SPIRITS. 



and coiifequently of lefs fpecific gravity. (See Specific Gra- 

 ViTV. ) The quantity intermediately obtained, omitting tlie 

 firit and the lall produfts, is then rediltilled or " refti- 

 fied," (fee Rectification) ; and in this Itage of the ope- 

 ration, thofe additions (fuch as juniper-berries, &c.) which 

 give the fpirit its flavour, are introduced into it. The pro- 

 cefs of dillillation on a fmall fcale is fimple and eafily con- 

 dutled ; but the large dillillcries, where expenfive works are 

 carried on, require a greater degree of practical (Icill, both 

 in the preparation of the apparatus, the adjuftment of the 

 materials, and the conduft of the operation. In order to 

 expedite the procefs, feveral alterations have been made in 

 the form of the itill, particularly in Scotland, where it is 

 an objeft of importance to be quick in the difpatch of the 

 operation, on account of the mode of levying the duty ; 

 and, therefore, by gradually widening the bottom and con- 

 trafting the height of the Itill, dillillation is performed with 

 a furprifing rapidity. A ftill is faid to have been conftrudt- 

 ed, which contains only 40 gallons in the body and three in 

 the head, and in the ule of it the whole time of its opera- 

 tion, from its coramencenient to its clofe, amounts only to 

 25- minutes, when the charge of wafh is 16 gallons, or ^ths 

 of the whole content. In reftification, which is a (lower 

 procefs, the charge is 24 gallons, and the time of diltilling 

 about 10 minutes. 



A good ipiritmay be obtained without malting the grain, 

 whether it be barley, or any other kind of corn which will 

 anfwer the purpofe. With us, a mixture of barley and malt 

 is generally preferred ; in Holland, the very bell geneva is 

 made from wheat and malt, though more commonly from 

 raalt and rye, the latter yielding more fpirit than wheat. 



The following procefs is that which is praftifed by moft 

 diftillers. A quantity of rye-flour, coarfely ground, is 

 mixed with a third or fourth part of malt, and put into the 

 fermenting tub, with cold water, itirring it well with the 

 hand, to prevent the meal from clotting. Water of a blood- 

 warmth is then added, in fufficient quantity, after which 

 the ferment, compofed of the yeaft of former operations, 

 dried and kept for a certain time, is mixed with tiie whole. 

 (See Fkrmext.) When the weather is favourable, and the 

 heat well regulated, the fermentation begins in fix hours, 

 and terminates on the third day, when the liquor becomes 

 tranfparent, and aflumes a hot pungent tafte. The dillilla- 

 tion is then immediately commenced, before the liquor turns 

 four, which (hould as much as pofTible be avoided. The 

 dillillation is conducted very flowly, to prevent the impreg- 

 nation of the oil of the grain with the fpirit, and of courfe 

 the unpleaiant flavour of the fpirits. The fird fpirit is 

 then rectified by a fecond dillillation over juniper-berries, or 

 in " double geneva," by a third procefs. 



In fome of the ordinary iorts, however, the juniper-ber- 

 ries are mixed with the fermenting materials, and one dillil- 

 lation fufficcs. In the common geneva or gin, vulgarly 

 ufed in this country, the fine juniper flavour is coarfely 

 imitated by turpentine. See Genkva. 



Ff'f the procefs of obtaining arrack, brandy, and rum, 

 feeAiiAc, Brandy, and Rum. 



Sl'lKlTs, Pronf, or common Jukahle goods, are fpirits of 

 any kind of a determinate ftrength, being the fame with thofe 

 of good brandy, and the malt and fugar fpirits of the dillil- 

 lery, as they are ulually fold ; contauiing equal quantities, 

 or definite proportions, of reftilied fpirit and water. 



The bed proof fpirit ii" that dillilled from French wine ; 

 but for common ufe, the fpirit drawn from molafl'es may be 

 employed. 



The cd.nmon method of examining whether fpirits have 

 this due degree of Itrength is this : — take a long phial, fill it 



half way with the common malt fpirit, and gire it a fmart 

 flroke by its bottom againll the palm of the hand, there will 

 then appear on the furface a chaplet, or crown of bubbles, 

 whicli will go off again in a llrong manner ; that is, firft 

 remaining a while, and then going off by degrees, without 

 breaking into fmaller bubbles, or fwcUing into larger. 



By this experiment all the traders in fpirits judge of the 

 llrength of the goods they purchafe ; yet this is a mere fal- 

 lacy and deception ; for if only a little vinous or faccharine 

 matter, as treacle, fyrup, mull, rob of fruits, or the like, be 

 added to a quantity of highly redified fpirit of wine, this 

 flight addition will give a brandy proof to that fpirit. See 

 Alcohol, Brandy, and Bead Proof. 



Whether there be any fecret for making weaker fpirits 

 fliew this proof as well as brandies, &c. is not certainly 

 known ; but the thing is prafticable, fince arrack, which 

 is but of half the llrength of brandy, gives as fair a proof 

 this way ; and if a drop or two of any effential oil be added 

 to a pint of brandy, it takes off its proof, and makes it ap- 

 pear much weaker than it is. The true itrength may, 

 however, always be known, by carefully burning away 

 a mcafured quantity of brandy, &c. fince if it leaves one 

 half water it is right ; if more or lefs, it is too ilrong, or 

 too weak. 



But befide the falfe method of judging of brandies by 

 what is called proof, there is another not lefs fallacious one 

 of judging of their goodnefs, though kept as a great fecret 

 in the hands of fome dealers, and imagined a certain criterion 

 to determine whether foreign brandies are mixed with corn 

 fpirits. Thefe dillillers are provided with a certain yellow 

 liquor, a few drops of which being poured into a glafs of 

 right French brandy gives it a beautiful blue colour, and, by 

 the ftrcngth and goodnef? of this colour, they judge and buy ; 

 but if common malt Ipirit be tinged with oak, it would give 

 this colour equally with French brandy, and might be pur- 

 chafed as fuch. This proof tindture is expeditioufly made, 

 by diflolving a little green vitriol, firll calcined to a rcdnefs, 

 in a weak fpirit of lea-falt, which thus becomes a yellow 

 liquor, a fingle drop or two of which being added to a glafs 

 of any inflammable fpirit, coloured yellow or brown with 

 oak, or with long remaining in the cafl<, will inftantly turn it 

 of a bright and beautiful blue. 



The bell way of judging in thefe cafes is by the nofe and 

 palate. Dilute a quantity of brandy confiderably with 

 water, and you wmU perceive the malt talle, if mixed with 

 malt fpirits ; or burn a little in a Ipoon, and by the fmell 

 and talle of the water it leaves, you will eafily judge whether 

 there be malt in it. 



Proof Ipirits may be diltinguiflied into three \(.\nAs, perfed 

 proof, more than perfe 8 proof, and hfs than perfeO proof . By 

 perfffl proof is ufually underltood that crown of bubbles, 

 before mentioned, of a certain fi/.e, arifing as a head upon 

 a fmall quantity of a well-qualilied fpirit fliouk in a /len- 

 der phial. 



Proof more than perfeil, is that in which the bubbles raifed 

 by fliaking the fpirits, are larger than thofe on the common or 

 perfcdt proof, and go off more fuddenly ; that is, according 

 as the Ipirit is higher, or approaches more to the nature of 

 rectified fpirit, or, as it is ufually called, //i(';;V of wine. 



Proof lefs that! perfeil, is that in whicli the bubbles are 

 fmaller, and go off quicker and fainter than in perfeft proof; 

 the Ipirit in this cafe being mixed with more than its own 

 quantity of phlegm, or being too poor for fale. 



The lurelt method of judging of the llrength of fpiritP, 18 

 by the hydrometer, water-poifc, or balance ; or, zdly, by dif- 

 tillation, or finally, by deflagration. The fpecific gravity 

 of totally inflammable Ipirit is fo muth lefs than that of 



phlegm, 



