A crude form of potassium bitartrate that forms as a deposit on the inside of wine or beer casks during fermentation.
From Medieval Latin 'argol,' possibly derived from Arabic 'al-qali' (alkali substance). The term has been used since medieval times when winemakers discovered these deposits had chemical properties useful in dyeing and other crafts.
Argal is one of history's great accidental discoveries—medieval wine producers found this crusty stuff coating their barrels and realized it could be refined into cream of tartar and used in baking and textiles, turning a byproduct into a valuable chemical.
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