114 / 154
114
A TREATISE ON
to render the process successful and economical.
In
many of the distilleries of the United States, molasses
and analogous saccharine substances are employed,
in
which case the vegetable principle (sugar) essen–
tial to the formation of alcohol is already present,
and merely requires simple solution
in
water of a
proper temperature, to be ready to be subjected to
immediate fermentation. In general, however, the
sources of spirit in this country are the various kinds
of grain; barley, wheat, and rye, are those commonly
employed. These are ground and mixed with bruised
malt in various proportions, and are mashed in a
similar manner to malted grain. The fermentation.
is carried on until the density of the liquor ceases to
lessen, or
attenuate,
which is determined by an
instrument called a saccharometer. When this point
is arrived at, it is submitted to distillation, to prevent
the access of the acetous fermentation; which would
lessen its alcoholic value.
During the process of distilling off the spirit of the
fermented " wash" or wort, a hydrometer is em–
ployed
to
ascertain its strength, and as soon as the
liquor that passes over acquires a certain degree of
weakness, the operation is stopped and the spent
wash removed. The spirits obtained by the first
distillation are generally called "
low
wines,"
and
have a specific gravity of about .975. By rectifica-
. 01gi1ized
by
•