1934 Harry Johnson's new and improved Bartenders' Manual

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basket, in a horizontal position. When drawing the cork, the bottle must not be taken out of this basket, but the cork drawn gently, while the bottle remains in its steady position. If too cold, the bartender may have to place the bottle in lukewarm water, or steam the glasses, to give the wine the desired temperature which always improves its flavor. All the claret wines should be placed on shelves where the temperature is nearly even all the year round. It is advisable for the proprietor to have as large a stock of clarets on hand as possible, providing he has the demand for them, as this brand of wine requires considerable time to rest and recuperate— after being jostled about—from what is known as "wine-sickness." In laying in the stock of clarets, in cluding fancy brands, it is beneficial to take the bottles out of the cases, and remove the wrapping paper be fore placing the wines in the proper condition on your shelves. Never think of taking down your bot tles and dusting them. This only gives the wine an other shaking up, requiring days to properly settle, and, again, the dust on the bottles is a proof of its age and condition. It is also of importance, in serv ing claret wines, to have the proper claret glasses and not a Ehine wine or other kind of goblet or tum bler. The more delicate and handsome your glass ware, the more palatable will the wine seem to your customers. People, who drink high-priced liquors, always appreciate glasses of costly make and fine texture. In places where there is a large sale of clar ets and the stock of wines is not to be placed in the fit temperature, it is wise to have a closet built and placed—near a radiator, for instance—where the tem perature is sufficiently high, in order to keep the wines in proper condition. The closet should be suf ficiently large to suit the business requirements, and in it could be placed the stock that would be used in