[Sca-cooks] Brewing...along similar lines...

Terry Decker t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net
Sun Jun 22 09:29:41 PDT 2008


> There they noted
> that in the 19th c. a still was invented that permitted the distillation 
> of
> grain-based alcohol, which produced a lighter, less intense whisky that 
> was
> then blended with the more potent malt whisky to produce what we now have 
> as
> blends.
>

The column still which uses continuous fractional distillation rather than 
simple distillation.  A pot still produces 40-50% alcohol.  A column still 
produces over 90% alcohol.  The practical limit is between 95-96% alcohol. 
Above that, the alcohol becomes hygroscopic and requires special equipment 
to keep it from absorbing moisture from the air.  The still is also called a 
patent still, a continuous still or a coffey still (after the inventor).

It is an evolutionary design based on work done in the 18th Century.

> As I said, I can't document the cordial itself...but I can at least 
> document
> the ingredients.  Guess that'll have to do!
>
> Kiri

If you can document the cordial process you used, then I would say you have 
a cordial "in the manner of."  Not an accurate historical recreation, but 
certainly a historical interpetation worth considering.

Good Luck with the documentation.

Bear 



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