THE COMPLETE DISTILLER TEXT

Distillation, when the Operation is made in their full Strength: The _Orleans_ Wines, and those of _Blois_ afford yet more; but the best are those of the Territories of _Cogniac_ and of _Andaye_, which are however in the Number of those the least drank in _France_. Whereas those of _Burgundy_ and of _Champaign_, though of a very fine Flavour, are improper, because they yield but very little in Distillation. It must also be farther observed, that all the Wines for Distillation, as those of _Spain_, the _Canaries_, of _Alicant_, of _Cyprus_, of St. _Perés_, of _Toquet_, of _Grave_, of _Hungary_, and others of the same kind, yield very little Brandy by Distillation; and consequently would cost the Distiller considerably more than he could sell it for. What is drawn from them is indeed very good, always retaining the saccharine Quality, and rich Flavour of the Wine from whence it is drawn; but as it grows old, this Flavour often grows aromatic, and is not agreeable to all Palates. Hence we see, that Brandies always differ, according as they are extracted from different Species of Grapes. Nor would there be so great a Similarity as there is between the different kinds of _French_ Brandies, were the strongest Wines used for this Purpose: But this is rarely the Case, the weakest and lowest-flavoured Wines only are distilled for their Spirit, or such as prove absolutely unfit for any other Use. A large Quantity of Brandies is distilled in _France_ during the Time of the Vintage; for all those poor Grapes that prove unfit for Wine, are usually first gathered, pressed, their Juice fermented, and directly distilled. This rids their Hands of their poor Wines at once, and leaves their Casks empty for the Reception of better. It is a general Rule with them not to distil any Wine, that will fetch any Price as Wine; for, in this State, the Profits upon them are vastly greater than when reduced to Brandies. This large Stock of small Wines, with which they are almost over-run in _France_, sufficiently accounts for their making such vast Quantities of Brandy in _France_, more than other Countries, which lie in warmer Climates, and are much better adapted to the Production of Grapes. Nor is this the only Fund of their Brandies; for all the Wine that turns eager, is also condemned to the Still; and, in short, all that they can neither export, nor consume at home, which amounts to a large Quantity; since much of the Wine, laid in for their Family Provision, is so poor, as not to keep during the Time in spending. Hence many of our _English_ Spirits, with proper Management, are convertible into Brandies, that shall hardly be distinguished from the foreign in many Respects, provided this Operation be neatly performed. And, in particular, how far a Cyder Spirit, and a Crab Spirit, may, even from the first Extraction, be made to resemble the fine and thin Brandies of _France_, we would recommend to those Distillers, whose Skill and Curiosity prompts them to Undertakings condemned by those who only work mechanically, and scorn to deviate from the beaten Tract, tho’ they have the fairest Prospect of acquiring Profit to themselves, and a lasting Emolument to their Country. CHAP. XIX. _Of the Distillation of Rum._ Rum differs from what we simply call Sugar Spirit, as it contains more of the natural Flavour, or essential Oil of the Sugar Cane; a great deal of raw Juice, and even Parts of the Cane itself being often fermented in the Liquor, or Solution, of which the Rum is prepared. Hence we see from whence Rum derives its Flavour; namely, from the Cane itself. Some, indeed, are of Opinion, that the unctuous or oily Flavour of the Rum proceeds from the large Quantity of Fat used in boiling the Sugar. This Fat, indeed, if coarse, will give a stinking Flavour to the Spirit in our Distillations of the Sugar Liquor, or Wash, from our refining Sugar-houses; but this is nothing like the Flavour of the Rum; which, as we have already observed, is the Effect of the natural Flavour of the Cane. Great Quantities of Rum are made at _Jamaica_, _Barbadoes_, _Antigua_, and other Sugar Islands: The Method of making it is this: When a sufficient Stock of the Materials is got together, they add Water to them, and ferment them in the common Method, though the Fermentation is always carried on very slowly at first; because at the Beginning of the Season for making Rum in the Islands, they want Yeast, or some other Ferment to make it work; but after this, they, by Degrees, procure a sufficient Quantity of the Ferment, which rises up as a Head to the Liquor in the Operation; and thus they are able afterwards to ferment, and make their Rum with a great deal of Expedition, and in very large Quantities. When the Wash is fully fermented, or to a due Degree of Acidity, the Distillation is carried on in the common Way, and the Spirit is made up Proof; though sometimes it is reduced to a much greater Degree of Strength, nearly approaching to that of Alcohol, or Spirit of Wine; and it is then called double distilled Rum. It would be easy to rectify the Spirit, and bring it to a much greater Degree of Purity than we usually find it to be of; for it brings over in the Distillation a large Quantity of the Oil; and this is often so disagreeable, that the Rum must be suffered to lie by a long time to mellow before it can be used; whereas, if well rectified, its Flavour would be much less, and consequently much more agreeable to the Palate. The best State to keep Rum, both for Exportation, and other Uses, is doubtless that of Alcohol, or rectified Spirits. In this manner, it would be contained in half the Bulk it usually is, and might be let down to the common proof Strength with Water when necessary: For the common Use of making Punch, it would likewise serve much better in the State of Alcohol; as the Taste would be cleaner, and the Strength might always be regulated to a much greater Degree of Exactness than in the ordinary Way. If the Business of rectifying Rum was more nicely managed, it seems a very practicable Scheme to throw out so much of the Oil, as to reduce it to the fine light State of a clear Spirit, but lightly impregnated with the Oil; in this State it would nearly resemble Arrac, as is easily proved by mixing a very small Quantity of it with a tasteless Spirit; for it then bears a very near Resemblance to Arrac in Flavour. CHAP. XX. _Of Sugar-Spirit._ We mean by a Sugar-Spirit, that extracted from the Washings, Scumings, Dross, and Waste of a Sugar-baker’s Refining-house. These recrementitious, or drossy Parts of the Sugar are to be diluted with Water, fermented in the same manner as Molosses or Wash, and then distilled in the common Method. And if the Operation be carefully performed, and the Spirit well rectified, it may be mixed with foreign Brandies, and even Arrac in a large Proportion, to great Advantage; for this Spirit will be found superior to that extracted from Treacle, and consequently more proper for these Uses. CHAP. XXI. _Of Raisin-Spirits._ BY Raisin-Spirits, we understand, that extracted from Raisins, after a proper Fermentation. In order to extract this Spirit, the Raisins must be infused in a proper Quantity of Water, and fermented in the manner described in the Chapter on Fermentation. When the Fermentation is completed, the whole is to be thrown into the Still, and the Spirit extracted by a strong Fire. The Reason why we here direct a strong Fire, is, because by that Means a greater Quantity of the essential Oil will come over the Helm with the Spirit, which will render it much fitter for the Distiller’s Purpose; for this Spirit is generally used to mix with common Malt Goods; and it is surprizing how far it will go in this Respect, ten Gallons of it being often sufficient to give a determining Flavour, and agreeable Vinosity to a whole Piece of Malt Spirits. It is therefore well worth the Distiller’s while to endeavour at improving the common Method of extracting Spirits from Raisins; and perhaps the following Hint may merit Attention. When the Fermentation is completed, and the Still charged with fermented Liquor, as above directed, let the whole be drawn off with as brisk a Fire as possible; but instead of the Cask or Can, generally used by our _English_ Distillers for a Receiver, let a large Glass, called by Chemists, a Separating-Glass, be placed under the Nose of the Worm, and a common Receiver applied to the Spout of the Separating-Glass; by this means the essential Oil will swim upon the Top of the Spirit, or rather low Wine, in the Separating-Glass, and may be easily preserved at the End of the Operation. The Use of this limpid essential Oil is well known to Distillers; for in this resides the whole Flavour, and consequently may be used to the greatest Advantage in giving that distinguishing Taste, and true Vinosity, to the common Malt-Spirits. After the Oil is separated from the low Wine, the Liquor may be rectified in _Balneum Mariæ_ into a pure and almost tasteless Spirit, and therefore well adapted to make the finest compound Cordials, or to imitate or mix with the finest _French_ Brandies, Arracs, &c. In the same Manner a Spirit may be obtained from Cyder. But as its particular Flavour is not so desirable as that obtained from Raisins, it should be distilled in a more gentle Manner, and carefully rectified in the Manner we shall shew in the Chapter on Rectification; by which Means a very pure and almost insipid Spirit will be obtained, which may be used to very great Advantage in imitating the best Brandies of _France_, or in making the finest compound Waters or Cordials. CHAP. XXII. _Of Arracs._ What is properly meant by the Term Arracs, are Spirits extracted from the fermented Juice of certain Trees common in the _East-Indies_, particularly those of the Cocoa, or Palm-tree. The whole Process of making Arrac, is performed in the following Manner. In order to procure the vegetable Juice for this Operation, the Person provides himself with a sufficient Number of small earthen Pots, with Bellies and Necks, resembling our common glass Bottles; a Number of these he fastens to his Girdle, or to a Belt across his Shoulders, and climbs up the tall Trunk of the Cocoa tree: Having reached the Boughs of the Tree, he cuts off with a Knife certain small Buds, or Buttons, applying immediately to the Wound one of his Bottles, and fastens it with a String to the Bough. In this Manner he proceeds till he has fixed his whole Number of Bottles, which serve as Receivers to the Juice distilling from the Wounds. This Operation is generally performed in the Evening, a greater Quantity of Juice flowing from the Tree in the Night than in the Day. The Bottles are next Morning taken off, and the Liquor emptied with a proper Vessel, where it spontaneously ferments. As soon as the Fermentation is completed, the Liquor is thrown into the Still, and drawn down to a low Wine; but so very poor and dilute, that they are obliged to rectify it in another Still, to that weak kind of Proof Spirit, we generally see it; for though it appears Bubble-Proof, it rarely contains more than a sixth, and sometimes only an eighth of Alcohol, all the rest being no more than an acidulated Water, which might be supplied from any common Spring. Why Arrac appears Bubble-Proof, when in reality so far below what we mean by Proof, is not so great a Mystery, as at first Sight it appears to be; for this kind of Proof is entirely owing to a certain Tenacity of the Parts of the Liquor, or to the particular Property of the Oil incorporated in the Spirit; as we shall abundantly shew in a subsequent Chapter. From this Account of Arrac, it should seem no very difficult Matter to imitate it here. And, perhaps, the whole Difficulty lies in procuring a pure and insipid Spirit; for it is ridiculous to attempt it with our common Malt-Spirit. With regard to the Flavour of the Arrac, it may be effectually imitated by some essential Oils easily procurable. Hence we see of what prodigious Advantage a pure and insipid Spirit would be of to Distillers, and consequently the great Encouragement there is to attempt the Discovery. Perhaps a Spirit of this kind may be extracted from Sugar properly refined. The Hint is worth prosecuting; and the Writer of this Essay, from repeated Experiments, is abundantly convinced that the Thing is practicable. Had he entirely succeeded, he would readily have communicated the Whole for the Benefit of his Country; but is now obliged to defer, to some future Opportunity, the Result of his Enquiries. In the mean Time, he would recommend the Prosecution of this Hint to those Distillers, who endeavour to improve their Art, and advance it nearer to Perfection. Since Arrac is a Spirit extracted from the Juice of the Cocoa tree, it might perhaps be worth enquiring how nearly it might be imitated by fermenting and distilling the Juices of the Birch and Sycamore-trees. We should by this Means obtain an _English_ Arrac; and, perhaps, a Spirit equal in Flavour to that imported from _Batavia_. When the Cask, in which the Arrac is imported happens to be decayed; or the Liquor touches any Nails, or other Iron, it dissolves Part of it, and at the same time extracts the resinous Parts of the Oak, by which means the whole Liquor in the Cask acquires an inky Colour. In order to whiten and clarify Arrac, which has contracted this Colour, a large Quantity of new or skimmed Milk must be put into the Cask, and the whole beat together, as Vintners do to whiten their brown Wines; by this means the inky Colour will be absorbed by the Milk, and fall with it to the Bottom, so that the greatest Part of the Arrac may be drawn off fine; and the Remainder procured in the same Condition by being filtrated through a conical Flannel Bag. CHAP. XXIII. _Of Rectification._ There are several Methods of performing this Operation; though some, and indeed those in general practiced by our Distillers, hardly deserve the Name; because, instead of rectifying, that is freeing the Spirit from its essential Oil and Phlegm, they alter the natural Flavour of the Spirit that comes over in the Operation. The principal Business of Rectification is to separate the Spirit from the essential Oil of the Ingredient, which is very apt to adhere strongly to the Spirit. And in order to this, Care should be taken in the first Distillation; that is, the Spirit, especially that from Malt, should be drawn by a gentle Fire, by which means great Part of the essential Oil will be kept from mixing with the Spirit; for Experience has abundantly proved, that it is much easier to keep asunder, than to separate them when once mixed. But as it is almost impossible to draw low Wines without the Spirit being in some Measure impregnated with the essential Oil, it is absolutely necessary to be acquainted with some Methods of separating the Spirit from the Oil, and also of freeing it from its Phlegm. The best Methods of doing this to Perfection, are Re-distillation and Percolation. In order to rectify low Wines, they should be put into a tall Body or Alembic, and gently distilled in _Balneum Mariæ_; by this means a large Proportion, both of the Oil and Phlegm will remain in the Body. But if the Spirit should be found, after this Operation, to contain some of the essential Oil, it must be let down with fair Water, and re-distilled in the same gentle Manner. And thus it may be brought to any Degree of Purity; especially if in the working the Spirit be suffered to fall into a proper Quantity of clear Water, and the Spirit afterwards rectified to the Height proposed. The same Method should be used in freeing Proof Spirit, or even Alcohol, from this Oil; namely, by letting it down with clean Water to the Strength of low Wines, and re-distilling it in _Balneum Mariæ_. But it must be remembered, that it is much more difficult to cleanse Alcohol, or Proof-Spirit than low Wines, because the Oil is more intimately mixed with the two former than with the latter. This Oil may however be separated from Proof-Spirit, &c. by the Method already proposed, especially if it be previously filtrated through Paper, thick Flannel, Sand, Stone, _&c._ But this Method, though it effectually answers the Intention, is generally rejected by our Distillers, because of the Slowness of the Operation; and others substituted in its stead, though instead of freeing the Spirit from the Oil, they only abolish the natural Flavour of the Spirit, and make a more intimate Mixture between the Particles of the Spirit, and those of the essential Oil. It is impossible to enumerate all the Methods practised by Distillers, as almost every one pretends to have a secret Nostrum for this Purpose. The principal Methods in use for rectifying Malt-Spirits, are however reducible to three, namely, by fixed alcaline Salts, by acid Spirits mixed with alcaline Salts, and by saline Bodies, and flavouring Additions. The Method of rectifying by alcaline Salts is thus performed. To every Piece of Proof Spirit, add fourteen Pounds of dry Salt of Tartar, fixed Nitre, or calcined Tartar; lute on the Head, and distil, by a gentle Heat, but be very careful to leave out the Faints. By this Method a large Proportion of the fœtid Oil will be left in the Still; and what comes over with the Spirit will be greatly attenuated. But this Operation is generally performed in a very different manner; for, instead of distilling the Spirit in a gentle and equable manner, the Still is worked in its full Force; by which means the Oil, which should have remained in the Still, is driven over, and intimately mixed with the Spirit; and, consequently, the whole Operation frustrated, and the Spirit rendered much harder to cleanse than it was before. But even when the Operation is performed according to the Rules of Art, it is far from being perfect; for it is well known, that Part of the fixed Salts become volatile in the Operation, pass over the Helm, and intimately mixes with the essential Oil still contained in the Spirits: by this means the Oil becomes more perfectly united with the Spirits, and consequently much harder to be separated by repeated Distillations. Nor is this all, for the Still being worked in its full Force, the bitter Oil of the Malt, formed into a kind of liquid Soap in the Still, by means of the alcaline Salt, is brought over the Helm with the Faints, and suffered to mix with the Spirit, whereby it is rendered almost as nauseous and ill-tasted as before the Operation. Besides, if this Operation were performed in its utmost Perfection, it would never answer the Intention; for the alcaline Salt destroys the Vinosity of the Spirit; and consequently deprives it of one of its most valuable Properties. Our Distillers are well acquainted with this Defect in the Operation, and endeavour to supply it by an Addition of Acids. This is what we call the second Method by Alcalies and Acids. The Operation of rectifying by the Method of fixed Alcalies and Acids is the same as that above described; the Spirit is drawn over from fixed Alcalies as before; but in order to mortify the Alcali in the Spirit, and restore its Vinosity, a proper Quantity of some acid Spirit is added. Various kinds of Acids are used on this Occasion; but principally those of the mineral Kind, because of their Cheapness; as Oil of Vitriol, Spirit of Nitre, Oil of Sulphur, and the like. We would, however, caution a young Distiller from being too busy with these corrosive Acids, the sulphurous Spirit of Vitriol, dulcified Spirit of Nitre, or Mr. _Boyle_’s acid Spirit of Wine well rectified,