A Practical Handbook on the Distillation of Alcohol from Farm Products

A remarkable time capsule from 1907, this handbook captures a moment when small-scale distilling still thrived alongside emerging industrial methods. F. B. Wright guides readers through the complete arc of turning farm crops into alcohol: the chemistry of fermentation, the art of malting, the mechanics of distillation, and the careful calibration of equipment. Written for the aspiring farmer or hobbyist with minimal experience, it balances technical precision with genuine accessibility. The book also wrestles with a world in transition, acknowledging how recent legislative shifts were reshaping the industrial alcohol market. Beyond its practical instructions, it offers a window into an era when a man with good grain, proper equipment, and this book could reasonably attempt to produce his own spirits. For historians of alcohol, students of rural craft traditions, or anyone curious about the pre-Prohibition world, it remains a fascinating artifact.