354 



Closely connected with the presence and kind of ether, are the 

 effects of wine on the human system ; those wines having much 

 ether and little alcohol proving exhilarating ; while the alcoholic 

 and oily wines may be distinguished as intoxicating beverages. 



In the spirit manufacture, after the first fermentation has 

 ceased, distillation follows for the separation of alcohol from the 

 non-volatile organic matters. Here again the volatile oils are 

 characteristic bodies, and impart their odors to the spirits in a 

 strongly marked degree. Brandy, whiskey, rums, corn and 

 potato spirits, have their values based on the kind and quality of 

 oil each contains. Their other constituents, in pure samples, are 

 simply odorless water and odorless alcohol. 



In all pure distilled spirits, with the oils, certain acids are con- 

 nected, and the etherification of the oils slowly proceeds, as in 

 the case of wines. The distinction between new, or raw spirits, 

 and old, or matured spirits, arises from this etherification of the 

 oils, commonly called fusel oils. The highly aromatic brandies 

 of the last century, like the " Nantes " brandy, were distilled 

 from partly matured wines, and contained all their ethers. 



The falsifications of beers, wines, and spirits, so far as our 

 commerce is concerned, are extensive, and will be alluded to 

 briefly. 



In the early manufacture of brandy, wines of low cost were 

 distilled, but the more general demand for wines, with occasional 

 short crops of grapes, have led to another mode of producing the 

 enormous quantity of raw spirits now consumed. 



After the grapes have been pressed and fermented, the resi- 

 due, consisting of skins, kernels, and pulpy parts, is mixed with 

 solutions of glucose, obtained from starch ; odorless spirit is 

 added, and the artificial must thus formed is fermented cautiously. 

 Distillation sej^arates a spirit, loaded with the oils of grape fer- 

 mentation, to such an extent that an excess of grajie oil, besides 

 brandy, is obtained in rectification. This is the brandy of the 

 present day, and forms the large bulk of our importation. The 

 oil of grapes, under the name of " Cognac Oil" is vended for 

 a moderate price, and becomes a large producer of brandy, by a 

 very short process. 



As the oils known as fusel oils are less volatile than alcohol, a 

 managed distillation permits us to separate the oil from alcohol, 



