TRADE DISTINCTIONS IN ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. 97 



pally acetic, in variable but subordinate quantities. The fusel-oil has 

 a pungent odor and burning taste, easily detected in the crude product 

 of ordinary distillation. The object of the rectifier is to remove it 

 entirely, and produce what is known commercially as " neutral " or 

 " pure " spirit, his ideally perfect result being ethyl alcohol, chemic- 

 ally pure save for the water of association. It follows, therefore, that 

 all rectified spirit being of the same character, and with a standard of 

 quality, is a staple article of merchandise, and the great consideration 

 with the manufacturer is to produce it with as little expense as pos- 

 sible, rectification being depended on to remove all offensive ingre- 

 dients. 



Damaged grain, which can be bought so cheaply that the low price 

 will compensate for decreased yield and increased expense of handling, 

 is as available as any other, provided that rectification will rectify the 

 product. Even potatoes, which produce in fermentation such an ex- 

 cessive quantity of fusel-oil that amyl alcohol is commonly known as 

 " potato-oil," are, on account of cheapness, extensively used in Ger- 

 many, and so perfectly is the rectification conducted that the German 

 pure or " Cologne " spirit is unsurpassed in quality. 



When amylaceous material is boiled with a small proportion of a 

 strong mineral acid, there results an almost perfect conversion of the 

 starch into sugar. For this reason an attempt was made in this coun- 

 try several years ago, on a commercial scale, to dispense with the use 

 of malt in the manufacture of rectified spirit by substituting sulphuric 

 acid in the mash, and afterward neutralizing it before fermentation. 

 Had the attempt been successful, it would, on account of the cheapness 

 of the substitute, have caused a material reduction in the cost of the 

 alcoholic product. It turned out, however, that the successful neu- 

 tralization of the acid was difficult, and that the alcohol developed by 

 the subsequent fermentation was so acted upon by it as to produce sul- 

 phuric ether, which, besides causing a waste of material, could not be 

 removed economically ; had this proved feasible, sulphuric acid would 

 undoubtedly have come into general use in the manufacture of recti- 

 fied spirit. 



In every detail of the manufacture the same law of economy holds 

 good ; and that machinery is most popular which will accomplish the 

 desired result with the least expenditure of time, material, fuel, and 

 labor. 



I mention these facts mainly to show that, however unpromising for 

 a favorable result are the preliminary materials and means, rectification 

 thoroughly conducted is relied upon as a practical remedy for all de- 

 fects, and they no more detract from the character of the finished 

 product than does the nature of its source from the purity of perfectly 

 filtered water. 



Pure or neutral spirit is largely used for the manufacture of coun- 

 terfeit whisky, brandy, etc., in which the imitation is produced by the 

 tol. xxx. — 7 



