Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-03-20
lOwensbOro Enquirer. /

lOwensboro Enquirer.l
BY special invitation represe
tative of the Inquirer visited the di
tillery of the Davies County Cit
TO see the operation OF the Glass pa
ent for aging whisky. The machii
has been i'll operation at the distilleI
for two weeks and has given the u
most satisfaction to those who al
interested in it, 1t is in regular us
all the whisky made by the Gu
being run through it.
The invention is one that wi
bring about radical change in tn
manufacture of whisky and deserve
full explanation. 1t is the iDven
ton of Mr.. j. NJ. Glass and Mr.. Hen
ny Glass, who have perfected it ate
sixteen years of study and expert
ment. They have themselves nC
doubt of its success and have sufll
GENTLY enlisted the confidence of cap
ital to have organized a company
for the manufacture of the machine
Inc SeMpaanhyi hlfdi fh gentleman, and
Msssrs. II. Il Hathaway, J. A. Fuqua
and Thos. s. Petit, of Greensboro.
The Glass process like the numer-
Gus other processes for aging whisky,
is based on the principle of facilita-
ting the action of air upon the fusel
oil and corn oil which
are in the liquor. Its advantage over
all other processes is that it does this
more thoro ughly and more rapidly
Other processes work on the plan OF
forcing air through the whisky: the
Glass process is just the reverse and
forces the whisky in a fine spray
through constant current of fresh
air This air is what does the work
in making fine whisky.
1t is a well known fact that W his
ky and other fermented and distilled
liquors are improved or rendered
more palatable by age, and it is equal
ly as well known that this improve
Inent is due alone to the oxidizing
Influence of atmospheric air and moi
TO time. 10 induce this improvement
and change in liquors it is absolutely
essential that each and every atom o
the liquor must come in immediat,
contact with the air before any
change can possibly take place. An
other known fact of Importance il
that all liquors, to be palatable, mus
hold a certain amount of free air
mechanically and not chemically
combined. In the process of fermen
tation or distillation all the air i
driven out of whisky and much tim,
is required for barrelcd liquor to re
absorb the air thus lost, if il is al
rest and but small surface exposed
to the air. The improvement is moi
due to motion or to age except as
motion and age help the action of The
air, IL beng the only agent present
by which any new combination could
be produced.
In the fermentation of sugar made
from starch, there are formed alcohol
carbonic acid gas, small amount of
ammonia, product known as fusel
oil and another product known as
corn oil. The carbonIc acid gas and
the ammonia are undesirable ele.
ments and are to be gotten rid of be-
fore the whisky is good; this is gen
orally by the slow process of evapo-
ration. The corn oil also decompose:
and passes of, slowly of course when
the whisky is barreled up and shut
off from all but little air. The fuse
oil is the element which, when oxi.
died, gives the whisky that rich
bouquet or odor which makes old
liquor so agreeable. Before oxida.
ton the fuse oil possesses a biting
fiery taste and a suflocating odor.
The driving off of the ammonia and
carbonic acid gas rapidly
and the rapid oxidizing oil
the corn and fusel oils is the object
aimed at by all the whisky aging
processes. 1t can only be done by
fastening the action of the air and
this the Glass process does more rap.
idly than any other. Mr.. Glass has
discovered no new law or principle /;
only the proper application of
mechanical force according to a prin-
ciple already known to whisky men.
The Glass machine, operated by
steam, pumps the new whisky from
tank and forces it in an exceedingly
fine spray into funnel-shaped cask,
through which is drawn by pipes
current of pure air from the outside
of the building. The air current,
playing OIL the in1nites imal particles
of liquor, drives off the ammonia and
carbonic acid gas, which are carried
off by the strong draft through a
pipe. The spray of whisky strikes
against a lining of calcined coal in the
tunnel-shapped cask, which operates
TO greatly assist the separation of the
alcohol, ammonia, fusel oil, corn oil,
aud carbonic acid gas. Freed by the
draught of air from the gases, the
whisky runs out of the tank, still
mingled with the oils, but also charg-
cd, every atom of it, with pure air
and SO thoroughly aerated that the
oxygen of the air does in brief time
what is usually accomplished only
after the lapse of years, loss of time
aud great loss by leakage. All the
free air lost in fermentation is restor-
cd, the oxidizing of the oils, which
gives tone TO the liquor, is greatly
FASTENED, the impurities are driven
of and not particle of whisky is lost
The patentees of the machine have
a good thing in il. BY the saving of
time and money in aging whisky,
and preventing loss by leakage, il
will be simply Indispensable to dis
tillers.