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Spirit any degree of colour required. There are other methods inuse for colouring brandies; but the best, besides the extract ofoak, are treacle and burnt sugar. T he treacle gives the spirit afine colour, nearly resembling that of French brandy; but as itscolour is dilute, a large quantity must be used: this is not, how-ever, attended with any bad consequences ; for notwithstandingthe spirit is really weakened by this addition, yet the bubble proof,the general criterion of spirits, is greatly mended by the tenacityimparted to the liquor by the treacle. The spirit also acquiresfrom the mixture a sweetish or luscious taste, and a tuiness in themouth; both which properties render it very agreeable to manypeople. A much smaller quantity of burnt sugar than of treaclewill he sufficient for colouring the same quantity of spirits: thetaste is also very different; for instead of thp sweetness impartedby the treacle, the spirit acquires from tbe burnt sugar an agree-able bitterness, and by that means recommends itself to nicer pa-lates, which are offended with a luscious spirit. The burnt sugaris prepared by dissolving a proper quantity of sugar in a little wa-ter, ana scorching it over the fire till it acquires a black colour.F.ither treacle or burnt sugar will nearly imitate the genuine co-lour of old French brandy; but neither of them will succeed whenput to the test of the vitriolic solution. The spirit distilled frommolasses or treacle is very clean and pure. It is made from com-mon treacle dissolved in water, and fermented in the same manneras the wash for the common malt spirit. But if some particularart be not used in distilling this spirit, it will not prove so vinous asmalt spirit, but more flat and less pungent and acrid, though other-wise much cleaner tasted, as its essential oil is of a much less offen-sive flavour. Therefore, if good fresh wine lees, abounding intartar, be added and duly fermented with the molasses, the spiritwill acquire, a much greater vinosity and hriskness, and approachmuch nearer to the nature of foreign spirits. Where the molassesspirit is brought to the common proof-strength, if it be found notto have a sufficient vinosity, it will be very proper to add somegood dulcified spirit of nitre; and if the spirit be clean worked, itmay, by this addition only, be made to pass on ordinary judgesfor French brandy. Great quantities of this spirit are used inadulterating foreign brandy, rum, and arrack. Much of it is alsoused alone in making cherry brandy and other drams by infusion ;in all which many, and perhaps with justice, prefer it”to foreignbrandies. Molasses, like all other spirits, are entirely colourlesswhen first extracted; but distillers always give it as nearly as pos-sible the colour of foreign spirits.” If these principles hold good,the imitation of foreign spirits of all kinds must be an easy matter.It will only cost the procuring of some of those substances fromwhich the spirit is drawn ; and distilling this with water, the essen-tial oil will always give the flavour desired. Thus, to imitate Ja-maica rum, it will only be necessary to procure some of the tops,or other useless parts of the sugar-canes; from which an essentialoil being drawn, and mixed with clean molasses spirit, it w ill giveit the true flavour. The principal difficulty must lie in procuringa spirit totally, or nearly, free of all flavour of its own. The spi-rit drawn from the refuse of a sugar-house is by our author com-mended as superior to that drawn from molasses. The only me-thod, therefore, of imitating foreign spirits is, by choosing suchmaterials as will yield a spirit flavoured as much like (hem as pos-sible. The materials most recommended by our author in thiscase, and probably the best that can be user!, are raisins. Con-cerning these he gives the following directions: “ To extract thisspirit, the raisins must be infused in a proper quantity of water,and fermented in the manner already directed. When the fer-mentation is completed, the whole is to be thrown into the still,and the spirit extracted by a strong fire. The reason why wehere direct a strong fire is, because by that means a greater quan-tity of the essential oil will come over the helm with the spirit,which will render it fitter for the distiller's purpose: for this spiritis commonly used to mix with the common malt goods: and it issurprising how far ii will go in this respect, ten gallons of it bringoften sufficient to give a determining flavour and agreeable vino-sity to a whole piece of malt spirits. It is therefore well worth thedistiller’s while to endeavour at improving the common method ofextracting spirits from raisins; and perhaps the follow ing hint maymerit attention. When the fermentation is completed, and thestill charged with fermented liquor as above directed, let the w holebe drawn oft' with as brisk a lire as possible; but, instead of the cask
or can, generally used by distillers for a receiver, let a large glass,called by chemists a separating glass, be placed under the nose ofthe worm, and a common receiver applied to the spout of the se-parating glass : by this means the essential oil will swim upon thetop of the spirit, or rather low wine, in the separating glass, andmay be easily preserved at the end of the operation. The use ofthis limpid essential oil is well known to distillers; for in this re-sides tiie whole flavour, and consequently it may be used to thegreatest advantage in giving that distinguishing taste and true vi-nosity to the common malt spirits. After the oil is separated fromthe low wine, the liquor may be rectified in balneo maria: into apure and almost tasteless spirit, and therefore well adapted to makethe finest compound cordials, or to imitate or mix with the finestFrench brandies, arracks, &c. In the same manner a spirit maybe obtained from cyder. But as its particular flavour is not so de-sirable as that obtained from raisins, it should be distilled in a moregentle manner, and carefully rectified according to the directionswe have already given.”
Distillation or Compound Spirits. The followung generalrules are very easy to be learned and practised. 1. The artistmust always be careful to use a well cleansed spirit, or one freedfrom its own essential oil. For, as a compound water is nothingmore than a spirit impregnated with the essential oil of the ingre-dients, it is necessary that the spirit should have deposited its own.2. Let the time of previous digestion be proportioned to the tena-city of the ingredients, or the ponderosity of their oil. 3. Let thestrength of the fire also be proportioned to the ponderosity of theoil intended to be raised with the spirit. 4. Let only a due pro-portion of the finest parts of the essential oil be united with thespirit; the grosser and less fragrant parts of the oil not giving tiiespirit so agreeable a flavour, and at the same time rendering it un-sightly. This may in a great measure be ellected by leaving outthe faints, and making up to proof with fine soft water in theirstead. A careful observation of these rules will render this part ofdistillation much more perfect than it is at present. Nor willthere be any occasion for the use of burnt alum, white of eggs,isinglass, &c. to fine down cordial waters ; for they will presentlybe fine, sweet, and pleasant tasted, without any further trouble.We subjoin a few receipts for making some of those compoundw aters, or spirits, that are in the most general estimation.
Distillation of Anisekd Water. Take of aniseed bruised,two pounds; proof spirit, 12-J gallons; water, one gallon: draw offten gallons with a moderate fire. This water should never be re-duced below proof; because the large quantity of oil with whichit is impregnated, will render the goods milky and foul whenbrought down below proof. But if there be a necessity for doingthis, their transparency may he restored by filtration.
Distillation of Cardamum, or All-fours. Take of pimento,caraway, coriander seeds, and lemon peel, each 31b.; of malt spi-rits, 11 gallons; water, 3 gallons. Draw off with a gentle fire,dulcify with common sugar, and make up tiie strength desiredwith clearwater. This is a dram greatly used in some coun-tries.-
Distillation of Cinnamon Water. Take 8ib. of fine cin-namon bruised, 17 gallons of clean rectified spirits, and twogallons of water. But them into the still, and digest themtwenty-four hours with a gentle heat; after which draw off16 gallons with a pretty strong heat. Cinnamon water of thisstrength is called strong cinnamon water. A cheaper spirithut of an inferior quality, may he obtained by using cassialignea instead of cinnamon. To dulcify cinnamon water, takedouble refined sugar, about two pounds to a gallon ; and dissolve.it in the spirit, after making it up proof with clean water. Onegeneral caution is here necessary, viz. near the end of the opera-tion, carefully to watch the spirit as it runs into the receiver, toprevent the faints from mixing with the goods. This may he dis-covered by often catching some of it as it runs from the worm in aglass, and observing whether it is line and tranparent; for as soonas the faints begin to rise, the spirit will have a blueish cast. Assoon as this colour is perceived, the receiver must immediately bechanged; for if the faints are suffered to mix with the rest, thevalue will be greatly lessened. The distillers call such as are madeup proof, double goods; and those below proof, single.
Distillation of Citron Water. Take of dry yellow-rinds of citrons, three pounds; of orange-peel, 2lb. nutmegs9 bruised,