Part 6 (1/2)

There are many modes of setting stills and bringing the fire up by flues variously constructed, but I have found the foregoing plan to afford as great a saving of fuel, and bringing the still to a boil as early as any other.

ART. II.

_How to prevent the Plastering round Stills from cracking._

This method of making water proof plastering on stills, is done entirely in making the mortar, and putting it on, in making which, good clay and lime are absolutely necessary.

When the mortar for the first coat is thoroughly worked, put as much brock of rye straw into it, as can be worked in, so that when the coat is put on, it may have a greater appearance of straw than mortar, when dry, and covered with the second coat composed of lime mortar, well rubbed and pressed with the trowel until it be dry. A covering put on of those materials, will be found to continue firm and compact without cracking, as in the common mode.

_The best method of boiling two, three or more Stills or Kettles with one fire or furnace._

This method has been found to answer in some instances, and may perhaps do generally if properly managed. I will here give the result of my own experiments.

I set a singling still holding 180 gallons on a furnace of 18 by 14 inches, and 4 feet six inches long, with the bottom to the fire, she had a common head and worm with sc.r.a.pers and chains in her. I extended the flue, (or after pa.s.sing it round her), to the doubling still which it likewise went round--but to prevent too much heat from pa.s.sing to the doubling still, I fixed a shutter in the flue of the singling still, immediately above the intersection of the flue of the doubling still, to turn all the heat round her, and another shutter in the flue of the doubling still at the intersection of the flue of the singling still, to shut the heat off from the doubling still if necessary.

With this fixture I run six hogsheads off in every twenty four hours and doubled the same, with the same heat and fire. I likewise had a boiler under which I kept another fire, which two fires consumed about three cords and an half of wood per week, distilling at the rate of sixty-five bushels of grain per week, and making about one hundred and ninety gallons in the same time.

Before I adopted this method I kept four fires agoing, and made about the same quant.i.ty of whiskey, consuming about four and an half cords of wood per week, and was obliged to have the a.s.sistance of an additional distiller per week.

I have since heard of the adoption of this plan with more success than I experienced.

ART. III.

_To set a doubling Still._

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 repet.i.tion of this mode of clarifying, to rid it completely of any unpleasant taste or property contracted as above stated.