Commentary for Menachot 8:7

לֹא הָיוּ כוֹנְסִים אוֹתוֹ בַחֲצָבִים גְּדוֹלִים, אֶלָּא בְחָבִיּוֹת קְטַנּוֹת. וְאֵינוֹ מְמַלֵּא אֶת הֶחָבִיּוֹת עַד פִּיהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף. אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא, לֹא מִפִּיהָ, מִפְּנֵי הַקְּמָחִין. וְלֹא מִשּׁוּלֶיהָ, מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָרִים. אֶלָּא מֵבִיא מִשְּׁלִישָׁהּ וּמֵאֶמְצָעָהּ. כֵּיצַד הוּא בוֹדֵק, הַגִּזְבָּר יוֹשֵׁב וְהַקָּנֶה בְיָדוֹ, זָרַק אֶת הַגִּיד וְהִקִּישׁ בַּקָּנֶה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, יַיִן שֶׁעָלָה בוֹ קְמָחִין, פָּסוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם וּמִנְחָתָם (במדבר כח), תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם (שם):

They would not put [the wine] in large casks but in small barrels. And one did not fill the barrels to the brim, so that its scent might waft. One may not take the wine at the edge of the barrel because of the scum, nor that at the bottom because of the lees. Rather, one should take it only from the middle third of the barrel. How did he test it? The temple-treasurer used to sit with a [measuring] reed in his hand; when it shot out [during pouring] lees, he would knock with his reed [as a sign to stop pouring]. Rabbi Yose bar Judah says: wine on which there is a scum is invalid, as it is said, “They shall be for you without blemish, and their grain offering,” and "They shall be for you without blemish, and their libations” (Numbers 28:19-20, 31).

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