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 repetition of this mode
of clarifying, to rid it completely of any unpleasant taste or property
contracted as above stated.
ART. III.
_How to make a Spirit resemble Jamaica Spirit out of Rye Whiskey._
This is done precisely in the manner laid down in the receipt for French
brandy.
ART. IV.
_How to make a resemblance of Holland Gin out of Rye Whiskey._
Put clarified whiskey, with an equal quantity of water, into your
doubling still, together with a sufficient quantity of juniper berries,
prepared; take a pound of unflacked lime, immerse it in three pints of
water, stir it well--then let it stand three hours, until the lime sinks
to the bottom, then pour off the clear lime water, with which boil half
an ounce of isinglass cut small, until the latter is dissolved--then
pour it into your doubling still with a handful of hops, and a handful
of common salt, put on the head and set her a running; when she begins
to run, take the first half gallon (which is not so good), and reserve
it for the next still you fill--as the first shot generally contains
something that will give an unpleasant taste and colour to the gin. When
it looses proof at the worm, take the keg away that contains the gin,
and bring it down to a proper strength with rain water, which must
previously have been prepared, by having been evaporated and condensed
in the doubling still and cooling tub.
This gin when fined, and two years old, will be equal, if not superior
to Holland gin.
The isinglass, lime water and salt, helps to refine it in the still, and
the juniper berries gives the flavor or taste of Holland gin.
About thirteen pounds of good berries, are sufficient for one barrel.
Be careful to let the gin as it runs from the worm, pass thro' a flannel
cloth, which will prevent many unpleasant particles from passing into
the liquor, which are contracted in the condensation, and the overjuice
imbibed in its passage thro' the worm.
ART. V.
_The best method of making common country Gin._
Take of singlings a sufficient quantity to fill the doubling still, put
therein ten or twelve pounds of juniper berries, with one shovel full of
ashes, and two ounces alum--put on the bead, and run her off, as is
done in making whiskey. This is the common mode of making country gin;
but is in this state little superior to whiskey, save as to smell and
flavor.
It is therefore in my mind, that the mode of clarifying, prescribed,
ought to be pursued in all distilleries, so far as necessary to make a
sufficient quantity of good spirit for any market convenient--the supply
of respectable neighbors, who may prefer giving a trifle more per
gallon, than for common stuff and for domestic use. And moreover, I
think the distiller will meet a generous price for such clarified, and
pure spirit, as he may send to a large mercantile town for sale--as
brewers and others, frequently desire such for mixing, brewing, making
brandies in the French and Spanish mode, and spirits after the Jamaica
custom. And after the establishment of a filtering tub or hopper,
prepared as before described, with holes, flannel or woollen cloth, and
plenty of maple charcoal, and burnt brick-dust, a distiller may always
find leisure to attend to the filtration; indeed it will be found as
simple and easy, as the process for making ley from ashes in the country
for soap. But I would suggest that spirit prepared and clarified in this
way, should be put into the sweetest and perfectly pure casks.
New barrels will most certainly impart color, and perhaps some taste,
which would injure the sale, if intended for a commercial town market,
and for brewing, or mixing with spirits, from which it is to receive its
flavor.
For my own use, I would put this spirit into a nice sweet cask, and to
each barrel I would add a pint of regularly, and well browned wheat, not
burned but roasted as much as coffee.
The taste of peach brandy may be imparted to it by a quantity of peach
stone kernels, dried, pounded and stirred into the cask; in this way,
those who are fond of the peach brandy flavor, may drink it without
becoming subject to the pernicious consequences that arise from the
constant use of peach brandy. Peach brandy, unless cleansed of its gross
and cloying properties, or is suffered to acquire some years of age, has
a cloying effect on the stomach, which it vitiates, by destroying the
effect of the salival and gastric juices, which have an effect on
aliment, similar to that of yeast on bread, and by its singular
properties prevents those juices from the performance of their usual
functions in the fermentation of the food taken into the
stomach--producing acid and acrimonious matter, which in warm climates
generates fevers and agues. Apple brandy has not quite a similar but
equally pernicious effect, which age generally removes--indeed, age
renders it a very fine liquor, and when diluted with water, makes a very
happy beverage, gives life and animation to the digesting powers, and
rarely leaves the stomach heavy, languid and cloyed. Then both those,
(indeed, all liquors,) ought to be avoided when new, by persons of
delicate habit, and those who do not exercise freely. A severe exercise
and rough life, generally enables the stomach to digest the most coarse
food, by liquor, however new.
_On fining Liquors._
Isinglass is almost universally used in fining liquors. Take about half
an ounce to the barrel--beat it fine with a hammer, lay it in a
convenient vessel, pour thereon two gallons whiskey, or a like quantity
of the liquor you are about to fine, let it soak two or three days, or
till it becomes soft enough to mix--then stir it effectually, and add
the white and shells of half a dozen eggs--beat them up together and
pour them into the cask that is to be fined, then stir it in the cask,
bung it slightly, after standing three or four days it will be
sufficiently fine, and may be drawn off into a clean cask.
ART. VI.
_On colouring Liquors._
One pound of brown sugar burnt in a skillet almost to a cinder, add a
quart of water, which when stirred, will dissolve the sugar--when
dissolved, this quantity will color three barrels.
A pint of well parched wheat put into a barrel will colour it, and give
more the appearance of a naturally acquired colour, and an aged taste or
flavor.
ART. VII.
_To correct the taste of singed Whiskey._
Altho' this cannot be done effectually without clarifying, as
prescribed, but Bohea tea will in a great measure correct a slight
singe--a quarter of a pound may be tried to the barrel.
ART. VIII.
_To give an aged flavor to Whiskey._
This process ought to be attended to by every distiller, and with all
whiskey, and if carefully done, would raise the character, and add to
the wholesomeness of domestic spirits.
It may be done by clarifying the singlings as it runs from the
still--let the funnel be a little broader than usual, cover it with two
or more layers of flannel, on which place a quantity of finely beaten
maple charcoal, thro' which let the singlings filter into your usual
receiving cask. When doubling, put some lime and charcoal in the still,
and run the liquor thro' a flannel--when it loses proof at the worm,
take away the cask, and bring it to proof with rain water that has been
distilled. To each hogshead of whiskey, use a pound of Bohea tea, and
set it in the sun for two weeks or more, then remove it to a cool
cellar, and when cold it will have the taste and flavor of old whiskey.
If this method was pursued by distillers and spirits made 2d and 3d
proof, it would not only benefit the seller, but would be an advantage
to the buyer and consumer--and was any particular distiller to pursue
this mode and brand his casks, it would raise the character of his
liquor, and give it such an ascendancy as to preclude the sale of any
other, beyond what scarcity or an emergency might impel in a commercial
city.
If distillers could conveniently place their liquor in a high loft, and
suffer it to fall to the cellar by a pipe, it would be greatly improved
by the friction and ebullition occasioned in the descent and fall.