GINGER BEER 



643 



liquor, two pounds of juniper-berries, from 3 to 5 years old, being added, along with 

 about one quarter of a pound of salt, the whole are put into the low wine still, and the 

 fine Hollands spirit is drawn off by a gentle and well-regulated heat, till the magma 

 becomes exhausted ; the first and the last products ^ being mixed together ; whereby a 

 spirit, 2 to 3 per cent, above our hydrometer proof, is obtained, possessing the peculiar 

 fine aroma of gin. The quantity of spirit varies from 18 to 21 gallons per quarter of 

 grain ; this largo product being partly due to the employment of the spent wash of the 

 preceding fermentation ; an addition which contributes at the same time to improve 

 the flavour. 



London gin is, as we have stated, a corn spirit, which is, however, rendered sweet 

 and cordial-like, by the use of several injurious substances. Plymouth gin, as manu- 

 factured by Coates and Co. of Plymouth, is a far purer spirit. The rectifiers employ 

 a pure grain spirit, and flavour with the wash of the whisky distilleries. When wash 

 is distilled, the fluid that comes over is called singlings, or low wines. It is concen- 

 trated or doubled by a second distillation, and becomes raw corn spirit ; this is sold 

 to the rectifier at 11 or 25 per cent, over proof. 



Mr. Brando has given the following table of the quantities of alcohol (sp, gr. at 

 60 F., 0-825) contained in different ardent spirits : 



Proportion of Alcohol in ardent Spirits. 



In 100 parts 

 Brandy , . . . . . 65'39 by measure 



Hum 63-68 



Gin 61-60 



Whisky, Scotch . . . . . 54-32 

 Do. Irish. . . .... 53-20 



GINGER. Zingiber officinale. This species is herbaceous, with a creeping or 

 tuberous rhizome. The flowers are irregular, and disposed in form of a dense spike 

 or raceme. The ZingiberacctB are natives of all parts of the intertropical zone : the 

 common ginger is originally indigenous to the East Indies, but it is now cultivated 

 in almost all warm parts of the globe. The rhizome or rootstock is the ginger of 

 commerce. It is imported in large quantities from the East and West Indies and 

 Africa. 



GINGER BEEH. A fermented drink containing an infusion of ginger. The 

 following is a good and useful form for its manufacture : 



Barbadoes ginger root .12 ounces. 



Tartaric acid 3 ounces. 



White sugar ....... 8 pounds* 



Gum arabie 8 ounces. 



Essence of lemon . . . , . . 2 drachms. 

 Water . 9 gallons. 



The ginger root, bruised, is to be boiled for an hour ; then, the liquor being strained, 

 the tartaric acid and sugar added, boiled and the same removed. The gum arabie 

 dissolved in a separate portion of water, is added with the essence of lemons. When 

 the whole has cooled to about 100 Fahr., some fresh yeast is to be added, and the 

 beer carefully fermented. Then bottle for use. 



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