The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word ALEMBIC
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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More clues leading to the result ALEMBIC
- Retort from male writer after a drink
- Doctor, one breaking smart fellow’s chemistry apparatus
- Still drink for doctor in charge
- Lab involved with mice still
- . Glass of beer — doctor's pick essentially
- Glass may be compatible if top is removed
- An apparatus for distilling beer, primarily mild and lighter, perhaps
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The straight part
We know that "chemistry apparatus /chemistry apparatus" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case chemistry apparatus /chemistry apparatus = alembic.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ALEMBIC mean?
ALEMBIC noun- An early chemical apparatus, consisting of two retorts connected by a tube, used to purify substances by distillation