Use Of The Kettle


The kettle is destined to make the infusion of the grain, and boil it so

as to convert it into wort. By that operation I make the liquor richer,

which I intend for fermentation, and bring it to divers degrees of

strength.



I put into the kettle 100 gallons of water, and 4 bushels of corn,

broken, as I said before, at the mill. I light a small fire, which I

increase gradually, until the water begins to boil
during that time,

the grain is stirred with a paddle. As soon as the ebullition is

established, the grain is taken up with a large skimmer, and put to

drain into a large basket hanging over the kettle; and when the grain

has been totally taken up, the fire is increased so as to bring the

water to boil again, until reduced to two-fifths, which degree of

concentration is not rigorous, and the distiller may augment it as his

experience shall direct. When thus concentrated, the liquor is drawn off

through the pipe, and received into a tub or vat containing 130 or 140

galls.



100 gallons more of water are put into the kettle, with 4 bushels of

corn; the fire conducted slowly, as before, until the degree of

ebullition; the corn is taken off, and the liquor concentrated in the

same proportions; then drawn off as above, in the same tub.



The same operation is repeated for the third time; the three united

liquors are slightly stirred, and, still warm, transported into one of

the hogsheads of fermentation, which it nearly fills up.



As there must be four of these hogsheads filled up daily, the work at

the kettle must be kept going on, without interruption, until that

quantity is obtained, which may be done in about twelve hours. The grain

which has been drained is carried to dry, either in the open air, or in

a granary, and spread thin. When dry, it is excellent food for cattle,

and highly preferable to the acid and fermented mash, usually used by

distillers to feed cattle and hogs: they eat the corn dried in the above

manner as if it had lost nothing of its primitive qualities and flavor.



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