1868 The complete Practical Distiller

ADULTERATION OF BRANDY.

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the fermentation takes place, which increases the quantity in proportion to the increase of the spirit produced by the matter so added. The quantity of ardent spirit being thus augmented in order to render it wholesome, it is therefore less corrected. This kind of brandy is evidently inferior to the genu- ine, and in a certain degree recedes from those distilled spirits which are reckoned safe and wholesome. Another method is by adding spirits of malt, already distilled, to the wine or fermented must, these being the cheapest; but they must have been previously rectified for this purpose, and indeed for making any palatable spirituous liquors whatever. The depravity of this kind of brandy is still greater than the first, as it comes over in the still nearly as so much ardent spirit mixed with the brandy; and it will of course exert its noxious qualities on those who drink it. Some persons adulterate brandy by the addition of simple rectified spirit or by counterfeit brandy ; but the far most general method is by putting a counterfeit kind to the genuine. This counterfeit brandy is made of malt spirits, first rectified, and then dulcified by redistillation of acids. The rectification of malt spirit, in order to make brandy, is always necessary, on account of its being impregnated with a proportion of empyreumatic oil in the first distilla- tion, which oil is commonly called the ^^ feints." These give a very disgusting taste and smell to the The substance much used for keeping down the feints is a medicinal preparation, called lapis spirits distilled.