.


As far as your quest for knowledge of it's history, that's a good thing, and something your father will appreciate.

It is just sitting here. I am not tampering with it. Read the last paragraph in my original post saying "I do not plan on drinking it nor does my dad"

I made my above post asking what it may be, that is about all. Not really interested in taking it to an expert at this time, as it is not THAT important. Was just wondering what it is, and once again I have NOT tampered with it. Thanks.

Now, as per my original post, does anyone else have a shot at what it may be???

[punkin]

It is just sitting here. I am not tampering with it. Read the last paragraph in my original post saying "I do not plan on drinking it nor does my dad"

I made my above post asking what it may be, that is about all. Not really interested in taking it to an expert at this time, as it is not THAT important. Was just wondering what it is, and once again I have NOT tampered with it. Thanks.

Now, as per my original post, does anyone else have a shot at what it may be???

I would smell/taste test it, though the cork is old and appears to have deteriorated some with age; thus why I have not smelled/tasted it.

I did read your original post. I read where you said you would smell or taste test it even though the cork is old and appears to have deteriorated....


Once again i did NOT say you had tampered with it. Only that you shouldn't.

You came and asked advice. I gave you some advice. You obviously don't like my advice. So i will no longer give you advice.



Your rudeness was unnessercary.



Good luck with your question, biting the hands that feed ya generally gets you ignored round here. I know, when i started off i did same thing.

I was smart enough and gracious enough to apologise though.

[NukleusX]

I did read your original post. I read where you said you would smell or taste test it even though the cork is old and appears to have deteriorated....


Once again i did NOT say you had tampered with it. Only that you shouldn't.

You came and asked advice. I gave you some advice. You obviously don't like my advice. So i will no longer give you advice.



Your rudeness was unnessercary.



Good luck with your question, biting the hands that feed ya generally gets you ignored round here. I know, when i started off i did same thing.

I was smart enough and gracious enough to apologise though.

And I will do the same, I did not mean to come off as rude. So my apology to you.

It isnt that I did not like your advice either. I am taking your advice and running with it. The bottle is back sitting up on the shelf (well its actually sitting on top of a file cabinet).



On to another question regarding the bottle: since the cork is deteriorated, is there any way to pull it, and re-cork it?

[NukleusX]

Heres a picture I just took of the bottle.

0405091346.jpg (133.44 KiB) Viewed 4943 times

[blind drunk]

I guess that you probably googled it? I googled and nothing came up per say. There are some rare bottle/whiskey sites that might help you. Auction houses in the Great State of California might also know. (I love it there!!) Maybe get on the Antiques Road Show . Good luck with it; looks really interesting.

as an aside; I got a bottle of 35 year old Canadian Rye when the family house was sold. I phoned Seagrams and they said it was worthless and advised me not to drink it because it could be poisonous. It was delicious.

minor edit

[goose eye]

the jug aint addin up to to old.
after 4/7/33.


cork will stain your likker if you layin it flat . likker will turn to water if you storein it long an you aint keep it at proof an jug aint air tite

so im tole

[punkin]

Looks like a homemade label.

Bottle looks empty at the bottom of the pic and three quarters full at the top

[Dnderhead]

I wonder if it is a private "label"don't know if that is the right name , but a times you could buy a barrel have it bottled and your name and label put on.
a search turns up nothing.afue distilleries in that area but nothing that had that name.

[rad14701]

They definitely didn't have glossy labels like that in the 1800's... Labels were much simpler back then...

I tried researching it last night and couldn't find anything regardless of what phrases I tried...

[Tater]

Could ya show pics of bottle top and the bottom?

[goose eye]

aint no nothin bout proof. distillery prided themselfs on that number.
smooth booze it wont im betin when charged if it even likker an aint beer.

so im tole

[Hawke]

Any of those Los Alamos area distillers established in 1876?
Any markings on the bottom of the bottle?

[NukleusX]

Any of those Los Alamos area distillers established in 1876?
Any markings on the bottom of the bottle?

After reading what others have replied here, I am thinking that may be a lead, as far as 1876 being the est. date of where/whoever made it, and not the actual date of the bottle.

As for more pics, I am lazy about pics of anything. Have no digi cam at the moment, and have to take the pics with phone, email them to myself, download, etc etc etc and it is a bit of work.

More general info/questions:
-have googled the names and such on the bottle, and came up with nothing as you folk did as well.
-bottle has been stored upright, i am no master of thermodynamics, though is there any chance some of the contents could have evaporated very slowly through a bad cap? (thus resulting in your observation punkin, about seeing how it looks as if the bottle is only 3/4 full)
-some of the cork has deteriorated and very very fine particles are on the bottom of the bottle.... if ever to be consumed(more than likely not going to happen), could i use a coffee type filter to strain these particles?

[stillvodka]

To me it doesn't look that old, (the picture quality not very good), the best people to ask are old bottle collectors/(UK)Victorian dump diggers, I was once one of those you examine the neck and the bottom of the bottle+thickness of the glass. recon that bottle has more sentimental value than anything else.

[NukleusX]

To me it doesn't look that old, (the picture quality not very good), the best people to ask are old bottle collectors/(UK)Victorian dump diggers, I was once one of those you examine the neck and the bottom of the bottle+thickness of the glass. recon that bottle has more sentimental value than anything else.

my exact thoughts

[goinbroke2]

I'd refill it with my stuff, cork it and dip the cork in wax to seal. Then on some fancy occasion pull it out with much fanfare. LOL!

[Dnderhead]

I have a beer bottle about 1890? rather crude, heavy glass and the farther back you go the cruder they git ,
after the turn of the century they started making machine made bottles (still quite heavy, thank old coke bottles)
Im thinking about 1940s -50? they became thinner and more perfect.
(IM not a xpert just what I can remember )bottles are part of history ,as all antiques worth what someones willing to give.
most likely worth more in the area that it was used .

[NukleusX]

yeah dnder, it isnt that old- im guessing you may be right, the bottle is rather new bottle type looking (perfected)...

[mr.smoothe booze]

Hello
I can answer all your questions about that bottle of not so "Smoothe Booze". It is Grappa most likely. I have drank some (about 17 years ago) my father made it. I printed the cheesey label... I am surprised you came across a bottle with a lable on it (kinda funny) supposed to be a big secret it always went out without a lable. Pops expermented with sour mash recipies also, If its clear it should be disstilled sherry. Loads of history behind this bottle and the man that produced it. He is not around anymore. This is a cool site I wish I did not use my real name at sign up time; thank goodness I am not in the business!

[Husker]

This is a cool site I wish I did not use my real name at sign up time; thank goodness I am not in the business!

Fixed your nick for you.

H.

[blind drunk]

Loads of history behind this bottle and the man that produced it.

Could you tell us more, discretely? Cheers, bd.