ON FAMILY WINE MAKING. , 355 



N. B. Gooseberries, especially the largest, rich flavoured, Gooseberries 

 may be used in the mixture to great advantage; but it has ma y bea<ided - 

 been found the best way to prepare them separately, by 

 more powerful bruising, Or pounding, so as to form the 

 proper consistence in pulp; and by putting six quarts of 

 fruit to one gallon of water, pouring on the water at twice, 

 the smaller quantity at night, and the larger the next 

 morning. — This process, finished as aforesaid, will make 

 excellent wine, unmixed ; but this fluid, added to the former 

 mixture, will sometimes improve the compound. 



ANNOTATION. 



I am inclined to think the addition of brandy, here re- Brandy perhaps 

 commended, injurious : an opinion founded on the authority otter onu 

 of a respected friend, formerly a chemist in a country 

 town, who excelled in making family wine, and confirmed 

 by my own experience. A similar sentiment is entertained 

 by Dr. Anderson, as appears in his judicious letter on the 

 subject to the author of the preceding article, inserted in 

 Vol. X of the Bath Society's papers, which I shall here 

 annex. 



I will only add, that the best home made wine I recollect Method of 

 to have tasted was made by expressing the juice of white curr ant wine. 

 currants, bruised but not picked from the stalks : adding 

 water to the fruit after it was pressed, in the proportion of 

 double the quantity of juice: mixing the two liquors to- 

 gether, and putting the whole into a barrel with three 

 pounds of pretty coarse brown sugar to every gallon of 

 the mixture : stirring it well, amLthen leaving it to ferment 

 with the bunghole at first open, and afterward loosely 

 covered, the barrel not being quite filled. As the sugar 

 does not immediately dissolve, the stirring must be repeated 

 occasionally at intervals of a few days, till this is effected. 

 After it has fermented properly, the barrel must be stopped 

 close ; and it may afterward be bottled for use. Some use- 

 ful information respecting the fermentation and manage- 

 ment of wine may be obtained from Mr. German's paper 

 on the wines of Champagne; Philos. Journal, Vol. XVII, 

 p. 353. 



2 A 2 hleworthy 



