Part 5
As spirits can hardly be burned or singed in a doubling still, if not before done in singling, all the precaution necessary is to set them in the best method for saving fuel, and preserving the still. The instructions given for setting a singling still, is presumed to be adequate to setting a doubling still.
_How to prevent the singling Still from burning._
If the singling still be well set, and is carefully greased with a piece of bacon, tallow or hard soap, every time she is filled, she will seldom burn, but if she does burn or singe notwithstanding these precautions, it will be advisable to take her down and set her up a new ten times, rather than have her burned.
SECTION VII.
ARTICLE I.
_How to clarify Whiskey, &c._
Take any vessel of convenient size, take one end out and make it clean, by scalding or otherwise; bore the bottom full of holes, a quarter of an inch in diameter--lay thereon three folds of flannel, over which spread ground maple charcoal and burnt brick-dust, made to the consistence of mortar, with whiskey, about two inches thick, pour your whiskey or brandy thereon, and let it filter thro' the charcoal, flannel, &c. after which you will find the spirit to have scarcely any taste or smell of whiskey.--Elevate the filtering cask so as to leave room to place a vessel to receive the spirit under it.
ART. II.
_How to make a Brandy resembling French Brandy, from Rye Whiskey or Apple Brandy._
Clarify the whiskey as the above receipt directs, after thus purifying, add one third or one fourth of French brandy, and it will be then found strongly to resemble the French brandy in taste and smell--and if kept a few years, will be found more salutary and healthful than French brandy alone. This mode of clarifying rids the spirit of any unpleasant flavour received in the process of distillation or from bad materials, and moreover, from all those vicious, poisonous properties contracted in the still or worm from copper; such as foetid oil from the malt, which frequently unites with the verdigris, and combines so effectually with whiskey, that it may possible require a frequent repetition of this mode of clarifying, to rid it completely of any unpleasant taste or property contracted as above stated.
ART. III.
_How to make a Spirit resemble Jamaica Spirit out of Rye Whiskey._
This is done precisely in the manner laid down in the receipt for French brandy.
ART. IV.
_How to make a resemblance of Holland Gin out of Rye Whiskey._
Put clarified whiskey, with an equal quantity of water, into your doubling still, together with a sufficient quantity of juniper berries, prepared; take a pound of unflacked lime, immerse it in three pints of water, stir it well--then let it stand three hours, until the lime sinks to the bottom, then pour off the clear lime water, with which boil half an ounce of isinglass cut small, until the latter is dissolved--then pour it into your doubling still with a handful of hops, and a handful of common salt, put on the head and set her a running; when she begins to run, take the first half gallon (which is not so good), and reserve it for the next still you fill--as the first shot generally contains something that will give an unpleasant taste and colour to the gin. When it looses proof at the worm, take the keg away that contains the gin, and bring it down to a proper strength with rain water, which must previously have been prepared, by having been evaporated and condensed in the doubling still and cooling tub.
This gin when fined, and two years old, will be equal, if not superior to Holland gin.
The isinglass, lime water and salt, helps to refine it in the still, and the juniper berries gives the flavor or taste of Holland gin.
About thirteen pounds of good berries, are sufficient for one barrel.
Be careful to let the gin as it runs from the worm, pass thro' a flannel cloth, which will prevent many unpleasant particles from passing into the liquor, which are contracted in the condensation, and the overjuice imbibed in its passage thro' the worm.
ART. V.
_The best method of making common country Gin._
Take of singlings a sufficient quantity to fill the doubling still, put therein ten or twelve pounds of juniper berries, with one shovel full of ashes, and two ounces alum--put on the bead, and run her off, as is done in making whiskey. This is the common mode of making country gin; but is in this state little superior to whiskey, save as to smell and flavor.
It is therefore in my mind, that the mode of clarifying, prescribed, ought to be pursued in all distilleries, so far as necessary to make a sufficient quantity of good spirit for any market convenient--the supply of respectable neighbors, who may prefer giving a trifle more per gallon, than for common stuff and for domestic use. And moreover, I think the distiller will meet a generous price for such clarified, and pure spirit, as he may send to a large mercantile town for sale--as brewers and others, frequently desire such for mixing, brewing, making brandies in the French and Spanish mode, and spirits after the Jamaica custom. And after the establishment of a filtering tub or hopper, prepared as before described, with holes, flannel or woollen cloth, and plenty of maple charcoal, and burnt brick-dust, a distiller may always find leisure to attend to the filtration; indeed it will be found as simple and easy, as the process for making ley from ashes in the country for soap. But I would suggest that spirit prepared and clarified in this way, should be put into the sweetest and perfectly pure casks.
New barrels will most certainly impart color, and perhaps some taste, which would injure the sale, if intended for a commercial town market, and for brewing, or mixing with spirits, from which it is to receive its flavor.
For my own use, I would put this spirit into a nice sweet cask, and to each barrel I would add a pint of regularly, and well browned wheat, not burned but roasted as much as coffee.
The taste of peach brandy may be imparted to it by a quantity of peach stone kernels, dried, pounded and stirred into the cask; in this way, those who are fond of the peach brandy flavor, may drink it without becoming subject to the pernicious consequences that arise from the constant use of peach brandy. Peach brandy, unless cleansed of its gross and cloying properties, or is suffered to acquire some years of age, has a cloying effect on the stomach, which it vitiates, by destroying the effect of the salival and gastric juices, which have an effect on aliment, similar to that of yeast on bread, and by its singular properties prevents those juices from the performance of their usual functions in the fermentation of the food taken into the stomach--producing acid and acrimonious matter, which in warm climates generates fevers and agues. Apple brandy has not quite a similar but equally pernicious effect, which age generally removes--indeed, age renders it a very fine liquor, and when diluted with water, makes a very happy beverage, gives life and animation to the digesting powers, and rarely leaves the stomach heavy, languid and cloyed. Then both those, (indeed, all liquors,) ought to be avoided when new, by persons of delicate habit, and those who do not exercise freely. A severe exercise and rough life, generally enables the stomach to digest the most coarse food, by liquor, however new.
_On fining Liquors._
Isinglass is almost universally used in fining liquors. Take about half an ounce to the barrel--beat it fine with a hammer, lay it in a convenient vessel, pour thereon two gallons whiskey, or a like quantity of the liquor you are about to fine, let it soak two or three days, or till it becomes soft enough to mix--then stir it effectually, and add the white and shells of half a dozen eggs--beat them up together and pour them into the cask that is to be fined, then stir it in the cask, bung it slightly, after standing three or four days it will be sufficiently fine, and may be drawn off into a clean cask.
ART. VI.
_On colouring Liquors._
One pound of brown sugar burnt in a skillet almost to a cinder, add a quart of water, which when stirred, will dissolve the sugar--when dissolved, this quantity will color three barrels.
A pint of well parched wheat put into a barrel will colour it, and give more the appearance of a naturally acquired colour, and an aged taste or flavor.
ART. VII.
_To correct the taste of singed Whiskey._
Altho' this cannot be done effectually without clarifying, as prescribed, but Bohea tea will in a great measure correct a slight singe--a quarter of a pound may be tried to the barrel.
ART. VIII.
_To give an aged flavor to Whiskey._
This process ought to be attended to by every distiller, and with all whiskey, and if carefully done, would raise the character, and add to the wholesomeness of domestic spirits.
It may be done by clarifying the singlings as it runs from the still--let the funnel be a little broader than usual, cover it with two or more layers of flannel, on which place a quantity of finely beaten maple charcoal, thro' which let the singlings filter into your usual receiving cask. When doubling, put some lime and charcoal in the still, and run the liquor thro' a flannel--when it loses proof at the worm, take away the cask, and bring it to proof with rain water that has been distilled. To each hogshead of whiskey, use a pound of Bohea tea, and set it in the sun for two weeks or more, then remove it to a cool cellar, and when cold it will have the taste and flavor of old whiskey. If this method was pursued by distillers and spirits made 2d and 3d proof, it would not only benefit the seller, but would be an advantage to the buyer and consumer--and was any particular distiller to pursue this mode and brand his casks, it would raise the character of his liquor, and give it such an ascendancy as to preclude the sale of any other, beyond what scarcity or an emergency might impel in a commercial city.
If distillers could conveniently place their liquor in a high loft, and suffer it to fall to the cellar by a pipe, it would be greatly improved by the friction and ebullition occasioned in the descent and fall.
SECTION VIII.
ARTICLE I.
_Observations on Weather._
Some seasons are better for fermentation than others. Should a hail storm occur in the summer, the distiller should guard against cooling off with water in which hail is dissolved, for it will not work well.
If a thundergust happens when the hogsheads are in the highest state of fermentation, the working will nearly cease, and the stuff begin to contract an acidity. And when in the spring the frost is coming out of the ground, it is unfortunate when the distiller is obliged to use water impregnated with the fusions of the frost, such being very injurious to fermentation--Those changes and occurrences ought to be marked well, to enable a provision against their effects. This will be found difficult without the assistance of a barometer, to determine the changes of the weather--a thermometer, to ascertain correctly the heat of the atmosphere, and to enable a medium and temperature of the air to be kept up in the distillery; and from observation to acquire a knowledge of the degree of heat or warmth, in which the mashing in the hogsheads ferments to the greatest advantage, and when this is ascertained, a distiller may in a close house sufficiently ventilated, and provided with convenient windows, always keep up the degree or temperature in the air, most adapted to the promotion of fermentation, by opening his windows or doors to admit air, as a corrective; or by keeping them closed in proportion to the coldness of the weather:--And a hydrometer, useful in measuring and ascertaining the extent of water. Instructions for the management of those instruments generally attend them, it is therefore unnecessary for me to go into a detail on this subject.--But it is absolutely necessary that the careful and scientific distiller should possess them, especially the two former, to guard against the changes of the weather, and preserve the atmosphere in the distillery, always equally warm.
ART. II.
_Observations on Water._
Distillers cannot be too particular in selecting good water for distilling, when about to erect distilleries.
Any water will do for the use of the condensing tubs or coolers, but there are many kinds of water that will not answer the purpose of mashing or fermenting to advantage; among which are snow and limestone water, either of which possess such properties, as to require one fifth more of grain to yield the same quantity of liquor, that would be produced while using river water.
Any water will answer the distillers purpose, that will dissolve soap, or will wash well with soap, or make a good lather for shaving.
River or creek water is the best for distilling except when mixed with snow or land water from clay or ploughed ground. If no river or creek water can be procured, that from a pond, supplied by a spring, if the bottom be not very muddy will do, as the exposure to the sun, will generally have corrected those properties inimical to fermentation. Very hard water drawn from a deep well, and thrown into a cistern, or reservoir and exposed to the sun and air for two or three days, has been used in mashing with success, with a small addition of chop grain or malt. I consider rain water as next in order to that from the river, for mashing and fermentation. Mountain, slate, gravel and running water, are all preferable to limestone, unless impregnated with minerals--many of which are utterly at variance with fermentation. With few exceptions, I have found limestone, and all spring water too hard for mashing, scalding or fermenting.
ART. III.
_Precautions against Fire_
Cannot be too closely attended to. The store house, or cellar for keeping whiskey in, ought to be some distance from the distillery, and the liquor deposited, and all work necessary in it done by day, to avoid all possible danger arising from candles or lamps, from which many serious calamities have occurred. Suppose the cellar or place of deposit to be entered at night by a person carrying a lamp or candle, and a leaking cask takes his attention, in correcting the leak, he may set his lamp on the ground covered with whiskey, or he may drop by chance one drop of burning oil on a small stream of whiskey, which will communicate like gun powder, and may cause an explosion, which may in all likelihood destroy the stock on hand, the house, and the life of the individual.--On this subject it is not necessary I should say much, as every individual employed about a distillery must have some knowledge of the value of life and property.
SECTION IX.
ARTICLE I.
_The duty of the owner of a Distillery._
The main and first object of the proprietor of a distillery, is gain or profit--and the second, it is natural, should be the acquiring a character or reputation for his liquor, and a desire to excel neighboring distilleries--in both of which, neglect and sloth will insure disappointment.
The active, cleanly, industrious and attentive proprietor uses the following means.
First. He provides his distillery with good sound grain, hogsheads, barrels, kegs, funnels, brooms, malt, hops, wood, &c. of all of which he has in plenty, nicely handled, and in good order. He also provides an hydrometer, thermometer, and particularly a barometer, duly observing the instructions accompanying each, their utility and particular uses.
Secondly. He is careful that his distiller does his duty, of which he can be assured only, by rising at four o'clock, winter and summer, to see if the distiller is up and at his business, and that every thing is going well--and to prepare every thing and article necessary--to attend and see the hogs fed, and that the potale or slop be cold when given, and that the cattle be slopped--that the stills are not burning, nor the casks leaking, &c. &c. He observes the barometer, points out any changes in the weather, and pays an unremitted attention, seeing that all things are in perfect order, and enforcing any changes he may deem necessary.
On the other hand, indolence begets indolence--The proprietor who sleeps till after sun rise, sets an example to his distiller and people, which is too often followed--the distillery becomes cold from the want of a regular fire being kept up in her--the hogsheads cease to work or ferment, of consequence, they will not turn out so much whiskey--and there is a general injury sustained. And it may often occur, that during one, two or three days in the week, the distiller may want grain, wood, malt, hops or some necessary--and perhaps all those things may be wanting during the same day ... and of course, the distiller stands idle. The cattle, hogs, &c. suffer; and from this irregular mode of managing, I have known the proprietor to sink money, sink in reputation, and rarely ever to attribute the effect to the right cause.
_System and Method._
A well timed observance of system and method are necessary in all the various branches of business pursued, and without which none succeeds so well.
And whilst the industrious, attentive and cleanly proprietor, may with certainty, calculate on a handsome profit and certain advantages to result from this business. He who conducts carelessly, may as certainly reckon on sustaining a general loss.
ART. II.
_The duty of an hired Distiller_
Is to rise at four o'clock every morning. Wash and clean out the boiler, fill her up with clean water, put fire under her, and to clean, fill and put fire under the singling still--to collect and put in order for mashing, his hogsheads--and as soon as the water is warm enough in the boiler to begin mashing, which he ought to finish as early in the day as possible; for when the mashing is done, he will have time to scald and clean his vessels, to attend his doubling and singling still, to get in wood for next day, and to make his stock yeast, if new yeast is wanting. In short, the distiller ought to have his mashing finished by twelve o'clock every day, to see and have every thing in the still house, under his eye at the same time; but he ought never to attempt doing more than one thing at once--a distiller ought never to be in a hurry, but always busy. I have always remarked that the bustling unsteady distiller attempts doing two or three things at once, and rarely ever has his business in the same state of forwardness with the steady methodical character.
SECTION X.
ARTICLE I.
_Profits of a Common Distillery._
Profits arising from a distillery with two common stills, one containing 110 gallons, and one containing 65 gallons that is well conducted for 10 months. The calculations predicated on a site, distant about 60 miles from market. Due regard is paid to the rising and falling markets in the following statement. The selling price of whiskey will always regulate the price of grain, the distiller's wages, the prices of malt, hops, hauling, &c. is rather above than below par.
_Distillery, Dr._
To 1077 bushels corn, at 50 cents per bushel, is $ 538 50
533 bushels rye, at 60 cents 309 80
96 bushels malt, at 70 ditto 67 20 ______
1706 bushels total.
60 pounds hops at 25 cents per pound 15
100 cords of wood, at 2 dollars 200
Distiller's wages per year and boarding 204 70
Hauling whiskey, at 4 cents per gallon 204 70
50 poor hogs at 4 dollars each 200 --------- $ 1739 90
_Contra Cr._
By 5118 gallons whiskey, at 59 cents per gallon $ 2559 50 fat hogs at 7 dollars each 350 --------- $ 2939 --------- Leaving a balance of $ 1143 10
I have charged nothing for hauling of grain, &c. as the feed or slop for milk cows, young cattle, and fatting cattle, will more than pay that expense.
An estimate of the profits arising from a patent distillery, (col. Anderson's patent improved) 1 still of 110 with a patent head, 1 still of 85 gallons for a doubling still, and a boiler of metal, holding 110 gallons.
_Distillery, Dr._
To 2454 bushels corn, at 50 cents per bushel $ 1227 1216 do. rye, at 60 cents do. 729 60 200 do. malt at 70 cents do. 140 --------- 3870
120 pounds hops, at 25 cents per pound 30 100 cords wood, at 2 dollars per cord 200
2 distillers wages, boarding, &c. 400
Hauling whiskey, per gallon at 4 cents 464 40
120 poor hogs at 4 dolls. each 480 ________ Total expense $ 3671
_Contra, Cr._
By 11610 gallons whiskey, at 50 cents per gallon $ 5805 50
120 fat hogs, at 7 dolls. each 840 _________ $ 6645 50 _________ Clear profit, $ 2974 50 Profit of a common distillery 1148 10 _________ Balance in favor of a patent distillery $ 1826 40 _________
To do the business of a patent distillery or to carry her on to advantage, requires a little more capital to start with--but either the patent or common distillery, when they have run two or three months, managed by an attentive and brisk dealing man, will maintain, or keep themselves agoing.
Where wood is scarce and money plenty, the patent distillery is certainly to be recommended, indeed, in all cases, I would recommend it, where the proprietor has money enough. It is by far the most profitable, and will sooner or later become in general use in this country.
ART. III.
_Of Hogs._
Raising, feeding and fattening hogs on potale, a business pursued and highly spoken of, but from my experience I have discovered that few good pigs can be raised entirely on potale--as it has a tendency to gripe and scour too much; but after they are weaned and a little used with slop, they will thrive well.
If a hog in a cold morning comes running to a trough full of slop, that is almost boiling, and is very hungry--their nature is so gluttonous & voracious, that it will take several mouthfuls before it feels the effects of the heat, and endangers the scalding of the mouth, throat and entrails--and which may be followed by mortification and death;--moreover, hot feeding is the cause of so many deaths, and ill-looking unhealthy pigs, about some distilleries--which inconvenience might be avoided by taking care to feed or fill the troughs before the boiling slop is let out from the still.
A distiller cannot be too careful of his hogs--as with care, they will be found the most productive stock he can raise--and without care unproductive.
The offals of distilleries and mills cannot be more advantageously appropriated than in raising of hogs--they are prolific, arrive at maturity in a short period, always in demand. Pork generally sells for more than beef, and the lard commands a higher price than tallow; of the value of pork and every part of this animal, it is unnecessary for me to enter into detail; of their great value and utility, almost every person is well acquainted.
The hog pens and troughs ought to be kept clean and in good order, the still slop salted two or three times a week; when fattening, hogs should be kept in a close pen, and in the summer a place provided to wallow in water.