Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-07-05
1TtT7fAleohol. 14roHYr
Alcohol is Composed of 4 Darts Car al.

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Alcohol is composed of 4 parts Car
bon, 6 of Hydrogen and 2 of Oxygen.
Strange as it may appear it is made
frem sugar. Without sugar or some
sweet substance there could be no al
cohol. Grape sugar for instance. is
composed of 6 parts of Carbon, 6 of
Oxygen, and 6 of Hydrogen. Now
by fermentation it is changed into al
cohol and carbonic acid gas. But
what is fermentation That we NAV
the better understand this process let
us ascertain the composition of starch
and from whence we get it. If you
should take grain of wheat, rye or
corn, and break it open, the rye for in
stance, you would find an outer seed
coat consisting of three rows of thick
walled cells, the next is composed of
a single layer of thick walled cells !;
then a layer of cells containing gluten.
These layers form what we call the
bran. Inside of these, the cellular
tissue Of the albumen is found, consist
ing of large roundish hexagonal, or
six sided cells, which are filled with
grains of starch. These little round
granules are composed of nearly the
same parts of carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen as grape sugar. Now take a
small quantity of barley, wet it little
and keep it warm, and as soon as it
commences sprouting, heat it so hot
that it will stop growing. This is
what brewers call malt. Pour upon
this malt, coarsely pulverized, luke
warm water and let it remain a few
days near fire or in the sun, and
then strain it through a linen cloth,
and you will find in the fltrate sub
stance called diastase. The starch or
-four of the different grains, wet suffi-
GENTLY to make paste, is put into large
tubs or watts, and a little of this dias-
tase added, then it is heated nearly
to the boiling point. The diastase in
this process changes the starch first in
to gum and then into sugar or sweet
substance. 1t is now called by
brewers ao0rt. This wort is then boil
ed to stop the action of the diastase
and hops are added to impart bitter
ness and give the liquid a pleasant
smell, and also to help make it clear.
1t is now run off into shallow vessels
and cooled as soon as possible, and
then put in what the brewers call a
tun. Yeast is then added aud after
being allowed to ferment slowly five
or six days it becomes beer. During
this fermentation the sugar Of the H.
quid, or the particles of oxygen, by,
drogen, and carbon, which enter into
the composition of the sugar are sep
arated and 4 parts Of carbon, 6 Of by
drOgen and 2 of the oxygen of the su
gar unite and form alchohol which re
mains in the beer, and the other
parts Of carbon and 4 parts Of the OK
ygen of the sugar unite and fly off into
the air. Thus you see what termen
tation is and how alcohol is formed.
DiStillation is the process of sepa
rating the alcohol from the water anc
other substances. Take any ferment
ed liquors, for instance beer, put
it into kettle and place on it
! cover so tight that the vapor or steam
cannot escape, then make little hole
in the cover in which insert the end oil
+ lead or iron tube, let the other par
. OF the tube be coiled up like serpen
, when he is about to jump at any one
! and be placed in tub of cold waite
> with the end tightly fitted in a hole il
. the bottom or in the side of the tuI
!, near the bottom. Now heat the beef
/ and the alcohol is changed into stear
or vapOr, before the water in the bee
4 IS; it rises, passes into the end Of
the tube. inserted in the cover, and a
y it passes along the cold water aroun
q the tube condenses or changes til
2 steam into liquid, just as when 20
n breathe on cold glass your breath
>. changed into drops of water, and
4 runs out of the end of the tube passin
through the bottom or side of the tn
: into a pail or jug. This liquid is a
= most pure alcohol.