1868 The complete Practical Distiller

THE COMPLETE TRACTICAL DISTILLER.

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OF MALT WHISKY. In this country the term distillation is often applied to the whole process of converting malt or other saccharine matter into spirits or alcohol. In making malt whisky, 1 part of bruised malt, with from 4 to 9 parts of barley- meal, and a proportion of seeds of oats corresponding to that of the raw grain, are infused in a mash -tun of cast- iron, with from 12 to 13 gallons of water, at 150° Fahr., for every bushel of the mixed farinaceous matter. The agitation then given by manual labour or machinery, to break down and equally to diffuse the lumps of meal, constitutes the process of mashing. This operation con- tinues two hours or upward, according to the proportion of unmalted barley ; during which the temperature is kept up by the affusion of 7 or 8 additional gallons of water a few degrees under the boiling temperature. The infusion, termed wort, having become progressively sweeter, is allowed to settle for two hours, and is run off from the top to the amount of one-third of the bulk of the water employed. About 8 gallons more of water, a little under 200° Fahr., are now admitted to the residuum, infused for nearly half an hour, with agitation, and then left to sub- side for nearly an hour and a half, when it is drawn off. Sometimes a third affusion of boiling water, equal to the first quantity, is made, and this infusion is generally re- served to be. poured on the new farinae ; or it is concen- trated by boiling, and added to the former liquors. To prevent acetification, it is necessary to cool the worts