Rum. 85 



but as it only appears after the alcohol is formed, much 

 damage by it may be avoided by distillation at once. 



The butyric acid ferment feeds on the fatty matters 

 present. It is to the acid that this ferment produces, in 

 combination with the alcohol, that the flavour of rum 

 is partly due. The distillation of the wash should be 

 conduced as regularly as possible. Any rapid increase 

 in the temperature forces over impurities that otherwise 

 should be retained by the re6lifier. The temperature at 

 the exit of the re6lifier should not exceed 180 deg, F- 



The following bodies come over with the spirit. 



1. Acetaldehyde. — This body boils at a temperature 

 69*8 deg. F. and constitutes most of the vapours that 

 come over at the starting of a distillation. Owing to its 

 solubility in alcohol and especially the peculiar property 

 " fusel oil" has of raising its boiling point, it, although 

 considerably concentrated in the "heads," comes over 

 during the whole distillation. As regards its formation, 

 it may be produced at the expense of the alcohol, but I 

 am of the opinion that, in this particular case, it is formed 

 towards the end of a distillation, from the decomposition 

 of the laftic acid, and passes into the low wines to 

 appear in the " heads" of the next distillation. It is 

 obvious then that if the " heads" are run into the "high- 

 wines" side, the re6lification is in great part undone. It 

 possesses a pungent smell which is not altogether un- 

 pleasant. Its vapour is inflammable. Its presence in 

 rum can be indicated by many tests, but probably in old 

 rum it will all have become changed into acetic acid. 



2. E thy lie formate and acetate. — The ethers — The 

 first of these bodies boils as 130 deg. F. It possesses 

 the delicate odour of peach-kernels. It is partly to this 



