1863 The manufacture of liquors, wines, and cordials

BEADS FOR LIQUORS.

164

Alkanet is prepared by crushing the root, and add- ing one pound to a gallon of alcohol, standing twenty-four hours, decanting, and fine with boiled milk ; depth of color and transparency are objects sought for, and the finings should be continued until the tincture is bright. If depth of color is sought, add sulphuric acid, drop by drop, until the desired warmth is attained. As in all other instances, the remaining root should be subjected to the action of alcohol as long as the root yields any color. This color is used for port wine particularly, also for wines and cordials either singly or combined, forming compound colors. Logwood yields a color well adapted for a certain class of wines, and is very extensively used ; it yields its color to water or alcohol, but in greater quantities to boiling water. Red beets will produce a fine red color, by mash- ing or cutting into slices and infusing into the liquid that is to be colored. When they are to be used for coloring fermented liquors, viz. champagne, wines,

Blue. The best blue is prepared from indigo ; other blues have been proposed and used with but