THERE is no occupation that comes nearer to the work of gods than this
occupation of distilling. By the application of fire, the purest of
the elements, we separate from gross, substantial bodies those subtle
essences which alone gave them distinction and charm. The distiller
can but smile at the impotence of those who are unable to conceive the
possibility of a post-physical human existence, for, day by day, as he
stands before his stills, he sees the miracle performed whereby the
spiritual, the essential, is separated and continues to exist apart
from the material body in which it previously dwelt.
[Illustration: BALNEUM MARIÆ.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
[Illustration: DISTILLING BY HEAT OF STEAM.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
The work is worthy of fine natures, and should be undertaken with a
mind full of reverence.
The practice of distillation dates back to very early times, the oil
of cedar mentioned by Dioscorides having been obtained by boiling
the oleoresin with water, and condensing the vapour of the oil in
sheep’s wool spread on sticks placed across the top of the vessel.
But more elaborate stills, consisting of cucurbit, alembic (or head)
and receiver, were in use in times not much more recent. Water-baths,
sand-baths, and other means for regulating the heat applied to the
body of the still were used as early as the eighth century by the
Arabians. It was at about this time, also, that distillation of alcohol
was first practised.
[Illustration: SOME OLD DISTILLING VESSELS.]
The distillation of pure alcohol from mixtures containing it, is really
only worth attempting under somewhat elaborate conditions, and on a
fairly large scale. The distillation of essences and aromatic waters,
and of a number of liqueurs may, however, be quite well practised on
the domestic scale. A perfectly made tin-lined copper still, with
pewter or copper head, neck, and worm, the latter fitting in a wood
or metal tub, is the principle article required. It is desirable to
have the cucurbit fitted with a perforated water-bath, or metallic
basket, to contain the herbs or seeds which are to be heated in the
water or alcohol. These substances, thus saved from contact with the
inner surface of the cucurbit, are not liable to burn or to stick.
For certain things, also, it is desirable to be provided with an
unperforated bain-marie when it is wished not to subject the materials
to a heat quite equal to the temperature of boiling water.
All the joints of the still and the tubes connected with it must
be absolutely vapour-proof, or the subtle gases of the spirits and
essences will discover the outlet and escape. The water in the tub
containing the worm must be kept cold, a few jugfuls being drawn from
its surface at intervals and replaced by fresh cold water. Where
possible, fresh plants should be used for distilling purposes, as they
more readily yield their essential oils than is usually the case with
dried plants.
_Aromatic Waters._—For the distilling of simple aromatic waters about
a gallon of water should be allowed to four pounds of the fresh herb,
or one pound of the dry herb, and about two quarts should be distilled
over. Peppermint water, damask-rose water, orange-flower water,
spearmint water, and elder-flower water are prepared in this way. For
dill water, caraway water, fennel water, and cinnamon water, a pound of
the bruised fruit is mixed with two gallons of water, and one gallon is
distilled over.
_Rosemary Water_ is made by mixing a gallon of water, eleven and a half
gallons of rectified spirit, and fourteen pounds of rosemary flowers
and leaves, and slowly distilling off ten gallons over the water-bath.
_Simple Lavender Water_ is made in the same way, substituting lavender
flowers for the rosemary flowers and leaves.
_Beauty Water_ is made by mixing half a gallon of rectified spirits, a
gallon of water, a pound of the flowering tops of thyme and a pound of
those of marjoram, and distilling off a gallon.
_The Distilling of Essences._—The following is a summary of the
directions given by M. Deroy of Paris, a well-known manufacturer of
excellent stills and other appliances connected with distilling, for
the distilling of essences or essential oils.
[Illustration: DISTILLING BY HEAT OF FERMENTING MANURE.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
[Illustration: ALCHEMIST WITH HIS SERVANT.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
The generality of plants give their maximum of essence when they are
dealt with in their fresh condition. Some few, however, produce more
when they are dry. The produce of the same kind may vary for divers
reasons. The moment of its harvest and the atmospheric conditions
under which it is effected, the nature of the soil, the quality of the
plants, and their more or less favourable exposal, exercise a sensible
influence upon the production.
[Illustration: “This instrument, named the Pellicane, which is a
Vessell for Circulating, serveth to none other ende and purpose, than
for to Circulate the Quintessence, which by the Arte of dystilling is
drawen.”]
[Illustration: A 16TH-CENTURY STILL, WITH CONDENSER JACKET TO HELM OF
STILL.]
Substances, previously either cut to pieces, incised, rasped, ground,
or crushed according to their nature, are placed in water of ordinary
temperature for macerating.
The proportion of water used is mostly of three to four times the
weight of the substance. The length of time for soaking varies from
twelve to forty-eight hours according to the dryness and the divided
state of the substance. Some light essences extracted from fresh
flowers (from roses, for example) are obtained without previous
maceration.
The matter is placed in the still with the water into which it has been
macerated. Sea-salt is sometimes added for the purpose of retarding
the point of boiling. It is known that salted water only boils at 108°
Centigrade, say about 229° Fahrenheit.
Those who follow this method, which is the one most generally employed
when it is a question of exhausting plants which contain rather heavy
oils, certify that the essences separate themselves more easily if
distilling is effected at a little over 100° C. (water boiling-point).
[Illustration: STILLS AT THE WORKS OF THE LONDON ESSENCE CO.]
Those who criticize this proceeding pretend that it has the
disadvantage of injuring the quality of the essences obtained.
Thus the necessary quantity of sea salt required for the complete
salting of the water is rarely used, which is to say about 40 per
cent.; the majority of distillers limit themselves, according to the
case in hand, to putting in 20 per cent. and sometimes only from 12
to 15 per cent., considering this a sufficient quantity to obtain a
satisfactory result.
[Illustration: BALNEUM MARIÆ.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
[Illustration: FURNACE WITH STILLS.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
During the course of the distillation, the water in the refrigerator
should be renewed by ordinary means when distilling essences which
remain fluid at a normal temperature. Whilst, as for the crystallizable
essences such as aniseed, China-aniseed, caraway, fennel, peppermint,
and roses, care should be taken to keep the worm at about 30° or 40°
Centigrade.
Distilling can be effected by steam or direct fire heat, by taking
the precaution in the latter case to place an interior grating in the
copper so as to hinder the substances from sticking to the bottom.
The aqueous vapours mixed with those of the essences become condensed
in the worm, and the produce of these condensations is gathered in a
special vase, known as a Florentine receiver, where the oil becomes
separated from the distilled water, by reason of the different
densities of the two bodies. According to the nature of the essence,
whether lighter or heavier than water, this recipient is supplied
either in its upper or lower part with a side spout, by which the
overflow of the water passes and leaves the essence to accumulate in
the vase in measure as it is produced.
[Illustration: STILL-ROOM OF THE LONDON ESSENCE CO.]
Distilling is continued until the water runs out at the outlet of the
worm in a limpid state. By this sign it is known that the distillation
is no longer supplying any essential oil to the recipient, as it is
precisely the presence of a certain quantity of oil in the water which
up to this moment gave it a milky appearance.
[Illustration: FURNACE WITH STILLS.
(_From Peter Morwyng’s “Treasure of Enonymus,” 1559._)]
_Cordials._—In the preparation of cordials or liqueurs, scrupulous
cleanliness is of the utmost consequence; and the best of sugar,
the purest of rectified spirits, the best of herbs or essences, and
distilled or filtered rain-water should be used. Where possible,
distillation should nearly always be employed in the preparation of
liqueurs, lemon and orange liqueurs being perhaps exceptions. If,
however, distillation is impracticable, prolonged maceration for a
month or more should be resorted to. In this case, in adapting the
recipes in this chapter, only enough water is to be employed to make up
the total to the amount ordered to be distilled off. If, instead of the
herbs or spices themselves, it is decided to use the prepared essences,
care should be taken to obtain essences prepared from the herbs, and
not mere chemical imitations. Messrs. Bush, Messrs. Stafford, Allen
& Co., and the London Essence Co. may be communicated with. The syrup
is always added to the distillate last of all, and should have been
carefully filtered through a clean filter-bag. If care be taken, the
liqueur will be clear as soon as made, or at any rate after standing
for a few days. Should, however, this not be the case, the liquid may
be fined with whites of eggs, allowing one egg to three gallons. In any
case, the liqueur should be stored for some months—preferably for a
year or more—before being used.
[Illustration: PERSIAN ROSE-WATER SPRINKLER.]
The following are recipes for the making of a number of cordials by
distillation. Those who wish to pursue the subject further may be
referred to an admirable series of articles which appeared in the
_Mineral Water Trade Review_ from September, 1902, to May, 1903.
_To make Absinthe._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a mixture
of one gallon of rectified spirit, half a gallon of water, two pounds
of wormwood tops, and eight grains each of dittany leaves, aniseed,
calamus root, and angelica root. Add another half-gallon of water,
and distil off six quarts at a moderate heat. Add a pint of syrup
containing one pound of sugar.
[Illustration: A PERFORATED WATER-BATH.]
[Illustration: A PORTABLE COPPER STILL.]
_To make Aniseed Cordial._—Proceed as for clove cordial, substituting
half a pound of bruised aniseed and two ounces each of fennel and
coriander seeds for the cloves and allspice, and drawing off only six
quarts.
_To make Benedictine._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a mixture
of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, two ounces of
cardamoms, an ounce each of balm, peppermint, genepi, and angelica
root, half an ounce of calamus, a dram of cinnamon, and half a dram
each of cloves and nutmeg. Distil off a gallon, and add syrup (made by
dissolving eight pounds of sugar in three quarts of water) and three
quarts of water.
[Illustration: OLD APPARATUS USED FOR CONDENSING THE DISTILLATE.
(_From the title-page of the second volume of Brunschwig’s “Liber de
Arte Distillandi,” 1507._)]
_To make Green Chartreuse._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, an ounce
and a half of lemon-peel, an ounce of balm, half an ounce each of dried
peppermint, mountain wormwood, and dried hyssop flowers, three drams
of angelica root, a dram of calamus root, half a dram each of cloves,
cinnamon, and mace, and a quarter of a dram of cardamoms. Distil off
one gallon, and add syrup (made by heating five pounds of sugar in two
quarts of water) and a pint of water, colouring the liqueur with a
spirituous infusion of spinach or parsley.
_To make Cinnamon Cordial._—Proceed as for clove cordial, substituting
half a pound of cinnamon or cassia bark for the cloves and allspice,
and distilling at a somewhat lower temperature.
_To make Clove Cordial._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel kept
moderately warm, a mixture of one gallon of rectified spirits, one
gallon of water, one ounce of bruised cloves, and one dram of allspice.
Place the mixture in the still, and draw off six and a half quarts at
a moderate heat. Sweeten with syrup (made by heating five pounds
of sugar with two quarts of water, and skimming), and colour with
cochineal.
[Illustration: “Beholde here a manner or fashion of Balneo Mariæ,
verye excellent, of which the vessell large and greate is of tynne;
the bottome or bellye of the same standing wythin the boyling water.
On thys great vessell is Lymbeck of Tynne, covered and compassed of
another vessell like of Tynne farre larger.”
(_From Baker’s “The Newe Jewell of Health,” 1576._)]
_To make Hamburgh Bitters._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, two ounces
of cinnamon, one ounce each of wormwood, quassia, calamus root, and
centaury, half an ounce each of aniseed, orris, coriander, and cloves,
and a dram each of ginger, cardamoms, and mace. Distil off one gallon,
and add syrup (made by heating three pounds of sugar in three pints of
water) and three pints of water.
_To make Kirschenwasser._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, half a gallon of water,
a pound of crushed cherry stones, half a pound of crushed apricot
stones, an ounce of dried peach leaves, and two drams of myrrh.
Distil off a gallon, and add three pints of spirit of noyau (made by
distilling off three pints from a digested mixture of three pints of
rectified spirits, a pint and half of water, and a pound of bruised
apricot stones), a pint of orange-flower water, a gallon and a half
of rectified spirits, syrup (made by heating thirty pounds of sugar
in three gallons of water), and water to make up to eight and a half
gallons.
[Illustration: OLD VESSELS USED IN DISTILLING.
(_From Baker’s “Jewell of Health,” 1576._)]
[Illustration: TENDING THE FURNACE.
(_From Baker’s “Jewell of Health,” 1576._)]
[Illustration: BALNEUM MARIÆ.
(_From Baker’s “Jewell of Health,” 1576._)]
_To make Kummel._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a mixture
of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, half a pound
of caraway-seeds, three drams of orris root, and an ounce of fennel
seeds. Distil off one gallon, and add syrup (made by heating seven
and a half pounds of sugar in three quarts of water) and a quart of
water.
_To make Lemon Cordial._—Proceed as for cinnamon cordial, substituting
three-quarters of a pound of dried lemon-peel for the cinnamon.
_To make Noyau._—Digest for a week, in a closed vessel, a mixture of a
gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, two pounds of crushed
apricot or peach stones, and one pound of crushed plum or prune stones.
Distil off five quarts, and add a gallon of syrup containing eight
pounds of sugar and a gallon of water.
_To make Orange Cordial._—Proceed as for cinnamon cordial, substituting
three-quarters of a pound of the yellow part of fresh orange-peel for
the cinnamon.