The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-11
WHISKY BUSINESS
 NOW AND IN PAST
Basis of Suit Brought By British Interest Against
 German Concern
ALWAYS MADE TROUBLE

Recent news dispatches from Ger many regarding a suit brought by six British distilling firms against a German concern to prevent the lat ter from calling its product "whis- ky resulted in an interesting dis cussion of whiskey distillation and It's origin in the New York Times.
 It follows:
 What About America?
 The manufacture of whisky, in its several forms, has been asso- ciated in history mainly with the British Isles and America. Lager beers. on the other hand, have generally owned a Teutonic point of origin. The chauvinism implied by the suit of the six British dis tilleries disregards entirely a fam iliar source of the worlds supply.
 "Whiskys are sometimes classi- fled according to their geographi- cal origin-Scotch, Irish and Amer ican, but the chief differences are due to the secondary products = hI:her alcohols, esters, aldehydes, &c.,
 The origin of the term whisky" is probably Gaelic-"uisgebe beatha''
 
 have noticed the similarity between that and the Old High Germanic "waschan" the German "washen", and finally the English wash. The early terminology, of course, is diff ferentiated from that of the pres- ent, for the English wash" has no connection with the tubs with that prefix which now serve in the man. ufacture of certain whisky brands.
 Taft Settled One Dispute
 The present suit in Berlin pro- duces situation not unlike one by which the United States and Eng land earlier came into conflict. In 1906 a question arose as to whether the highly rectified alcohol. pro- duced in the rectifying still, was en titled to be called whisky. In Eng land royal commission was ap- pointed, and after a long deliber- ation 1t decided that it was. The controversy ragged here several years longer until President Taft personally said that any distillate oi grain, diluted to potable strength was whisky.
 It is usually customary to use q mixture of various grains in the preparation of a mash for the pro. duction of whisky, the classification being based on the kind of grain ir the infusion. Rye whisky, for ex ample, is made of q mash composed of rye with sufficient barley malt tt change the starch into sugar; corr whisky, chiefly from corn or maize wheat whisky from wheat; mai whisky from matted barley, and st forth.
 Whisky played an important part in the early history of this country It is sometimes said that wher Peter Minuet, the Director Genera of New Netherlands, purchased the island of Manhattan, he gave the Indians $24-and some whisky There is no record of this, how. ever.
 The first war after the separa- ton of the United States iron Great Britain was fought about whisky. When the source of sup. ply had been cut off by tho block. ades of 1776, the farmers in thu western counties of Pennsylvania began manufacturing it. In 1791 ar excise tax was placed upon thu article, and a rebellion started The government easily put down.
 Geography of the Beverage
 Various types of whisky derive their names from portions of tn United States. Rye whisky pro duced in Pennsylvania was some times called Monongehela, afte the river along which the distiller ics were situated. Corn whisk. was mostly made in Kentucky ant was frequently called bourbon from the county of that name. Th' names of the various whiskys hav' come down to the modern ag' through the reproduction of theil old labels.
 Since the passage of the nation al prohibition act the manufacture | localized. In recent years the still! have operated mainly in and abou the large cities. This prevents 2 loss of time between the producer and the ultimate consumer, allow ing distilled whisky to be taker the moment it has cooled. Tho methods of distillation have changed also in recent years, mos of the changes being in the direc' ton of simplicity The old char filter has been done away with and the entire process has been speeded up There is even portable apparatus that can be set up in the home.
 So. despite all protestations 1T Berlin courts, whisky is beine made in many parts of the United States.