46 / 230
46
TKiS
COMPLETE
PRACTICAL
DISTILLER.
of
perfovming
this
will
not
always
depend
upon
the
rela-
tive
size
of the
vessel,
but
must
be
governed
by
the
quantity
of
vapour
supplied
in
a
given
time,
and
the
supply
of
cold
water.
The
vessel
that
encloses
the
sub-
stances
to
be
distilled
is
called
an
alembic.
It
is
very
dangerous
to
use
one
that
is
not
tinned,
as
the
liquor
would
assume
a
deadly
quality.
An
alembic
is
composed
of
two
or
three
parts,
according
to
which
the
distillation
is
carried
on
by
fire
or
by
the
Balneum
Marise
in
the
first,
the
bottom
of
the
alembic
is
in
close
contact
with
the
fire;
but
in
the
latter,
its
lower
part
is
placed
in
another
vessel
larger
than
itself,
which,
being
filled
with
water,
acts
as
a
medium
between
that
and
the
fire.
The
alembic,
properly
speaking,
is
composed
of
two
parts,
the
cucurbit
and
the
head;
but
though
the
form
of the
latter
may
vary
according
to
the
systems
of
operations
adopted,
its
use
is
always
the
same,
namely,
to
contain
the
matter
intended
for
distillation.
When
the
cucurbit
is
large
and
spacious,
as
it
must
be
in
great
distilleries,
then
it is
necessary
to
fix
it
in
the
masonry
of
the
copper.
In
this
case
it
is
difficult
to
clear
it
of
the
phlegm,
or
the
residue
of
the
distillation,
even
with
the
aid
of
a
siphon,
according
to
the
practice
of
the
ancients.
How-
ever,
this
is
now
best
remedied
by
a cock
on
one
side
of
the
vessel,
near
the
bottom,
that
must
be
set
running
when
the
alembic
is
discharged,
or
when
it
is
necessary
to
clean
it.
The
size
of the cucurbit
varies
\n
different
countries.
Many
distillers,
to
augment
their
products,
or
to
ameliorate
the
quality
of
the
liquor,
add
a
cooler
to
the
head
of
the
still.
However,
the
observations
continu-
ally
made
in
large
distilleries
have
sufficiently
proved