77 / 230
PROCESS
OF
MALTING.
77
to
prevent
such
accidents,
and
this
result
is
obtained
by
mixing
the
raw
grain
with
a
portion
of
malt.
Distillers
explain
thus
the
action
of
malt,
by
saying
that
it
gives
lightness
to
their
paste,
and
prevents
its
fall-
ing
to
the
bottom
of
their
still.
This
explanation,
how-
ever
incomplete
it
may
appear,
is
nevertheless
the
expression
of
a
positive
fact.
Indeed,
so
long
as
the
fecula
has
not
been
converted
into
sugar,
it
forms
with
the
water
a
kind
of
paste,
which
has
very
little
fluidity,
and
which,
if
exposed
to
the
fire,
may
easily
stick
and
>urn
to
the
bottom
of
the
still.
What
happens
when
malted
barley
is
used
with
the
raw
grain
?
It
has
already
been
stated
:
the
barley,
by
its
germination,
has
undergone
a
change
which
renders
it
more
proper
to
saccharify
the
fecula.
This
fact
has
already
been
indicated,
and
still
stronger
proof
will
be
given
when
treating
of
the
potato.
To
saccharify
fecula
is
to
destroy
the
paste
which
gives
viscosity
to
the
liquid,
and
to
supply
the
fermentation
with
proper
aliments,
which
is
effected,
in
the
distillation
of
grain,
by
means
of
malted
barley
;
and
by
thus
favouring
the
fermenta-
tion
a
double
advantage
is
obtained
—
that
of
having
a
liquid
less
heavy,
and,
of
course,
more
easy
to
be
dis-
tilled.
It
often
happens
that
distillers
are
in
want
of
malt;
then
they
are
forced
to
distil
their
raw
grain
with-
out
it.
To
obviate
a
little
the
inconveniences
attached
to
this
way
of
working,
they
add,
during
the
mashing,
a
quan-
tity
of
chaff.
They
attribute
to this
chaff
a
property
analogous
to
that of
malt
—
that
of
giving
lightness
to
their
matter.
It
has
been
ascertained
that
chaff
has
this
7^j