Apparatus for High Voltage Treatment of Alcoholic Beverage

DF recently returned from Oakland, CA and reported that at a party he had witnessed the remarkable transformation of cheap whisky into a more palatable substance by application of high voltage to the beverage with a "Jacob's Ladder" apparatus.

Fortuitously, this 15kV neon sign transformer was ready at hand for further experiments.

Round 1: Lone Star (the national beer of Texas). 1 cm arc discharge to surface of cold beer for about 15 seconds. Slight foaming occured at the point of arc contact. Panelist 1 (EA) noted the acrid flavor of ozone in the beverage and tossed it over the fence.

Round 2: inexpensive red wine. both electrodes beneath liquid surface, about 10 seconds. transformer hummed but no visible arcing. Panelist 2 (DF) noted a decrease in the tannic "bite" of the wine.

Round 3: Lone Star. both electrodes beneath liquid surface, about 10 seconds. transformer hummed but no arc was visible. Panelist 3 (ER) perceived an increase in the maltiness of the beverage and no undesirable flavor change otherwise. A full glass was treated identically and consumed without apparent ill effects.

A general increase in loquaciousness and elevated mood was recorded at the conclusion of the experiment.

In retrospect the sensory effects of this treatment may be attributable to dissolution of metal ions from the electrodes (a.k.a "coat hanger") into the beverage. A follow-up experiment with platinum electrodes would be interesting.