The Distiller

The Distiller

THE DISTILLER. CONTAINING . ‘+ 1, Full and particular directions {|4 Directions for making Yeast, for mashing and distilling all and preserying it sweet for any kinds of Grain, and imitating of time, Holland Gin and Irish Whiskey. ||5. The Rev. Mr. Allison’s process 2. A notice of the different kinds i ith i of Stills in use in the United ments; and mode of imitating States, and of the Scotch Stills French Brandy, &e. which may be run off 480 times | 6. Insiructions for making all kinds in 24 hours. of Cordials, Compo Waters, 3. A Treatise on Fermentation, &c. ; also for making Cider, Beer, containing the latest discove- and various kinds of Wines, &c. ries on the subject. &e. &e. ADAPTED TO THE USE OF FARMERS, AND DISTILLERS. 'B¥ HARRISON HALL. — == The Second Edition, enlarg@f and improved. . —D+ee— o PHILADELPHIA : _ ‘PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 133, CHESNUT-STREET. J. Brongn, Painver. ; 1818. Soc 4707, 813.5 . 4 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY FROM THE NEIRS OF GEORGE C. DEMPSEY | DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, to wit: - -_ *t as BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the séventh * Seal. 3 y of January, in the forty-second year o Indepen- ¢ ” & dence of the United States of America, A. D. 1818, Har- hahaa rison Hall, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as Author, in the words following, to wit : “The Distiller, containing, -1. Full and particular directions for « mashing id distilling all lands of grain, and imitating Holland Gin, * and Irish Whiskey. 2. A notice of the different kinds of Stills in use * in the United States ; and of the Scotch Stills, which may be run off i * 480 times in 24 hours. 3. A Treatise on Fermentation, containing the : ** Jatest discoveries on the subject. 4, Directions for making Yeast, and “ preserving it sweet for any length of time.» 5. The Rev. Mr. Allison’s ** process of rectification, with improvements; and mode of imitating “ French Brandy, &c. 6. Instructions for making all kinds of Cordials, “ Compound Waters, &c.; also for making Cider, Beer, and various “ kinds of Wines, &c. kc. &c. Adapted to the use of Farmers, and. “ Distillers. By Harrison Hall. The Second Edition, erllatged and im- ‘* proved.” In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, inti- tutled, “ An act for the enco' ment of learning, by securing the co- pies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and. proprietors of ‘such ‘copies, during the times therein mentioned.”—And also to the act, en- titled, * An act supplementary to an act, entitled, «An act for the en- couragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and. books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned,’ and g tha benefite thereof to the arts of de- signing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.” D. CALDWELL, Clerk of the . District of Pennsylvania. . . 7 ¢ \, 9 , Gift of § 4% The Meirs of . George C. Dempsey RECOMMENDATIONS, “¢ Practical men, or those engaged in the steady pro- secution of any art or manwfacture, so seldom favour the public with an account of their processes, that when they do write respecting them, or suggest any improvement therein, the public must gain by their labours. “ T have read Mr. Hall’s work on Distilling, and feel no hesitation in saying that I consider it a valuable acqui- sition to those engaged in that business. “JAMES MEASE.” =e “ Mr. H. Hall, “ Dear Sir, s _ © 1 read your Treatise on Distillation, with great pleasure ; it certainly contains more information than any book that 1 have seen in print. I shall recommend jg wherever I have an opportunity of doing so. “Iam, dear Sir, yours, “ ALEX’R. ANDERSON.” “ Dear Sir, “ In answer to your note of this morning, I reply, that I read your manuscript upon Distillation with much _ ' interest, and derived from it some practical information, which fully repaid me for the time and attention bestowed a ' upon it. I can with sincerity say, that some of your hints have been of use to me. “ I am, sir, with due regard, “ Your obedient servant, ; “ ROBERT HARE. “ Harrison Hall, Esq.” “ Dear Sir, e . : ‘ ¥ thank you for the perusal of the first part of your Treatise on Distilling. I have seen no work on the sub- ject, in this country, that contains so much practical good sense, or so likely to communicate useful kpowledge on the subject. oa heartily wish you success, and that the Second Part which I have not yet seen, may be as good as"the portion you sent me, bad “ J am, dear Sir, o . * Your Obedient Servant, “ THOMAS COOPER. “ Harrison Hall, Esq.” we PREFACE. IT requires but little reflection on the agricultural and commercial state of this country, to shew the pro- priety of giving more attention to the manufacturing of domestic spirits, than has been hitherto done. Coftinually liable to interruptions in our trade, with those countries from which we have drawn our supplies of liquors; it would be prudent to become less dependant on them, and more industrious in improving our own capacity to pro- vide for ourselves. These truths have been sensibly felt, ‘since the embargo of 1807, and are every day becoming more important. Hence, the rapid increase in the num- ber of grain distilleries in this country within that period ; insomuch that foreign spirits are almost entirely excluded from common use amongst our farmers. Yet is the art of distilling an agreeable and wholesome liquor from the pro- ducts of our own country, but very imperfectly understood ; and yet are we without any certain guide to direct us in our operations. His own experience and the want of a safe and systema- — tic guide, during several years that the author of the fol- lowing work was practically engaged in distilling, has in- _ duced him to believe that the result of a careful i inquiry into the subject might not be unacceptable to such as de- sire to be informed. As his principal object is to instruct "plain, unlettered men, he has laid down his rules, in the | vi PREFACE. most simple manner, and in the. fewest possible words ; avoiding all irrelevant matter, and doubtful theories which might tend to perplex rather than elucidate. In the course of his inquiries he has had the advantage of visiting other distilleries besides his own ; and whilst he has seen the errors of careless, or ignorant pretenders, he hopes he has profited by the liberality and science of enlightened men. Practical men we know, on all subjects, are too apt to despise books; and we are equally aware that a complete manufacturer can never be formed by reading alone. But though we acknowledge that experience will always be the sure test of truth, it cannot be denied, that books are a con- venient medium to bring much valuable truth into view; to compare our opinions with those of others; and above all to bring together the excellencies and errors of the four ', quarters of the world, that whilst we adopt the one we may avoid the other. To the insulated savage, when he has accidentally discovered that an intoxicating liquor may be extracted from his native maple, it may be allowed to exult in his wondertul knowledge; but he who reads, will rather speak with modesty of his own attainments when he sees how far he has been surpassed by others. But though we contend for the utility of books in the science of distillation, we can assure those who would ra- ther depend on their own practical results that there is yet great room for the application of their ingenuity and dili- gence; for the science of fermentation is yet-so imperfectly understood that no rules can be given for mashing and making yeast, which may not possibly disappoint an ordi- nary operator. On the other hand it may perhaps be asserted with some PREFACE. vii confidence, that a degree of success equal to his most san- guine expectations may be attained by a careful attention to the directions contained in the following work. They ‘are the result of the author’s own experience, or of com-. munications, for the most part personal, with men on whose knowledge and veracity he could alike depend. And how- ever humbly he may indeed be disposed to think of his la- bours, he cannot but flatter himself that he will be found to have.contributed something though but a mite to the general stock of information. _ _- és “nN PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. THE uncommonly rapid sale of the first edition of © this work, far from inspiring the author with over-ween- ing confidence, has induced him to review his labours with great caution. As was to have been expected, he has re- ceived a variety of communications on the subject from se- veral gentlemen. He is not insensible to the favourable opinion that has been expressed by many, as he has en- deavoured to evince, in this edition, which will be found to be greatly enlarged, and, it is hoped, improved. . Fanuary, 1818. INDEX. a s 8 = F P88R SISHSS KESHSRPSSSS SLE SRLS .% PRELIMINARY Observations, . Chap. 1. On the proper stuaon fra gain Gtilley, 2. Choice of a proper site, . A 3. Of the apparatus and cost, =... , 4. Of the profits and current expenses, . 5. Ofthe difirent pan of iiling and forma tls, . Old plan of distilling, . . . Colonel A. Anderson’s mode, . : Henry Witmer’s, : Anderson’s opinion as to the quality of mint _ Nicholson’s do. . . Curaudeau’s opinion on evaporation, Mr. Kraft’s stills, . Comparison of Scotch stills with Anderson and Hall's, * ° 6. Distillation by steam, . . . . Charles Wyatt’sdo. .. Extract from the report of the commitlee of the house. of commons, relative to the quality oF spin Phares Bernard’s mode, . . P. M. Hackley, . . View of Gillespie’s stills, . Description of the apparatus of Mons. Ed. Adam, . 7. OF tae construction of feranece sad manner of sting Op stills, ; Mode of forming a cement, . . . 8. Of hogsheads, or vessels for mashing, | . . Of washing hogeheads, | . . . ( x ) Page. Additional purifier for hogsheads, —.. . . 96 9. Of a mashing machine, . - 7 10. Of the tecnica terms used ina dniey, . 7. 99 11. Observations on yeast, . - . 101 Of stock yeast, 10S Mode of wparntng br yest od preserving yet a long time, . . - 106 Composition for yeast, . : . . - 108 - Substitute for do. . . 109 To judge of the qaelity of yesst, and sweeten it when - Mecessary, ' » is Dr. Masoi’s thethod of gentrhting yeast, . ~ th; Hops used to accelerate fermentation, . . - 118 12. Observations en mashing, . . . : 120 Experiments in mashing, . . . - 13 2 unine Pe bee, . » Ww Observations on grain of different kinds, . 142 © Ofte weight ed pres of iit nk gh, . 146 14, Observations on malt, . . . 147 Richardson on ialtigs, . . . - 152 15. Directions for making malt, . . . . - 158 16. To dry malt, . . . . . . 19 Do. by.steam, . . . . . . ib. ° Ofgtindmg, 2, . eo BL 17. Of vinous fermentation, . 163 Experiments respecting the formation ‘of alcohol, by Mr. Brandt, . 170 Respecting the influence of sang, by Me Collier, 174 18, Of hops, a . + 182 Of the culture of the hop, . . . . 1%. 19. To thake foul gations froin'the bushel, . 187 20.. Proceas by whioh 690lbs. of corn yield 430 qte. steamy, 190 21. Process of distillation in Ireland, . a 193 22. Of lutes, . . 198 23. Observations on the advantage of preparkng whiskdy for market of a proper strength, . 200 On the ined’ of infection in New Tork, Phibedeiphia. ; A Of geneva orgin, .. 6 206 25. Of the advantages of feeding ewine ‘and extte, » 212 Description ofs cow house at Glaagow, oo - 219 26. Miscellaneous observations, . . . gat \ Ca) PART IL. Tutteduetory, . . . Chap. 1. Of Vhesituation for a cider distillery, . 2. Ofthe various products of the United States which af. ford spirit by distillation, ~ . - . Of apple brandy, . . . . . Fox grapes, . . . . . Potatoes, . : . . . . Sugar from beets, . . . . 3.-OFf colouring liquors, ‘ . : . 4. Of rectification, . . . 5. Of imitating foreign spirit, * . 6. Of alcohol, or spirit of wine, . . 7. Of bodies proper for distillation, and their product, . Sere ip SERRERSERER ESSERE el 8. Of distilling simple waters, . . . 9. Of making compound waters and cordials, . . Recipe 1. Clove water, . . .. ’ 2. Lemon water, . : . e 4, Grange water, . . . . . . _ § Lavender water, . . . . 6. Lavender compound, . . 7. Peppermint water, . . . 8. Compound Gentian water, . o4 . ib, 9. Anniseed water, . , ib, 10. To make ten gallons royal esque - 27 11. To make red.-ratafia, . . ib. 10. Concerning wines, . 276 Recipe 1. For American wines. ‘By Jos. ope, esq. N. oN : . 2. Cider wine, . 284 3. Hydromel or mead, . “. . ib. 4. Currant wine, N. . 285 5. Elder wine, . . . ib. 7. Irish nectar, te te . - ie Letter from Dr. Anderson, . . . ib. Recipe from do. oe -. 292 21. Tomakebeer, . : . . . . 12. Concerning cider, . . . 13. Improvements or substitutes for the common on ye, Description of the Baron de Gedda’s condenser, . 14. On raising water, : se. Description of the screw of Archimedes, . . Do. Argand’s valve siphon, . . . Do. Mongolfier’s hydraulic ram, . te 15. Of the thermometer, . . . ‘ 16. Of the hydrometer, . . . . . Gilpin’s tables of specific gravity, . . 17. Of Russian distillation, 18, On the preservation of vegetables for distillation, 19. Ottar of roses, . *. oe . 20. List of patents, . Advertisement of a new ‘invented steam distillery, . "REFERENCE TO THE PLATES. Mr. H. Witmer’s improvement ‘ on Col. A. aS derson’s patent Condensing Tub, to face the ‘2 Mr. P. M. Hackley’s still, . 60 Mr. Gillespie’s do. . . 67 Mons. Adam’s do. Sie tg 84 Baron De Gedda’s Condenser, : . 308 Archimedes’ Screw, . . . 312 Hydraulic Ram, a . . 316 Patent Steam Distillery, . a - 3837 Argand’ Valve Siphon, . . . Ab. Page. 327 THE DISTILLER. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. THE time of the invention of brandy or ardent spirits, so useful in the arts, and so important an object of commerce, and which has proved so influential on the health, habits, and happiness of the human race, is involved in obscurity. That the first was made by the Arabians, from wine, and thence called vinum us- tum; that Arabian physicians first employed it in the composition of medicines, and that so late as the year 1333, the manner of preparing it was still considered by the surgeons as a secret art, appears from the writ- ings of Arnaldus, Raymond, Lully, Theophrastus, and Paracelsus; and it is not without some reason that the invention has been ascribed to Arnold. Alexander Tassoni relates, that the Modonese were the first in Europe, who, in consequence of a superabundant vin- tage, made considerable quantities of this liquor. The German miners had first acquired a habit of drinking A 2 Preliminary Observations. it; and the consumption of, and demand for, this li- quor, soon induced the Venetians to participate with the Modonese in this new art, and lucrative branch of commerce. However, it appears that brandy did not come into general use until towards the end of the 15th century, and then it was still called burnt wine. The first printed books which made mention of brandy, re- commended it as a preservative against most diseases and as a means of prolonging youth and beauty. Si- milar encomiums have been passed upon tea and cof- fee ; and people became so much habituated to these liquors, that they at last daily drank them merely on ac- count of their being pleasant to the palate. © In thé reformation of the archbishopric of Cologne, in the first quarter of the sixteenth century, there is no mention of brandy; although it must certainly have been made there, ifi it had already been used in West- phalia. + Wiliam II. landgrave of Hesse, about the com- ’ mencement of the sixteenth century, ordered, that no vendor of brandy should suffer it to be drank in his. house, and that no one should be allowed to offer it for sale before the church doors on holidays. In 1524 Philip, landgrave of Hesse totally prohibitted the sale of burnt wine. But in the middle of the sixteenth cen- tury when Baccius wrote his history ef wine, brandy was every where in Italy sold under the name of agua vitis or vite. Under king Erick it was introduced into Sweden. . Preliminary Observations. 8 . For a long time this liquor was distilled only from spoiled wine, afterwards it was made from the dregs of beer, wine, &c. and when, instead of these, the distil- lets employed. wheat, rye, and barley, it was consider- ed as a wicked and unpardonable use of grain, it .was ’ feared that spirit made from wine would be adulterated with malt spirits ; and an idea prevailed that the grains were noxious to cattle, but especially to swine; whence originated among men that loathsome disease the leprosy ! Expressly for these reasons, burnt wine was, in January, 1595, forbidden to be made in the electorate of Saxony, unless only from wine lees, and the dregs of beer. - In 1582 brandy was prohibited at Frankfort on the - it was noxious in the then prevailing disorders. From: "the same eause the prohibition was renewed in 1605. . The love of brandy or ardent spirits in general, has spread over all parts of the world, and nations, the most uncultivated, and the most ignorant, who can nei- - ther reckon hor write, have niot only comprehended or devised methods of distilling it, but even had ingenuity te prepare some kind of beverage from the vegetable kingdom. of their own country. ‘¢ The miserable hordes who wander in the forests of Guayama,”’ says one of the most valuable writers of the 4 Preliminary Observations, present day,* “‘ make as agreeable emulsions from the different palm-tree fruits as the barley water prepared in Europe. ‘The inhabitants of Easter Island, exiled on a mass of arid rocks, without springs, . besides the sea water drink the juice of the sugar-cane. The most part of civilized nations.draw their drinks from the same plants which constitute the basis of their nourishment, and of which the roots or seeds contain . the sugary principle united with the amylaceous sub- stance. Rice in southern and eastern Asia, in Africa the igname root witha few arunis, and in the north of Europe cerealia, furnish fermented liquors. There are few nations who cultivate plants merely with a view toa prepare beverages from them. The old continent _ affords us no instance of vine plantations but. to the’ west of the Indies. . In the better days of Greece this cultivation was even confined to the countries situate between the Oxus and Euphrates, to’Asia Minor and | western Europe. _ In the rest of the globe nature pro- duces species of wild vitis, but no where else did man endeavour to collect them round him to meliorate them by cultivation.” “‘ But in the new continent,” he continues, ‘“‘we have ' the example of a people who not only extracted liquors from the amylaceous and sugary substance of the maize, the manioc and bananas, or from the pulp of several species of mimosa, but who cultivated express- * Baron Humboldt. See his Political Essay on the Kingdom of _ New Spain: translated by John Black, vol. i. p. 518. London, 1811, -Preliminary Observations. 5 ly a plant of the family of the ananas to convert its juice into a spirituous liquor. This plant differs es- sentially from the common maguey.” - And “A chemist,” he adds, ‘“‘ would have some ' difficulty in preparing the innumerable variety of spi- rituous, acid, or sugary beverages, which the Indians display a particular address in making, by infusing the grain of maize, in which the sugary matter begins to develop itself by germination. These beverages are generally known by the name of chica, have some of them a resemblance to beer, and others to cider. Un- der the meuastic government of the Incas it was not permitted in Peru to manufacture intoxicating liquors, especially those which are called vinapu and sora. The Mexican despots were less interested in the pub- li and private morals, and drunkenness was very com- mon among the Indians of the times of the Aztec dy- nasty. Butthe Europeans have multiplied the enjoy- ments of the lower people by the introduction of the _sugar-cane. At present in every elevation the Indian has his particular drinks. The plains in the vicinity of the coasts furnish him with spirit from the sugar- cane. The Chica de Mais abounds on the declivity _ of the Cordilleras. The central table-land is the coun- try of Mexican vines, the agave plantations, which . supply the favourite drink of the natives, the pulgue de maguey. The Indian in easy circumstances adds to these productions of the American soil a liquor still dearer and rarer, grape brandy, partly furnished by European commerce, and partly distilled in the country. 6 Preliminary Observations: ‘‘ Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Mexicans and Peruvians pressed out the juice of the maize stalk to make sugar from it.” ‘In the valley of Tolucca, the stalk of the maize is squeezed between cylinders, and there is prepared from its fermented juice a spirituous liquor, called padgue .de mahis, or tlaolloi, a liquor which becomes a very important object of commerce.” The various difficulties, restrictions and prohibitions which attended the more general introduction of the distillation of grain, into the different countries of Eu- rope, would afford matter of curious investigation, but does not come within the limits of this work. In America during the infancy of the settlement, we were under the necessity of importing spirituous liquors of different kinds, as more important cares pre- cluded any attempts at domestic distillation. When it was attempted, it may be presumed not to have been productive of the best spirit. ‘Thence probably arose prejudices against it when manufactured in this coun- try, which retarded improvement in the art, until about the time of the revolution. Cut off from the usual supply of spirits, the price of those which re- mained, or were occasionally brought into our ports,. was so high, as to place them beyond the reach of the. frreat mass of the people. Instead then of following the bright and laudable example which was exhibited by the fair sex, in abstaining from the use of tea, the in- Preliminary Observations. a 4 genutity of man was stimulated to obtain a substitute for foreign spirits by the distillation of grain, and, such was the influence of patriotism, or rather, the desire of making money, that a single still put up in a shed, witha _ worm -made of gun barrel8, was all the apparatus at this time employed in many places in making whiskey. ‘ There were however, ii some parts of the country well established grain distilleries upon what is called. the old plan. Although a number of patents had been granted by our government for improvements in distillation, it does not appear, that any important ones were made. until the year 1794, when col. Alexander Anderson obtained a patent for what he termed a steam still, upon which plan he had one boiler which worked two stills. Such were the prejudices in favour of the old way of distilling that very few distillers adopted the « improvements of col. Anderson until about the year 4801, when he obtained a patent for his ‘‘ Condenser for heating wash or any other subject to be distilled.” The advantages of this plan being great, it was getting into general ‘use when Mr. Henry Witmer obtained a patent for an improvement upon colonel ‘ Anderson’s Condenser.” ‘Fhis being more compact, has been gradually taking the place of the other, and is at present esteemed equal, if not superior, to any other in use in the United States. A great number of patents have been obtained for improvements on stills and in distillation in the United ’ & Prekiminary Observations, States, a list of which is published in this work, more for the information of the curious, than from any ad. vantage to be derived from it. It is a matter of regret to the editor that he cannot distinguish by a particular description the more important, so as to render them more generally known; such however, is said to be the inefficiency of the patent laws for the security of patentees, that many are unwilling to make their disco- veries public in an intelligible form, except where there ' is an immediate probability of selling a right, so that it is difficult to obtain correct information as to any im- provement, for which a patent has been obtained but by a sight of the thing itself. To this rapid and imperfect sketch of the history of distillation it may be only necessary at this time to add, _ that a still of 110 gallons with Witmer’s improvement upon Anderson, can be run off with ease eight or nine times in twenty-four hours; whereas upon the old plan . such a still can be run off but three times in the same number of hours. The business of the grain distillery may be divided - into two parts, first, the mashing and fermentation, by which the spirit is formed, though still united with - other substances; secondly, distillation, by which the spirit is separated from those substances and obtained ina pure state. Though probably not of equal im- portance, each requires the particular attention of the distiller. It may seem surprising, that distedAng, the less important of the two, is so well understood, and "that our knowledge of mashing and fermentation, is still so imperfect. An examination of the subject, however, will show the former to have been the natura] result of the daily observations of distillers, but that . the latter depended upon circumstances not within - their controul, or observation, and only to be com- pletely effected by an accurate knowledge of the sci- ence of chemistry. . _ The making of a still is a mere mechanical opera- tion, and the shape was formerly left entirely to the . whim of the coppersmith who made it in a manner the most advantageous to himself; to wit, of narrow bottom and very deep; as however one differed from another, a little observation only was necessary to show the best. The improvements have been gradual, and we have now attained a point equally distant from the deep stills formerly in use, and the very shallow ones used in Scotland, and once recommended in this country, but which cannot be used advantageously ‘with our thick wash. ’ However simple the operation of mashing may appear ‘aS a mere mixture of grain and water, the mode of do- ing it constitutes a great difference between distillers, who cannot be successful without a knowledge of the correct process. The mere practical distiller does his daily work with the use of a certain quantity of water, to a certain quan- tity of meal, without a proper attention to variation in . B : 10 Preliminary Observations. the heat of the weather, so trifling,.as not to be noticed but by reference to a thermometer (which he rarely pos- sesses) but yet sufficient to affect the process, and con- sequently increase or diminish the product. Of the consequences, he is sensible, but ignorant of the cause, and will say in general terms, that he Ait i¢ or missed it, , as the case may be. If such a man, by long practice, should fall into a method of working more profitably than that of his neighbours, his success must be in a . great measure the effect of accident, and cannot be call- ed an improvement in the art, because he is unable to make his knowledge useful to others, and even must often fail for want of a certain and invariable rule to di- _ rect his operations. But it will be observed that prac- tice makes perfect, and how else, it may be asked, but by practice can you make improvements in any manu- facture? It is true, acertain kind of practice is neces- sary, which in this case may be more properly termed aseries of experiments, in conducting which however, the ingredients must be accurately weighed and mea- sured, and the heat of the water and weather precisely ascertained. This, with particular attention to the fer- mentation, and the results being carefully recorded, will enable the experimenter, not only to make improve- ments, but to communicate them to the world. The dependance of this art upon chemistry and the great advantage to be derived from a knowledge of this science are so well illustrated in the introduction to Henry’s “‘ Epitome of Chemistry,’’ that a short extract from his work will not be deemed improper: “but the Preliminary Observations. nu acquirement of experience, in other words, a talent . for the accurate observation of facts, and the habit of arranging facts in the best manner,” says this writer, “may be greatly facilitated by the possession of scientific principles. Indeed, it is hardly possible for any one to frame rules for the practice of a chemical art, or to ' profit by the rules of others, who is unacquainted with the general doctrines of the science. For, in all rules, it is implied, that the promised effect will only take place, when circumstances are precisely the same, as in case under which the rule was formed. To insure the unerring uniformity of result, the substances em-. ployed in chemical processes, must be of uniform composition and excellence; or, when it is not possi- ble to obtain them thus unvaried, the artist should be able to judge precisely of the defect or redundancy, that he may proportion his agents according to their qualities. Were chemical knowledge more generally . possessed, we should hear less of failures and disap- pointments in chemical operations; and the artist would commence his proceedings, not, as at present, with’ distrust and uncertainty, but with a well grounded ex- pectation of success.—In the present imperfect state of his knowledge, the artist is even unable fully to avail himself of those fortunate accidents, by which improve-- ments sometimes occur in his processes; because to the eye of common observation, he may have acted agree. . ably to established rules, and have varied in circumstan- ces, which he can neither perceive or appreciate, The. man of science, in these instances, sees more deeply, and, by availing himself of a minute and accidental Ts Preliminary Qivereations. difference, contributes at once to the promotion of his own interest, and to the advancement of his art.” But it is the union of theory with practice that is now re- commended. And ‘ When theoretical knowledge and practical skill are happily combined in the same person, the intellectual power of man appears in its full perfection, and fits him equally to conduct, with a mas- terly hand, the details of ordinary business, and to con- tend successfully with the untried difficulties of new and perplexing situations. In conducting the former, mere experience may be a sufficient guide; but expe- rience and speculation must be combined to prepare us for the latter... Stewart’s Elements of Philosophy of the Haman Mind, chap. IV. sect. vii. Distillation was for a long time confined to farmers, who only carried on the work during the winter season, and men of small capital, who being obliged to make quick sales, were more attentive to the quantity, than the quality of the spirit distilled. Under the old plan it was supposed that it could not be carried to a suffi- cient extent to render it an object toa man of large _ capital, the demand for grain spirit being trifling, owing to the large quantities of New England rum to which preference was given; neither was this business then thought respectable. _ This was the state of the case at the time of the very ingenious improvement made by Mr. Alexander An- derson, which shed a new light on the subject, and shewed that it could be carried to any extent; the ides. too, which at that time was circulated, of making three gallons of spirit from a bushel of grain, when the ptice of one gallon of gin was nearly equal to that ofa bushel of grain; presented the prospect of such a rapid accumulation of wealth, as to cause a very considera- dle increase of distilleries. For, whatever opinion may be entertained of a manufactory, by those who only view it at a distance, so soon as it is found to be very profitable, it will also be sufficiently respectable, for . the attention of the most fastidious: Accordingly, — we find men of science, men of capital, lawyers, doc- tors, and merchants abandoning professional pur- suits, and the hazardous speculations of the compting ‘- house, to learn the art of extracting spirit from grain; "and to such men are we indebted for improvements, both in the quantity and quality of the spirit; on the last mentioned particular depends its taking the place of foreign spirits. Let distillers then pay the utmost attention to the flavour and proof, and as these improve, the price will rise, and grain spirits, whether gin or whiskey, will becothe fashionable, and valued accord- ing to their quality. The very name of whiskey is nauseous to some men; and when they taste some of that which is of- fered for sale in our cities, the reality is found to be " ten times worse than the idea, and they are com- pletely disgusted. Offer to the same persons whiskey which has been double distilled,* and carefully at- It should be observed, that neither age or double distillation, will render good, whiskey originally bad; or that has received an improper flavour during the fermentation. 14 Préliminary Observations. ‘* tended to’in every part of the operation, haying also’ the advantage of twelve months age, they will drink it without being able to say’ what it is, and may finally prefer it to French brandy. T have sold many gallens of such as had been made in this manner for the private use of gentlemen, at one dollar per gallon; it has been highly esteemed, and generally preferred to any liquor generally sold un- der the name of French brandy. The rapidity of improvements in the western parts of the United States, is a matter of some consideration to the distillers of the Atlantic states. They have al- ready made considerable progress in the art of distil- _ lation, and the vast quantities of grain which are pro- duced by their fertile lands, beyond the necessary consumption, cannot be so well disposed of in any way as in pork and whiskey. Hence we already find Tennessee and Kentucky whiskey in our sea ports, ‘and it is generally preferred to that made nearer home; .this by the way, is a powerful argument against the common prejudice against using corn, as the western whiskey is chiefly made of that grain; the distillers here, however, without examining into the real qua- lity of this whiskey, are satisfied with attributing this preference to the prejudice generally entertained in fa- vour of things procured with some difficulty. Ken- tucky hams have also been brought hither and sold at at very good prices. Preliminary Observations. . 15 Although the western distillers may not take more pains, or have a more complete knowledge of the art of distillation than others, there are several causes why their whiskey in general is better than ours; setting aside, however, the superior quality of their grain, which is certainly of importance, and some local ad- vantages, it may be merely necessary to observe, that in order to save the expense of transportation and casks, their whiskey is made fourth proof, so that they offer for sale nothing but the pu pure spirits where- as our distillers have a vile practice of running feints in their spirits to reduce them, thereby giving the bad flavour of which complaints have so justly | been made. As they depend upon the rise of the rivers to send their whiskey to market, it acquires some age: this also, and the motion of travelling, has considerable effect in improving it. This whiskey has been sold, fre- quently, from one dollar twenty-five cents, to one dol- lar fifty cents, per gallon. The increasing importance of this business is evi- dent, from the quantity of domestic distilled spirits . which it appears are made in the United States. Of the twenty-four millions which are annually distilled, it is probable there are twenty millions made from grain: and with the increase of population, and exten- sion of agriculture, distillation will also be augmented. To the superficial reader of the following pages, and | to him who examines but one side of the question, it -will appear to be a very profitable business, and he 16 Preliminary Observations. will be surprised that any one engaged i in distiling grain should fail of accumulating wealth rapidly. But it may be proper to remark, that although there is no enterprize in which a small capital will yield so large a profit if -well understood, and properly attended to, in all its parts, neither is there any which will tend more rapidly to ruin the owner than a distillery, con- ducted without an adequate knowledge of the busi- ness, in all its details. Failures in distilleries are generally attributed to these causes: 1. The situation. 2. The kind of stills, 3. The water. 4. Want of knowledge in the owner to direct, or of a suitable person to conduct, the internal affairs of the establishment. “The three first of these causes may be avoided by close attention to the direc-. tions in the ensuing pages; and so far as this kind of. instruction can be effectual, the author has endea- voured to point out the remedy for the two last. But there is another difficulty to which many distil- lers ‘are liable, and which is proper to be mentioned here; this is, the want of a suitable agent to dispose of the gin or whiskey when it is in the market.—For it has come within the knowledge of the author, that a distillery may be perfectly well conducted, and ap- parently yielding great profits, yet ruined by the igno- rance, folly, or dishonesty of the agents: while, on the other hand, there are distilleries from whtfich the liquor and bacon have been highly extolled, and have sold at all times very high, merely from the attention of their Preliminary Observations. | 17 agents. Let this point be well attended to then, by any one who is obliged to employ an agent. On the manufacture of gin, some observations will be found under the proper head. This article, how- ever, at’ best, is but an imitation of a foreign spirit. We are indebted to a foreign country for the ingredi- ents which imparts the peculiar flavour of that liquor, and even in those we are liable to be greatly deceived. It should therefore become the particular aim of the - American distiller to make a spirit purely American, entirely the produce of our own country ; and if the pure, unadulterated grain spirit cannot be rendered sufficiently palatable to those tastes, that are vitiated by . the use of French brandy or Jamaica rum, let us search our own woods for an article to give it taste suffi. ciently pleasant for these depraved appetites. . The French sip brandy; the Hollanders swallow gin; the Irish glory in their whiskey ; surely John Bull finds “ meat and drink” in his porter—and why should not our countrymen have a national beverage ? PART I. CHAPTER I. Concerning the proper situation for a Grain Distillery. THE first object for the consideration of a man about to enter into the business of a grain distillery, is to procure a proper situation for his works. This is of greater importance, and requires much more examination and deliberation than is generally supposed, or is usually given to the subject. The first question that presents itself, is whether a situation contiguous to, or at a distance from a city is . to be preferred, and the advantages and disadvantages of each must be considered with reference to the ca- - pital to be employed. In the first case, grain, fuel, labour, and grinding, will be high; rent will also be an object; and it will frequently be difficult to obtain hogs. On the other hand, being at the market, the distiller can take ad- vantage of any sudden rise. He saves storage, commissions, &c. by making his own sales, and may obtain a regular set of customers. H