144 AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IN WINE. 



little sugar is decomposed, and a little ferment 

 formed ; thus after a few seconds the clear wine be- 

 comes more or less thick this is often the case with 

 champagne. 



With respect to the alcohol of wine, it is no longer 

 necessary to put the question which in the time of 

 Fabroni was answered in the negative namely, whe- 

 ther alcohol (as such) was found in wine? one of the 

 reasons given among others for denying it being that 

 when spirit distilled from wine was added to it again, 

 the flavour of the liquid was altered. Alcohol is ob- 

 tained from wine by distillation, and it contains a 

 portion of the water from the wine, and of such vola- 

 tile substances as are contained in wine. The latter 

 are known under the common name of fusel oil ; this 

 is best, removed by renewed distillation with animal 

 charcoal, the alcohol is obtained anhydrous by re- 

 peated distillation with unslacked lime. The alcohol 

 purified in this manner is exactly the same, from 

 whatever kind of wine it may be obtained. 



The composition of wine can be as little determined 

 by its specific weight, as the value of any other 

 liquid, be it milk, beer, vinegar, &c., can be so de- 

 cided. Substances heavier than water are found in 

 wine, such as sugar, salts, &c., besides alcohol, which 

 is lighter than water. The specific weight of such a 

 mixed liquid depends on the kind and quantity of the 

 first-mentioned ingredients, and on the amount of 

 alcohol contained in it. 



