ARTICLE I.
_Observations on Weather._
Some seasons are better for fermentation than others. Should a hail
storm occur in the summer, the distiller should guard against cooling
off with water in which hail is dissolved, for it will not work well.
If a thundergust happens when the hogsheads are in the highest state of
fermentation, the working will nearly cease, and the stuff begin to
contract an acidity. And when in the spring the frost is coming out of
the ground, it is unfortunate when the distiller is obliged to use water
impregnated with the fusions of the frost, such being very injurious to
fermentation--Those changes and occurrences ought to be marked well, to
enable a provision against their effects. This will be found difficult
without the assistance of a barometer, to determine the changes of the
weather--a thermometer, to ascertain correctly the heat of the
atmosphere, and to enable a medium and temperature of the air to be kept
up in the distillery; and from observation to acquire a knowledge of the
degree of heat or warmth, in which the mashing in the hogsheads ferments
to the greatest advantage, and when this is ascertained, a distiller may
in a close house sufficiently ventilated, and provided with convenient
windows, always keep up the degree or temperature in the air, most
adapted to the promotion of fermentation, by opening his windows or
doors to admit air, as a corrective; or by keeping them closed in
proportion to the coldness of the weather:--And a hydrometer, useful in
measuring and ascertaining the extent of water. Instructions for the
management of those instruments generally attend them, it is therefore
unnecessary for me to go into a detail on this subject.--But it is
absolutely necessary that the careful and scientific distiller should
possess them, especially the two former, to guard against the changes of
the weather, and preserve the atmosphere in the distillery, always
equally warm.
ART. II.
_Observations on Water._
Distillers cannot be too particular in selecting good water for
distilling, when about to erect distilleries.
Any water will do for the use of the condensing tubs or coolers, but
there are many kinds of water that will not answer the purpose of
mashing or fermenting to advantage; among which are snow and limestone
water, either of which possess such properties, as to require one fifth
more of grain to yield the same quantity of liquor, that would be
produced while using river water.
Any water will answer the distillers purpose, that will dissolve soap,
or will wash well with soap, or make a good lather for shaving.
River or creek water is the best for distilling except when mixed with
snow or land water from clay or ploughed ground. If no river or creek
water can be procured, that from a pond, supplied by a spring, if the
bottom be not very muddy will do, as the exposure to the sun, will
generally have corrected those properties inimical to fermentation. Very
hard water drawn from a deep well, and thrown into a cistern, or
reservoir and exposed to the sun and air for two or three days, has been
used in mashing with success, with a small addition of chop grain or
malt. I consider rain water as next in order to that from the river, for
mashing and fermentation. Mountain, slate, gravel and running water, are
all preferable to limestone, unless impregnated with minerals--many of
which are utterly at variance with fermentation. With few exceptions, I
have found limestone, and all spring water too hard for mashing,
scalding or fermenting.
ART. III.
_Precautions against Fire_
Cannot be too closely attended to. The store house, or cellar for
keeping whiskey in, ought to be some distance from the distillery, and
the liquor deposited, and all work necessary in it done by day, to avoid
all possible danger arising from candles or lamps, from which many
serious calamities have occurred. Suppose the cellar or place of deposit
to be entered at night by a person carrying a lamp or candle, and a
leaking cask takes his attention, in correcting the leak, he may set his
lamp on the ground covered with whiskey, or he may drop by chance one
drop of burning oil on a small stream of whiskey, which will communicate
like gun powder, and may cause an explosion, which may in all likelihood
destroy the stock on hand, the house, and the life of the
individual.--On this subject it is not necessary I should say much, as
every individual employed about a distillery must have some knowledge of
the value of life and property.