any body which, being applied to another, produces fermentation.

Ferments are either matters already in the act of fermentation, or that soon run into this act. Of the first kind are the flowers of wine, yeast, fermenting beer, or fermenting wine, &c., and of the second are the new expressed vegetable juices of summer-fruit.

Among distillers, ferments are all those bodies which, when added to the liquor, only correct some fault therein, and, by removing some obstacle to fermentation, forward it by secondary means; as also such as, being added in time of fermentation, make the liquor yield a larger proportion of spirit, and give it a finer flavour.