404

DISTILLATION.

the loss of alcohol by the supervention of the acetous stage of fermentation, an accidentvery liable to happen in the sugar colonies. The crude spirit obtained from the largesingle still at the first operation, is rectified in a smaller still. About 114 gallons ofrum, proof strength, specific gravity 0-920, are obtained from 1200 gallons of wash.Now these 1200 gallons weigh 12,600 lbs., and contain nearly one eighth of their weightof sugar=1575 lbs.; which should yield nearly its own weight of proof spirit, whosebulk is=L 5 9 ?^ —1712 pound measures=17T2 gallons ; whereas only 114 are obtained ;proving the processes to be conducted in a manner far from economical, even with everyreasonable allowance.

Mr. Edwards gives the following estimate: “The total amount of sweets from anestate in Jamaica which makes 200 hogsheads of sugar, is 16,666 gallons. The wash setat the rate of 12 per cent, sweets should return 34,720 gallons of low wines, which shouldgive 14,412 gallons of rum, or 131 puncheons of 110 gallons each.”

By my own experiments on the quantity of proof spirit obtainable from molasses by fer-mentation (afterwards to be detailed), one .gallon of sweets should yield one gallon ofspirit; and hence the above 16,666 gallons should have afforded the same bulk of rum.But here we are left somewhat in the dark, by not knowing the specific gravity of the rumspoken of by Mr. Edwards. The only light let in upon us is when he mentions rum oil-proof, that is, a spirit in which olive oil will sink; indicating a density nearly the samewith our actual excise proof, for olive oil at 60° F. has the specific gravity 0-919. Whena solution of sugar of the proper strength is mixed with wine lees, and fermented, itaffords a spirit by distillation not of the rum, but of the brandy flavor.

The sweet juices of palm trees and cocoa nuts, as also of the maple, and ash, birch,&c., when treated like cane juice afford vinous liquors from which ardent spirits, undervarious names, are obtained ; as arrack, &c.; the quantity being about 60 pounds ofalcohol of 0-825 for every 100 pounds of solid saccharine extract present. Honey sim-ilarly treated affords the metheglin so much prized by our ancestors. Good whey, freedfrom curd by boiling, will yield 4 per cent, of spirit of wine, when fermented with theaddition of a little yeast.

2. The juices of apples, pears, currants, and such fruits, afford by fermentation quan-tities of alcohol proportional to the sugar they contain. But the quality of the spirit > smuch better when it is distilled from vinous liquids of a certain age, than from recenll!fermented must. Cherries are employed in Germany , and other parts of the Continent,for making a high-flavored spirit called ICirsch-wasser, or cherry water. The fully r, P efruit is crushed by a roller press, or an edge-stone mill, along with the kernels ; the p uI Fis fermented in a mass, the liquid part is then drawn off, and distilled. More or J essprussic acid enters from the kernels into this spirit, which renders it very injurious, as ■_liquor, to many constitutions. I was once nearly poisoned by swallowing a wine glass oit in the valley of Chamouni. The ripened red fruit of the mountain ash constitutes agood material for vinous fermentation. The juice being mixed with some water and alittle yeast, affords when well fermented, according to Hermstaedt, 12 pounds, or Isgallons, of alcohol from 2 bushels of the ripe berries.

3. Many roots contain sugar, particularly beet, from which no less than 7 per cent- oit may be extracted by judicious means. Hermstaedt recommends to mash the sU-a'boiled clean roots, and add to the paste two thirds of its weight of boiling water, andthirtieth of its weight of ground malt, mixing the materials well, and then leaving y 1 ® 'three hours in a covered vessel. The mixture must now be passed through a wire si® *with meshes of one third of an inch square each ; the residuum is washed with a i tcold water, and, when the temperature has fallen to 77° F., the proper quantity 0 J or g

must be added, and the fermentation suffered to proceed in a covered tun. — - rootidays it will be complete, and will afford by distillation, from 100 pounds of beeabout 10 or 12 pounds of proof spirits. Carrots and parsnips, when similarly treyield a considerable quantity of alcohol.

II. Ardent spirits or whiskey from fecula or starchy materials. , ; nt0 a

I have already pointed out, in the article Beek, how the starch is transforme ^ 0 j,.saccharine condition, by malting and mashing; and how a fermentable wort may c0 „,tained from starchy meal. By like operations may all vegetable substances, w 1 e j 0 ngsist chiefly of starch, become materials for a whiskey distillery. To this class j 10 rse-all the farinaceous grains, potatoes, and the pods of shell fruits, as beans, vetene ,chestnuts, acorns, &c. e weries

1. Whiskey from com. All those species of corn which are employed in , maize oranswer for distilleries; as wheat, rye, barley, and oats; as well as buckwheat, an ^ uponIndian corn. The product of spirits which these different grains afford, dep , ujzablethe proportion of starch they contain, including the small quantity of unCI X S ? ubj ect ’sugar present in them. Hermstaedt, who has made exact experiments u pon a bsol u ‘ ereckons a quart (Prussian or British) of spirits, containing 30 per cent, of ‘be yjel jalcohol of Richter, for 2 pounds of starch. Hence 100 pounds of starch sn