Clear Spring 190 is great for sterilizing medical equipment and sure makes an excellent cleaner for all types of heavy machinery. I suppose that’s reason enough for most drinkers to avoid this stuff along with all other high-proof grain alcohols. We here at BoozeBasher try not to turn our noses up at any kind of liquor, no matter how many “CAUTION – FLAMMABLE” warnings are plastered across the bottle. It’s obvious to us that they use such warning tactics to keep away the weak-willed pseudo-drinkers. We will have none of that.
Types of Grain Alcohol
Clear Spring 190 is distilled and distributed by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. I couldn’t find any good information on Clear Spring 190 or the process they use in making it, but I do know that the distillation of all grain alcohols at such a high proof supposedly removes all flavor, color, and odor. That’s both exciting to the alcoholic and frightening to others. In fact, some states have outlawed the sale of pure grain alcohols that do not possess a certain degree of color or flavor. I suppose they do this to help “protect” people from overdoing it with grain alcohol. Damn teetotalers.
I’m not sure I would go so far as to call this stuff odorless. It just smells like pure ethyl alcohol to me. Though supposedly dangerous to do over extended periods of time, we the reviewers, bravely took half-shots of this stuff to come up with a shootabilty rating for our loyal readers. How were the results? Let’s just say that the taste was very potent and the burning sensation that followed was nowhere in the realm of pleasant. Don’t ever shoot this stuff unless you plan on spitting fireballs with the freaks in the circus (I apologize if I offended any circus freaks or filthy carnies out there).
Is grain alcohol tasteless?
Most drinkers would use Clear Spring 190 in some fruity concoction or as a spiking agent in hunch punch, so we used several different juices to judge mixability. I finally stuck with a simple 3:1 orange juice to Clear Spring 190 drink. When taking the first sip of the potent mixed drink, you can tell there is something amiss. You can taste your favorite juice, but it seems as though it may have gone bad. There is also a mild rubbing alcohol-like aftertaste. It’s definitely not the most delicious taste in the world. However, when taking subsequent sips, the taste of the grain alcohol nearly vanishes. It’s just like magic! It must also be noted that Clear Spring 190 is very versatile and friendly to mix. As I type this review, I am sipping a concoction I made using Clear Spring 190, cranberry juice, ginger ale, and a splash of strawberry soda. It is really marvelously smooth and easy to consume. It would be very easy to get carried away with this stuff, so I would strongly recommend keeping a close eye on anyone drinking it like a sports drink on a hot summer day. At 190-proof (that’s 95% alcohol), Clear Spring 190 brings a serious punch to the table. The effects are actually more like a load of bricks than a punch.
What makes grain alcohol dangerous?
I’m an alcoholic by choice, and I have some math that helps with using Clear Springs. A beer is 5 percent alcohol – for the regular domestic stuff. Multiply that by 12 ounces to get your AP (Alcohol Points). So 5×12=60.
So a bottle of domestic beer, let’s say is 60 points. If a guy normally drinks 3 beers a day, 3×60 equals…. 180 points.
So how much Clear Springs should he drink on an afternoon, in place of the 3 beers?
3 beers x 12 ounces each x 5 percent alcohol = 180 points
divide this man’s points by the alcohol percentage of whatever he wants to drink – in this case, Clear Springs – and you get the number of ounces he can drink to get the effect of those 3 beers.
So 180 points (what he normally drinks in three beers) divided by 95 (the alcohol percent of Clear Springs in this example) equals…
1.894 ounces.
In this man’s case, I’d pour 2 ounces of Clear Springs into a measuring glass/cup, and tell him that’s all he can drink. Mix it with the amount of liquid it takes to make 3 beers (12 ounces a beer times 3 equals 36 ounces) so just say a quart of soda, juice or any other non-alcoholic liquid, mixed with the 2 ounces of Clear Springs, would make this guy feel like he drank his regular 3 beers, plus a couple of sips from a 4th can. Pretty close.