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 M^cHARRY, OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENN.

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 M^cHarry, 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 M^cHarry, 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.