IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOLIC AND OTHER FERMENTED LIQUORS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOLIC AND OTHER FERMENTED
LIQUORS." A communication from abroad by Eugene Leconte, of
Paris, France.
Sealed the 30th April 1872, and dated the 7th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th February 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOLIC AND OTHER
FERMENTED LIQUORS,” a communication to me from abroad by Eugene
Leconte, of Paris, France, to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention consists essentially in the application of the starch
obtained from maize, rice, or other cereals and grasses, but more.

page_text: especially from maize and rice, to the manufacture of alcohol, gin,
vinegar, and other fermented liquors, in lieu of using potatoe starch or
the fecula extracted from potatoes, which is always tainted with essential
oils.
The starch of maize, when employed in conjunction with malt in the
mash tub of the distiller, admits of the production of brandy from grain
or of the production of gin and alcohol absolutely pure in flavour, which
is accounted for by the superior quality of the product freed from all
extraneous matters contained in maize. and in the other cereals before
mentioned.
•
The starch is employed in the following manner, according to the
various methods adopted in the distillation of grain :-When distilling
pasty matters, in which process the thick matter, wort, and grain is sub-
jected at the same time to distillation, the starch of maize may be used
with the greatest facility. After the mixture of malt in the macerating
tub has been raised to a temperature of about 140° Fahrenheit, it is
simply necessary to dilute the starch with a small quantity of lukewarm
water, and to run it thus reduced in a continuous stream into the mace-
rating tub, the mass being at the same time continually stirred in order
to effect the thorough incorporation of the starch therewith. When
saccharifying by steam, or with boiling water in which the vessel is
placed, the temperature may be elevated to about 150° or 155° Fahren-
heit. This temperature is maintained for about three hours and a half.
The mass is then cooled and caused to ferment. The proportion of
starch to be added in this system of manufacture, as also in other
processes, varies according to the quality of the malt employed. If malt
and starch only be employed, the proportion, for example, may be one-
third of malt to two-thirds of starch. When other grain is used the
starch is employed in the proportion of one or third or one-fourth of
the weight of grain used.
With regard to the produce, one hundredweight of starch of maize is,
equivalent (without taking into consideration the small quantity of water
still remaining in it) to one hundredweight of useful matter wholly con-
vertible into glucose.

page_text: may be readily ascertained from this data. The remaining operations
are conducted as in the ordinary manner.
When distilling with clear must or wort the operation is carried out in
the manner herein-before described, when mashing in a simple mash tub,
with the exception that the mass must be left at a temperature of about
148° Fahrenheit for three hours and a half before drawing it off. If the
mixture is mashed by steam in a double-cased tub, or by a bath of
boiling water, it is simply necessary to gradually raise the temperature of
the mixture of starch and malt or other cereal grasses to about 150°
Fahrenheit, and to maintain it at that temperature for the period above
mentioned. The starch, as in the method firstly herein-before described,
should be always previously diluted with a small quantity of lukewarm
water before being introduced into the mash tub.
When the saccharine must or wort is obtained and the conversion into
alcohol by fermentation is effected, the remaining operations, which con-
stitute the distilation proper, are carried out as in the ordinary manner,
whether it be desired to obtain brandy from grain, gin, or alcohol, or
phlegms capable of being used for the manufacture of vinegar of the
best quality.
With reference to the manufacture of vinegar I may remark that
when using for this purpose wort of grain obtained directly from the
mash tub, the employment of the starch in these circumstances is
effected precisely as in the process of distilling clear wort. The distil-
lation of grain is also effected with or without the formation of yeast,
but as these operations are only carried on after saccharification there is
nothing to be said on this subject in reference to the use of the said
starch, which alone when once transformed into glucose is applicable to
any of the existing modes of distillation.
The employment of the starch of maize in the distillation of thick
matters is of considerable service in the operation by permitting at an
equal density of the distillation of wort or must infinately more fluid than
by the methods at present in use.

page_text: '
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that 1, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOLIC AND OTHER FERMENTED LIQUORS,"
a communication to me from abroad by Eugene Leconte, of Paris,
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: especially from maize and rice, to the manufacture of alcohol, gin,
vinegar, and other fermented liquors, in lieu of using potatoe starch for
the fecula extracted from potatoes, which is always tainted with essential
oils..
The starch of maize, when employed in conjunction with malt in the
mash tub of the distiller, admits of the production of brandy from grain
or of the production of gin, an alcohol absolutely pure in flavour, which
is accounted for by the superior quality of the product, freed from all
extraneous matters contained in maize and in the other cereals before
mentioned.
The starch is employed in the following manner, according to the
various methods adopted in the distillation of grain:-When distilling
pasty matters, in which process the thick matter, wort, and grain is sub-
jected at the same time to distillation, the starch of maize may be used
with the greatest facility. After the mixture of malt in the macerating
tub has been raised to a temperature of about 140° Fahrenheit, it is
simply necessary to dilute the starch with a small quantity of lukewarm
water, and to run it thus reduced in a continuous stream into the mace-
rating tub, the mass being at the same time continually stirred in order
When
to effect the thorough incorporation of the starch therewith.
saccharifying by steam or with a bath of boiling water in which the
vessel is placed, the temperature may be elevated to about 150° or 155°
Fahrenheit. This temperature is maintained for about three hours and a
half. The mass is then cooled and caused to ferment. The proportion
of starch to be added in this system of manufacture, as also in other
If malt
processes, varies according to the quality of the malt employed.
and starch only be employed, the proportion for example may be one-
third of malt to two-thirds of starch. When other grain is used the
starch is employed in the proportion of one-third or one-fourth of the
weight of grain used.
With regard to the produce, one hundredweight of starch of maize is
equivalent (without taking into consideration the small quantity of water
still remaining in it, and from which the product could not be freed) to
one hundredweight of useful matter wholly convertible into glucose.
By the proportions of starch which the other cereal grasses employed

page_text: may be readily ascertained from this data. The remaining operations
are conducted as in the ordinary manner.
When distilling with clear must or wort the operation is carried out in,
the manner herein-before described when mashing in a simple mash tub,
with the exception that the mass must be left at a temperature of
about 148° Fahrenheit for three hours and a half before drawing it off.
If the mixture is mashed by steam in a double-cased tub, or by a bath
of boiling water, it is simply necessary to gradually raise the tempera-
ture of the mixture of starch and malt or other cereal grasses to about
150° Fahrenheit, and to maintain it at that temperature for the period
above mentioned. The starch, as in the method firstly herein-before
described, should be always previously diluted with a small quantity of
lukewarm water before being introduced into the mash tub.
When the saccharine must or wort is obtained and the conversion into
alcohol by fermentation is effected, the remaining operations, which con-
stitute the distillation proper, are carried out as in the ordinary manner,
whether it be desired to obtain brandy from grain, gin, or alcohol, or
phlegms capable of being used for the manufacture of vinegar of the
best quality.
With reference to the manufacture of vinegar I may remark that
when using for this purpose wort of grain obtained directly from the
mash tub, the employment of the starch in these circumstances is
effected precisely as in the process of distilling clear wort. The distil-
lation of grain is also effected with or without the formation of yeast,
but as these operations are only carried on after saccharification there is
nothing to be said on this subject in reference to the use of the said
starch, which when once transformed into glucose is applicable to any of
the existing modes of distillation.
The employment of the starch of maize in the distillation of thick
matters is of considerable service in the operation by permitting at an 3
equal density of the distillation of wort or must infinitely more fluid than
by the methods at present in use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider 3
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured

page_text: to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
employment of the starch, maize, rice, and other cereals in the manu-
facture of alcohol, gin, vinegar, and other fermented liquors, such starch
under the action of the diastase of the barley being converted into
dextrine and sugar, which is subjected to fermentation and distillation in
the ordinary manner.
acture of alcohol, gin, vinegar, and other fermented liquors, such starch
nder the action of the diastase of the barley being converted into
extrine and sugar, which is subjected to fermentation and distillation in
he ordinary manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of
July One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)