1918 Home Brewed Wines and Beers and Bartender's Guide

HOJtE BREWED WINES, BEERS, BIQUECRS, ETC.

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place a layer of grapes well cleaned, and gathered in the afternoon of a dry day, before they are perfectly ripe; proceed thus with alternate layers of bran or ashes and grapes, till the bar rel is full, taking care that the grapes do not touch each other, and to let the last layer be of bran or ashes, then close the barrel so that the air may not penetrate, which is an essential point. Grapes thus packed will keep for nine or even twelve months. To re store them to freshness, cut the end of the stalk of each bunch of grapes, and put it into red wine, as you would flowers into water. White grapes should to put into white wine. FRUIT CORDIALS AND SIMPLE LIQUORS APRICOT GIN. To 1 lb. apricots weighed after ston ing allow 2 oz. sugar candy and some dry gin. Use ripe apricots, wipe them, and cut them in slices, removing the stones. Then take .some wide-necked bottles or jars, half fill them with the prepared fruit, add crushed sugar candy in the above proportion, and a few of the kernels blanched and sliced. Pill up with gin and close up tightly. Leave the cordial for three months, shaking it up occasionally, then strain or filter, and rebottle for use. BL.LCKBERRY CORDIAL. To each pint of blackberry juice al low lb. cane sugar, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 3 or 4 cloves, the rind of half lemon, and pt. whisky. Wash the blackberries, put them into a preserving pan without any water, .and let them heat slowly until the juice flows freely, but without letting them boil. Then strain and leave to drip. Measure the juice, add the sug ar, and the spices and lemon rind tied in muslin. Boil all together for half hour. Then leave until cold, remove spice and lemon, and add the whisky. Mix well, and bottle and cork securely. BLACK-CURRANT GIN. To 1 lb. picked black currants allow % lb. Demerara sugar or Vz lb. sugar candy, and 1% pts. unsweetened gin. Select and pick the black currants carefully, and put them into a wide- mouthed bottle or stone jar with the gin. Add the sugar or crushed sugar candy. Cork tightly and leave for 3 months, shaking occasionally. Then strain, pour into small bottles, and seal securely.

STRAWBERRY VINEGAR. Strawberries, vinegar. To each pint of liquid 1 lb. preserving sugar. Gather ripe and full flavored straw berries on a dry day, and pick them carefully. Put them Into a stone jar and cover them with cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Cover and let them stand for 24 hours, then strain through a hair sieve or jelly-bag and press out all the juice. Measure this liquid, add sugar in the above propor tion, and put both into an enameled saucepan. Boil for 20 minutes, skim, and leave until cold, when the vinegar should be bottled and corked securely. another WAT.—To 1 qt. white tvine vinegar allow 3 lbs. strawberries, and to each pint of liquid 1 lb. sugar. Put 1 lb. of strawberries into a glass ur stone jar, cover, and stand for 2 days. Drain off and pour the same liquid over another pound of strawber ries, and let this stand again for 2 or days. Repeat this operation three times, using the 3 lbs. of fruit. Then strain and finish off as above. VINEGAR, Take 40 gallons of soft water, 6 qts. of cheap molasses, and 6 lbs. of acetic acid; put them into a barrel (an old vinegar barrel is best), and let them stand from 3 to 10 weeks, stirring oc casionally. Add a little "mother" of old vinegar if convenient. Age im proves it. To 10 lbs. sugar add 3 lbs. water; 40 grains cream tartar; 10 drops essence peppermint; and 3 lbs. strained honey. First dissolve the sugar in water and ^take off the scum; then dissolve the cream of tartar in a little warm water which you will add with some .little stirring, then add the honey; heat to a boiling point, and stir for a few minutes. TO KEEP APPLES PROM FREEZING. Apples form an article of chief neces sity in almost every family; therefore, great care is taken to keep them from frost; it being well known that they, if left unprotected, are destroyed by the first frost which occurs. They may be kept in the attic with impunity throughout the winter, by simply cov ering them over with a linen cloth; be sure to have linen, for woolen or other cloth is of no avail. TO PRESERVE GRAPES. Take a cask or barrel which will hold water, and put into it, first a layer of bran, dried in an oven or of ashes well dried and sifted, upon this RECIPE FOR MAKING ARTIPICIAI. HONEY.