Of the difference of malting.
The difference of malt, by reason whereof it yields better or worse beer, and spirit, consists for the most part in the preparation thereof: for being made after the vulgar way it retains its tast, wherefore it cannot yield good spirit, nor good beer, which is observed of very few, wherefore they could not draw forth good spirit out of corn, but such as savours of the tast and smell of the malt. Which is not the fault of the corn, but of the artificer not operating aright in the preparation of his malt, in distilling and rectifying. For if it were prepared a right in all things, corn yields a very good spirit, not unlike to that which is made out of the lees of wine, in tast, odour, and other vertues. Which Art, although it be not known to all, yet it doth not follow that it is impossible: Now I did not say that it is that common way, whereby that spirit, which is like to the spirit of wine, is distilled, but another which is more subtil, and witty. Out of all vegetables is drawn a burning spirit, yet such as is perceived by some difference of the tast, and odour, but that is not the spirits faults, but of the vegetable, as of hearbs, seeds, corn, &c. communicating their vertues, tast, and odour to the spirit: whence that spirit deserves to be called not simple, but compounded, for else all the burning spirit (being rightly rectified from its flegm) is made out of any thing, having the same vertues with the spirit of wine, although it seem improbable to some. I do not deny that one simple may yield more or less sweet spirit than another. For sweeter wines yields sweeter spirits: Also clear wine yields a sweeter spirit than the lees of wine, although they come forth out of one and the same vessel: For clarified wine, and that which is separated from the fæces yields a sweeter spirit than the Lees, and impure and heterogeneal sediment, which corrupts the simple, and sweet spirit, with a strong tast and smell: so that that may deservedly, being as it were simple, be preferred before this which is accidentally corrupted. And this is to be understood of all other spirits. What hath hitherto been said, hath been spoken for the sakes of them, who have perswaded themselves that they could not perform chymical operations so well by the spirit of corn, as with the spirit of wine, for I never found any difference of them in the extraction of minerals or vegetables. Let him therefore that can, receive my opinion, and experience, seeing I will have nothing to do with contradicting Carpers: Without hurt to others I dare not reveal the Art of distilling a sweet spirit with great profit out of corn, in all things like to that which is made of the fæces of wine, viz. without the preparation or grinding of the malt, which shall haply be [* See Explicat. Mirac. Mundi] communicated elsewhere at some time or other. For this Book is not written for the publishing of secrets, but of a new invented distillation. But thou that wilt make a sweet burning spirit out of malt or honey; know this, that the corn must be brought after a certain peculiar manner into malt, and lose its ungrateful savour before its distilling, and fermenting, or else after the wonted manner a certain ungrateful spirit will be drawn from thence, that cannot be compared to the spirit of wine. The whole Art thereof consists in a true preparation; for ungrateful things are by Art brought into gratefulness, and on the contrary grateful things are made ungrateful by negligence. And thus much for information sake.
Of the fermentation of Malt.
Take of Malt ground in a Mill as much as you please, upon which in a wooden vessel set up right, pour cold water, as much as will moysten it, and serve for mixtion and comminution; then also pour as much warm water as will suffice for the making the mixture moist and thin, and also warm; for it must be neither hot nor cold: which being done mix with it some new barm, and cover it with a cloth, and in a short space, being exposed to heat, it will begin to ferment (wherefore the vessel is not to be filled to the top) and leave it so long in fermentation, until the mixture descends, which for the most part is wont to be done the third day, and the malt will be ready for distillation.
Of the fermentation of Honey.
Neither hath honey any need of a singular Art in its fermentation, because being mixed with 6, 7, 8, or 10. parts of warm water, it is dissolved, and unto the solution is added ferment, as has been spoken concerning malt, which afterward is left covered in some heat for to be fermented, being fit for distillation when it becomes to wax hot. Now know that too great a quantity of honey makes a very slow fermentation, viz. of some weeks and months; wherefore for acceleration sake, I advise that a greater quantity of water be added; although otherwise it yields plenty of spirits, but ungrateful, which therefore I advise nobody to distil as being unprofitable, unless any one know how to take away the [1]ungratefulness thereof.
[1] [See the Consolat. of Navigators.]
Of the preparation of Fruits, Seeds, Flowers, Herbs, Roots, &c.
The fruits of trees, as Cherries, Plumbs, Apples, Pears, Figs, Juniper-berries, Elder-berries, Dwarf-elder, and Mulberries, &c. are bruised in wooden vessels, with wooden pestils; and upon them being bruised, is poured warm water, and ferment added to quicken it, as hath been above said of malt. Seeds are broken in a mill; flowers, hearbs and roots, are cut small, and are stirred up to fermentation by mixing of warm water, and barm or yest.