No need for a slap on the forehead; even without it, Niall knew that this was the era of Prohibition in the United States. Every sip of alcohol was linked to dark money.
This sip of alcohol wasn't easy to come by!
"Not bad, huh?" Frederick shook the bottle and poured himself another glass.
"Indeed, it's good," Niall replied, not particularly fond of alcohol but merely going along with it.
Though Niall could drink a few, he always felt that alcohol, especially since he'd come from the future, had little merit. It's a carcinogen, not to mention how bad you feel after drinking too much. Some say drinking a little can be enjoyable, just like people say small gambling is fun, but alcohol... it's hard to make a case for it.
But even in this era, there were still many who loved their alcohol. It's not that everyone was addicted, but plenty wanted a drink now and then. And since Prohibition was being enforced, every bottle of alcohol was tied to a great deal of money and power.
"Don't worry, it's a private dinner. What's there to be afraid of?" Seeing that Niall barely sipped, Frederick went to pour more for him.
"No, no, no..."
Niall set the bottle aside and quietly asked Frederick where this alcohol had come from. After a sip, Frederick, his mouth wide open, grinned and began explaining.
The alcohol was, of course, from his own preparation. His family ran a small inn, and many single miners who came to seek some fun didn't just chase pleasure but also sought a good drink. So, Frederick's family always had some alcohol, or more accurately, alcohol in various forms.
Prohibition had loopholes, and medical alcohol had an irreplaceable role in disinfecting and first aid. No matter how much alcohol was banned, medical alcohol could still be produced and sold. Many distilleries labeled their products as medical alcohol, but no one knew how much of it flowed into the black market and was diluted and sold to those in need.
Frederick's family sold what could be considered expensive black market alcohol. They would secretly mix it with apple juice at home, disguising it as apple cider and selling it to those who wanted it.
Meanwhile, the so-called apple cider that Niall drank at home was just a very mildly alcoholic apple juice and was nothing compared to what was before him.
It's not hard to see that in times like these, the bold thrive, and the cautious perish. Frederick was walking around flaunting "fake alcohol" in front of judges, prosecutors, and the police chief, and these big shots seemed happy enough to have a drink.
As the saying goes: when the people don't report, the officials don't investigate. This was just another example of exploiting legal loopholes in America. The law allowed private consumption of alcohol at home, and this was a private gathering, though it could easily be considered a public one, it didn't change the fact that the event was unofficial.
"Are you sure you don't want another drink?" Frederick asked, already two glasses in.
"No, thanks," Niall shook his head and began eating.
"But there's this," Frederick suddenly pulled out another bottle of "wine" from under the table.
"Maybe we still have a case later this afternoon. You should take it easy," Niall said, though he was curious about this "wine."
"This is a special one! My old man went through a lot to get it," Frederick boasted as he brought the bottle over to the front of the table.
The older officials were overjoyed. Although they had access to wine now and then, it had been a long while. With Prohibition strictly banning foreign alcoholic beverages, the country's stock of wine had dwindled over the years.
"How did you manage this?" Niall asked. He knew about the medical alcohol diluted with water, but how was this wine made?
Typically, except for in Christian communion or Jewish religious ceremonies, wine was completely banned from sale in America. Some wine came in through Canada via the Great Lakes, but it was rare in places like Brook County.
"The solution is simple. Wine is banned, but fermented grapes aren't," Frederick laughed.
Someone had exploited a legal loophole, adding a clause that allowed fermented grapes to be sold. So, you buy a barrel of fermented grapes, add some water, and voilà—wine! For those who wanted to drink, no method was too outrageous.
"Give me some," Niall said, not bothering to get a new glass. He finished the remaining drink in his cup and signaled for Frederick to pour him some.
Frederick, not being gentle, filled his cup to the brim. This was how they drank in his family, a no-nonsense approach to alcohol.
Well, let's drink.
The so-called "wine" wasn't bad at first. It might have had some other ingredients mixed in, as it had a hint of fruit and sweetness in addition to the wine taste. If compared to the best wines, it was nothing special, but in the current situation, it was still a product that could make money.
"Do people actually buy this?" Niall asked. He guessed this wine wasn't cheaper than the other "fake" alcohol.
"Yes, there are buyers, but it doesn't sell well. Certainly not as popular as our Brook County apple cider," Frederick replied.
"That makes sense." Looks like Frederick's attempt at expanding into the wine business had failed.
However, a failure in business didn't mean failure in relationships. The officials seemed to enjoy the wine so much that they came back for more, happily getting drunk. It seemed Frederick had quietly sent each of them a bottle or two, making his way into their good graces. After all, he was a young innkeeper who wanted to make some connections by doing administrative work at the committee.
"Do you want to take a bottle home?" Frederick asked.
"Sure," Niall replied, taking the bottle without hesitation.
"What about the apple cider?" Frederick asked.
Niall waved his hand, dismissing the apple cider. It was nothing but "fake alcohol" with too much of an alcoholic taste. He preferred to drink apple juice at home.
"It's not cheap, you know. This bottle, you might not be able to buy it with just one coin," Frederick said, putting the apple cider back.
One coin here referred to a 25-cent copper-zinc alloy coin. With the average monthly salary of an ordinary worker being only $30 to $40, one bottle of fake alcohol cost about a third of a day's wages, if not more!
That's pretty expensive!