Grain Alcohol
A high-proof neutral spirit distilled from grain, essentially unflavored ethanol used for potent punches.
Origin
The United States, referring to extremely high-proof, nearly pure ethanol distilled from grain, best known through the Everclear brand.
History
Grain alcohol at very high proof has long been produced for both industrial and beverage use, but its best-known consumer form, Everclear, became notorious in American drinking culture from the mid-20th century onward for its extreme strength (up to 190 proof in states where that's legally sold) and its use in homemade infusions, tinctures, and notoriously strong punches. Because it's nearly flavorless and extremely high-proof, it's used more as a functional base for homemade liqueurs and extracts than as a spirit meant to be sipped or mixed directly.
Flavor profile
Essentially flavorless, dominated entirely by intense, sharp alcohol heat given its extremely high proof.
Tasting notes
Almost no flavor beyond a powerful ethanol burn, which is exactly the point: it's typically used as a neutral, high-proof base for homemade extracts, bitters, and infusions rather than consumed on its own or mixed directly into a standard cocktail.
Substitutes
- A high-proof (but lower than 190) neutral vodka, for most infusion projects where true 190-proof strength isn't essential.
- Standard vodka, for any drink recipe that calls for grain alcohol but doesn't specifically need its extreme proof.
- A different grain alcohol brand, in jurisdictions where more than one is available.
