Quote:FERMENTATION is the fifth operation in the alchemy of transformation.
Fermentation is a two-stepped process that begins with the Putrefaction of the hermaphroditic "child" from the Conjunction resulting in its death and resurrection to a new level of being. The Fermentation phase then begins with the introduction of new life into the product of Conjunction to strengthen it and insure its survival.
Chemically, Fermentation is the growth of a ferment (bacteria) in organic solutions, such as occurs in the fermenting of milk to produce curds and cheese or in the fermenting of grapes to make wine.
It is conceivable that the image in post 146 represents a fermentation of grapes into wine. It would also fit that the following step in the alchemical process would be the distillation.
I don't mean to imply that all seven steps are rigorously "worked through" here ( the number of stages is also given differently in the literature, the later the works the higher the number of stages). Of course, it would be nice to find step by step in the VMS, but the manuscript will not make it that "easy".