The Manufacture of Wine V 



tnegar. 



143 



dissolves the same, and causes the de- 

 struction of the cask, so that the vin- 

 egar is made impure by the iron- salt 

 Avhich is generated in this wa}-, and 

 thus made unfit for manj' purposes. 



To ascertain the progress of the 

 fermentation, a crooked stick of white 

 wood is inserted into the cask by the 

 hole in front, and dipped into the 

 liquid. If the stick is covered with 

 heavy ivhite foam, the fermentation 

 may be considered perfect ; if, on the 

 contrary, the foam is red, another 

 quantity of Avino is to be added, and 

 the temperature increased, until white 

 foam is produced. 



During the summer the prevailing 

 temperature, especially in the south- 

 ern part of France, is sufficiently hot 

 for the production of vinegar; during 

 the winter, however, the rooms are 

 heated by stoves, which are placed in 

 the same, to 80° Fahrenheit. In this 

 way a good ventilation is also ob- 

 tained. A temperature of from 75 

 to 80'^ Fahrenheit is most suitable for 

 the production of vinegar. If everj^- 

 thing works right, the "mothers" 

 produce a quantity of vinegar of twice 

 their size. By the sediment of the 

 indissoluble parts of the fei'menting 

 stuff, and the accumulation of mother 

 of vinegar and the settling of wine 

 stone, the casks are filled up in such a 

 way that it becomes necessary to 

 empt}' and clean them every six to 

 eight 3-ears. After a greater lapse of 

 time the whole of the manufactory 

 must be renovated, as the casks are 

 more or less used up by constant use. 

 It is, however, to be presumed that 

 good casks may be used for twenty- 

 five years. Wines which are not clear 

 are put into casks containing chips 



and shavings of becehwood before 

 they are used, and which are called 

 the clearing casks. In these they re- 

 main undisturbed for some time, and 

 are finally drawn off through a faucet 

 at the bottom. It often happens that 

 the vinegar is also not clear. This is 

 mostly the case when light wines are 

 used, as they contain many organic 

 substances which are decomposed by 

 the process of fermentation, and re- 

 main in the liquid. This defect is 

 remedied by treating the vinegar in 

 the same way as muddj- wine. The 

 vinegar is thus rendered perfectly 

 clear and ready for the market. 



This process, which is universally 

 in use in France, and is known as the 

 "Method of Orleans," has been some- 

 what modified by Pasteur. These 

 alterations are described as follows: 



The vinegar fungus is scattered on 

 a liquid, composed of water to which 

 are added two per cent, alcohol and 

 one jjer cent, vinegar, and which con- 

 tains also some traces of phosphate of 

 alcali and other earth. The little 

 plant grows and soon covers the en- 

 tire liquid, without leaving a single 

 vacant spot. The alcohol turns sour 

 at the same time. As soon as this 

 process is in full operation — that is, 

 when about half the alcohol is turned 

 into vinegar — small quantities of alco- 

 hol, wine or beer mixed with alcohol, 

 are added daily. 



As soon as the operation becomes 

 weaker, complete acidification of the 

 alcohol still contained in the liquid 

 has to be waited for. After this the 

 vinegar is drawn off, and the fungi 

 collected to be washed and made 

 ready for future use. 



The same apparatus, cask or barrel 



