Habecker, Christian - 1881

Distilling.--
Nine years ago, in 1872, Mr. Christ Habecker established a distillery in Penn, in this county.  The building was modest and at this time not large, but as valuable goods are put up in small packages, so valuable packages are often put up in small manufactories.

Mr. Habecker, as his name impiers <sic>, is of Swiss ancestry and has an abiding faith in the German method of making spirits.  He has always adhered to the old time, hand mash process, and results have vindicated his judgement.  He, moreover, uses nothing but pure rye; corn and other grains do not have a place on the premises.

The capacity of the distillery is 10 bushels and 36 pounds per day in mash, or about 9000 gals. of whisky per year - equivalent to 200 barrels.  The time required for the distillation of spirits is about sixty hours from the time the grain is put in ferment, but the tubs are filled but once every seventy-two hours, as the law requires them to stand empty twenty-fours before refilling.  The process of distilling is interesting to a novice, but entails a good deal of hard work and vigilant supervision.  Here is where Mr. Habecker is the right man in the right place.

He does the greater part of the work himself and consequently knows that it is done well.  Some idea of his working capacity is given in the fact that since the 23rd of July, 1879, to the present date the distillery has not stopped a day except in August of last year when it was shut down for repairs.  The spirits made are of a high grade, and the demand for them is so great that Mr. Habecker must soon increase the capacity of the distillery or take the liquor out of bond sooner than he would like.  This latter he probably will not do, for obvious reasons.

Mr. Martin F. Fry, of Ephrata, is the Government Storekeeper and understands his duties.  He has now been at his post five years - a sufficient commentary on his faithfulness.  To one seeing them for the first time, the instruments used to test the spirits and gauge them are wonderful.  They are of the most delicate construction, and how they are made passes understanding.

But, after all, though every safeguard is thrown around the manufacture of liquor to prevent the Government, much depends upon the men in charge.  We are happy to say that the gentlemen in the Pennville distillery are above suspicion.
~ The Lititz Record, 21-Oct-1881, Page 3, Column 3