Chapter I: Front Matter

THE

PRACTICAL DISTILLER:

OR

AN INTRODUCTION TO MAKING

WHISKEY, GIN, BRANDY, SPIRITS, &c. &c. OF BETTER QUALITY, AND IN LARGER QUANTITIES, THAN PRODUCED BY THE PRESENT MODE OF DISTILLING, FROM THE PRODUCE OF THE UNITED STATES:

_SUCH AS_ RYE, CORN, BUCK-WHEAT, APPLES, PEACHES, POTATOES, PUMPIONS AND TURNIPS.

_WITH DIRECTIONS_ HOW TO CONDUCT AND IMPROVE THE PRACTICAL PART OF DISTILLING IN ALL ITS BRANCHES.

_TOGETHER WITH DIRECTIONS_ FOR PURIFYING, CLEARING AND COLOURING WHISKEY, MAKING SPIRITS SIMILAR TO FRENCH BRANDY, &c. FROM THE SPIRITS OF RYE, CORN, APPLES, POTATOES, &c. &c.

_AND SUNDRY EXTRACTS OF APPROVED RECEIPTS_ FOR MAKING CIDER, DOMESTIC WINES, AND BEER.

BY SAMUEL McHARRY, OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENN.

PUBLISHED AT HARRISBURGH, (PENN.) BY JOHN WYETH. ----1809.----

DISTRICT OF _PENNSYLVANIA_,

TO WIT:

Be it remembered, that on the twenty fourth day of November, in the thirty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1808, SAMUEL McHARRY, of the said district, hath deposited in this Office, the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:

_The Practical Distiller: or an introduction to making Whiskey, Gin, Brandy, Spirits, &c. &c. of better quality, and in larger quantities, than produced by the present mode of distilling, from the produce of the United States: such as Rye, Corn, Buckwheat, Apples, Peaches, Potatoes, Pumpions and Turnips. With directions how to conduct and improve the practical part of distilling in all its branches. Together with directions for purifying, clearing and colouring Whiskey, making Spirits similar to French Brandy, &c. from the Spirits of Rye, Corn, Apples, Potatoes &c. &c. and sundry extracts of approved receipts for making Cider, domestic Wines, and Beer. By SAMUEL McHARRY, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania._

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned." And also to the act, entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, 'An act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the time therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

D. CALDWELL, _Clerk of the district of Pennsylvania._

CONTENTS:

_Page_ SECTION I _Observations on Yeast._ 25 _Receipt for making stock Yeast._ 27 _Vessel most proper for preserving_ do. 30 _To ascertain the quality of_ do. 31 _To renew_ do. 32 _Observations on the mode in which distillers generally work_ do. 33 _How stock Yeast may be kept good for years._ 34 _To make best Yeast for daily use._ 36 SECTION II _Observations on the best wood for hogsheads._ 39 _To sweeten by scalding_ ditto. 41 Ditto, _burning_ do. 42 SECTION III _To mash rye in the common mode._ 44 _Best method of distilling rye._ 45 _To mash one-third rye with two-thirds corn._ 47 Do. _an equal quantity of rye and corn._ 49 Do. _two-thirds rye and one-third corn._ 51 Do. _corn._ 54 _To make four gallons to the bushel._ 55 _To know when grain is sufficiently scalded._ 58 _Directions for cooling off._ 59 _To ascertain when rye works well._ 61 _To prevent hogsheads from working over._ 62 SECTION IV _Observations on the quality of rye._ 63 _Mode of chopping rye._ 64 Do. _or grinding indian corn._ 65 Do. _malt._ 66 _To choose malt._ 67 _To build a malt-kiln._ 67 _To make malt for stilling._ 69 _Of hops._ 69