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The Use of Glycerine in Wine

drawn off. The water is now added, and the Glycerine differs from sugar in not fermenting whole macerated for 30 or 40 hours, more r or taking any active part in the process of less; during which time it is frequently stirred fermentation. It can, therefore, be made use up with a suitable wooden stirrer. The liquid of atter fermentation, to impart any required portion is next drawn off, and the residuadegree of sweetness to wine, without the risk ry pulp is placed in hair bags and undergoes of further fermentation, as is the case with the operation of pressing, to expel the fluid sugar when used for this purpose; it is said it contains. The sugar, tartar, &c. very fire sugar, tartar, &c. (in very fire that it can be added with perfect safety to powder, or in solution), are now added to the even a young or new wine, as soon as it has mixed liquor, and the whole is well stirred . become clear. It is absolutely necessary that The temperature being suitable (generally the glycerine should be chemically pure; care from 750 to 85° Fahr.), the vinous fermentais consequently to be taken in purchasing it, tion soon commences, when the liquor is fre- , when the liquor is freas there are few articles in the market which quently skimmed (if necessary) and well are liable to contain SO many impurities. (See stirred up, and, after 3 or 4 days of this treatafter 3 or 4 days of this treat- No. 1151.) The proportion of glycerine ment, it is run into casks, which should be from 1 to 3 gallons for 100 gallons quite filled, and left open at the bung-hole. of wine, according to the quality of the latter. In about a week the flavoring ingredients, in If the wine is perfectly clear before adding the state of coarse powder, are commonly the glycerine it will be ready for bottling at added, and well stirred in, and in about once. It is best to mix the glycerine first another week, depending upon the state of with an equal quantity of the wine, and then the fermentation and the attenuation of the add the mixture to the remainder of the must, the brandy or spirit is added, and the wine. cask filled up, and bunged down close. In 4

726. Electricity as an Agent for im- or 5 weeks more the cask is again filled up, proving Whiskey and Wines. From ex- and, after some weeks-the longer the bettersome weeks-the longer the betterperiments made on a large scale, it has been it is pegged" or 'spiled," to ascertain if it found that electricity in any form, either as a be fine or transparent; if so, it undergoes the regular current or a succession of discharges, operation of racking; but if, on the contrary, renders wine or whiskey mellow and mature. it still continues muddy, it must previously It is supposed that the bitartrate of potassa is pass through the process of fining. Its future decomposed, setting free potash and tartaric treatment is similar to that of foreign wine. acid: the former tending to neutralize the The must of many of the strong-flavored acids of the wine; and the tartaric acid, react- fruits, as black currants, for instance, is imcurrants, for instance, is iming upon the fatty matters present, favors the proved by being boiled before being made into formation of the ethers which constitute the wine; but the flavor and bouquet of the more bouquet of the wine. It is probable, also, delicate fruits are diminished, if not destroyed, that a small quantity of the water is decom- by boiling. posed, setting free oxygen, which forms, with some of the constituents of the wine, new compounds peculiar to old wines. (See No. 6295.) Home-Made Wines: 728. General Receipt for the Preparation of Home-Made Wine from Ripe Saccharine Fruits. I. Ripe fruit, 4 pounds; clear soft water, 1 gallon; sugar, 3 pounds;

cream of tartar, dissolved in boiling water, 14 ounces; brandy, 2 to 3 per cent. Flavoring as required. Makes a good family wine.

The II. As the last, using 1 pound more each of various processes in domestic wine- fruit and sugar. A superior wine. making resemble those employed for foreign III. As the first, adding 2 pounds each fruit wine, and depend upon the same principles. and sugar. Very strong. Is good without . Very strong. is good without The fruit should be preferably gathered in fine brandy, but better with it. 11 pounds of with it. 14 pounds of weather, and not till it has arrived at a proper raisins may be substituted for each pound of state of maturity, as evinced by its flavor sugar above. In the above way may be made when tasted; for if it be employed while un- the following wines:-gooseberry wine, curwines:-gooseberry wine, curripe, the wine will be harsh, disagreeable, rant wine (red, white or black) mixed fruit and unwholesome, and a larger quantity of wine (currants and gooseberries; or black, sugar and spirit will be required to render it red, and white currants, ripe black-heart chercurrants, ripe black-heart cherpalatable. The common practice of employ-ries, and raspberries, equal parts). This is a ing unripe gooseberries for the manufacture of good family wine. Cherry wine; Colepress's wine arises from a total ignorance of the wine, (from apples and mulberries, equal scientific principles of wine-making. On the parts); elder wine; strawberry wine; raspwine; strawberry wine; raspother hand, if fruit be employed too ripe, the berry wine; mulberry wine (when flavored wine is apt to be inferior, and deficient in the makes port); whortleberry (sometimes called flavor of the fruit. The fruit being gathered, huckleberry) wine; makes a good factitious it next undergoes the operation of picking, port; blackberry wine; morella wine; apricot for the purpose of removing the stalks and wine; apple wine grape wine, &c. (