1860 A Treatise on the Manufacture , Imitation, Adulteration and Reduction of Foreign Wines, Brandies, .

154

DISTILLATION.

their spontaneous change into a vinous condi–

tion; but the infusion of seeds, even in their

germinated or malted state, requires the addi–

tion of a glutinous substance called

yea8t

excite the

be8t

fermentation. In the fabrication

of wine or beer for drinking, the fermentative

action should be arrested before all the fruity

saccharum is decomposed; nor should it, on

any account, be suffered to pass into the

acetous

stage: whereas, for inaking

disti~lery

wash, that

action should be pr01noted as long as the pro–

portion of alcohol is increased, because the

formation of a

little

acetic acid is not injurious

to the quality of the distilled spirit, but rather

improves its flavor by the addition of

acetic

ether,

while all the decomposed sugar is lost.

The distillers in the United Kingdom operate

upon the saccharine matter from corn of vari–

ous kinds by drawing off a pure watery extract

from the grain, and subjecting this species of

wort to fermentation; while the distillers of

Germany, Holland_, and the north of Europe,