1868 The complete Practical Distiller

THE COMPLETE PRACTICAL DISTILLER.

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MASHING OF POTATOES. The potatoes, having been reduced into paste, are mashed with malted barley or Indian corn, at a tempera- ture of 170° or 180°. Suppose a quantity of potatoes are to be worked suflficient to produce 12 hectolitres of fermentable matter. A tub containing at least 13 hecto- litres is made use of; the pulp of 400 kilogrammes of potatoes is deposited in it in the state of paste. About 25 kilogrammes of malted barley or Indian corn, as the case may be, are added to this paste, together with a quantity of warm and cold water sufficient to establish in the tub a temperature of from 70° to 75° or 80° Fahr., which is the heat requisite for the steeping of grain ; the mixture is strongly agitated, and left to subside for one- quarter of an hour, or perhaps half an hour. Then, while the mass is again stirred, boiling water is introduced until the thermometer has risen to 172° or 180°. The paste is now left to macerate for two or three hours } then a mixture of cold and warm water is added, in such proportion as to form 12 hectolitres of liquid at 80°. 1 litre, or 2 wine-pints, of good yeast is then added, and the fermentation is established in a few hours. It is worthy of remark that in this case, as also in the mash- ing of corn, the saccharifying action of the barley, sig- nalized in the mashing of rice, is very little perceived. After the last mashing, there is only a small quantity of sweet liquid swimming above the paste, so thaj; in this State the fecula of the potatoes has not been entirely con-