1868 The complete Practical Distiller

HOLLANDS GIN.

101

gravity is adopted as the test of its purity. Fourcroy considers it as rectified to the highest point when its spe- cific gravity is 829, that of water being 1000; and per- haps this is as far as it can be carried by the best process.

PROCESS FOR BREWING HOLLANDS GIN. Their grist is composed of 10 quarters of malt, ground considerably finer than ordinary malt, distillers' barley- grist, and 3 quarters of rye-meal ; or, more frequently, of 10 quarters of rye and 3 quarters of malt-meal. The 10 quarters are first mashed with the least quantity of cold water it is possible to blend it with ; when uniformly in- corporated, as much boiling water is added as forms it into a thin batter. It is then put into one, two, or more casks, or gyle-tuns, with a much less quantity of yeast than is usually employed by distillers. Generally, on the third day they add the malt or rye- meal, previously made into a kind of lob, prepared in a similar manner, except in not being so much diluted; but not before it comes to the temperature of the fermenting- wash; at the same time adding full as much yeast as when at first setting the backs. The principal secret in the management of the mashing part of the business is, in first thoroughly mixing the malt with the cold water, that it may still remain sufficiently thin after the addition of the fine meal under the form of lob ; aijd in well rous- ing all together in the back, that the wash may be suffi- ciently diluted for distilling, without endangering its 9«