1872 Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks (Mixellany)

Bottling — Fining. 43 begin operations, that the wine is fine and brilliant, for, if bottled in a turbid state, it will not brighten afterwards. When bottled, bin as soon as you can, so that the wine may rest and cause the cork to swell. If your corks are too hard, put them in a vessel and pour on some boiling water; when swollen, strain and dry before using them. Finings. —When isinglass is dissolved in diluted cold acetic acid (such as sour wine or beer), it im- mediately swells and assumes the appearance of jelly, which, although quite insoluble in cold, will readily mix with a good quantity of watery liquid. This is technically called finings, and is commonly used for fining-down any turbidity that may stub- bornly remain. The action of the isinglass on the liquid seems to be purely mechanical, the gelati- nous matter slowly subsiding to the bottom of the cask, and carrying with it the insoluble substance which caused the turbidity. To fine White Wines. —Dissolve one ounce of isinglass in a pint of boiling liquor, which, when cold, forms a kind of jelly; whisk up some of this jelly into a froth with a little of the wine intended to befined, then stir it up well amongst the wine in the cask, and bung up tight. By this means the wine will be bright and fine in ten or twelve days.