Of the method of condenfng Wines , and other faline fpi- 
rituous liquors , by cold. 
' 
Having mewn above, what effedl the motion of heat, 
and the adtion of fire, have upon all fermented li- 
quors, and efpecially upon the finer parts of them, 
and more diredtly upon thofe of Wine - 5 and how 
much they contribute to diffolve the intimate union 
of vinous fluids, and change their whole nature, which 
confifts in that union, and connection , we pais on to 
the confideration of cold, which, being oppofite to 
heat, may be fuppofed to have different effedls ; or 
at leaft, fuch as bettter fuit the prefent purpofe. 
If any kind of Wine, but rather fuch as has never 
been adulterated, being in a confiderable quantity, 
as that of a gallon or more, expofed to a fufficient 
degree of cold in frofty weather, or in any place 
where the ice continues all the year, and fo be brought 
to freeze •, the fuperfluous water contained in the 
Wine will be turned to ice, and leave the proper, 
and truly effential part unfrozen, unlefs the degree of 
cold fhould be very intenfe, or the Vfine but weak 
and poor. 
When the froftis moderate, the experiment has no 
difficuly •, becaufe in that cafe, not above a third or 
fourth part of the fuperfluous water will be frozen in 
a whole night ; but if the cold be very intenfe, the 
beft way is, at the end of a few hours, when a tole- 
rable quantity is formed, to pour out the remaining 
liquor, and expofe it to freeze afrefh by itfelf. And 
1. Becaufe, when the quantity of ice grows large, 
more of the concentrated Wine will be apt to hang 
and lodge in it. 
2. Becaufe it would otherwife require a longer time to 
drain away from the ice. 
If the veflel that thus by degrees receives the feveral 
parcels of condenfed Wine, be fuffered to Hand in the 
cold freezing place where tine operation is performed, 
the quantity lying thin, in pouring out, or otherwife, 
will be very apt to freeze anew •, and if it be fet in a 
warm place, fome of this aqueous part thaws again, 
and fo weakens the refc. 
The condenfed Wine therefore fhould be emptied in 
fome place of a moderate temper, as to cold and heat 
where neither the ice may diffolve, nor the vinous fub- 
ftance mixed among it be congealable. But the beft 
experiment of all is, to perform the operation with a 
large quantity of Wine, as that of feveral gallons, 
where the utmoft exaftnefs or prevention of all wafte 
need not be fomuch regarded. 
By this method, there freezes about one third of the 
whole liquor, and is properly the more pure aqueous 
part thereof •, infomuch that when all the vinous fluid 
is poured off, to be expofed to a farther concentration, 
the ice remaining behind, upon this firft emptying, 
being let to thaw gently in a warm place, diffolves 
into a perfedtly aqueous fluid, retaining only a light 
fcent, but extremely little of the tafte and colour of 
the Wine. 
If the Wine, now once concentrated, fhould, by 
longer continuance in the freezing cold, be again con- 
gealed to the utmoft (unlefs the cold were very fe- 
vere,) and then again be drained from the ice, there 
foon after falls to the bottom of the glafs it is pour- 
ed into, a grofs white, and fhining powder or tartar ; 
and even the icy part, remaining behind, depofits a 
little more of this powder, after thawing, and again, 
the fame vinous concentrated matter does the lame 
upon (landing a few days or hours ; but the more of 
it, as the¥/ine was auftere or genuine, neat, and un- 
adulterated with fugar, brandy, or the like. 
The ice of the fecond operation differs in no refpedl 
from that of the firft, provided the vinous matter be 
perfedtly drained away from it, before the ice is fet to 
melt ; whereby it runs into the fame kind of phlegm, 
excepting only when the Wine was lefs fpirituous, that 
it taites a little more faline than the water feparated by 
the firft operation. 
The part which has efcaped being frozen in both 
4 ■ 
operations, is a real concentrated Wine, as appears by 
its colour, confiftence, tafte, and fmell for it has 
now all thofe properties in a greater degree, and a 
much narrower fpace, than when fo largely diluted 
with fuperfluous water; and therefore becomes a much 
nobler and richer Wine, than without fuch a contri- 
vance could poffibly be procured ; for as by this 
means two third parts of phlegm are taken away, in 
the better fort of Wine, or three fourths in the weak- 
er, what remains muft needs become highly rich and 
faturate. 
This operation, though it be perfedl in Wine, does net 
fucceed altogether fo well in rich malt liquors. 
Thus, for. example: Having by feveral concentra- 
tions reduced a full gallon of ftrong malt liquor to 
the quantity of a pint and a half ; the ice feparated 
from it in the firft concentration, refolved into a li- 
quor fomewhat of the colour and tafte of final l beer, 
and that obtained at laft, might have almoft palled 
for final! beer, though a flafhy watery tafte rnanifeftly 
predominated in it ; but the part that remained un- 
congealed was extremely rich, and for confiftence 
and tafte, far exceeded the famous double Brunfi- 
wic mum.* 
In point of ftrength or fpirituouty, it feemed per- 
fectly aromatic, and nobly flavoured ; a thing not 
found in common malt liquors ; and for confiftence, 
it refembled a dilute fyrup, and with a p leafing fo fi- 
ne fs, fheathed the acrimony of the fpirit, and con- 
cealed the bitcernefs of the Hop, which before was 
very confiderable. 
The mucilaginous nature, predominant in all malt 
liquors, here occafions a greater inaccuracy, as not 
buffering the condenfed part to get clear and run from 
the ice ; but as this liquor is cheaper than Wine, the 
lofs is lefs confiderable ; and not only fo, but if the 
operation were to be performed in large, the thawed 
liquor might be commodioufly employed in a frefh 
brewing ; fo that, with a flight enchirefis, all manner 
of lofs may be prevented. 
And thus likewile the phlegm of Wine, feparated in 
the operation, may, by a proper ferment, be convert- 
ed into good vinegar, with a great deal of eafe, and 
moderate profit. 
What a large quantity of water abounds in vinegar, is 
well known to thofe that are fkilled in chemiftry •, fo 
that a great quantity of vinegar will faturate but a 
ftnall one of alkaline fait •, and again, a deal of vinegar 
is required to diffolve a little quantity of metal. 
A pint of the ftrongeft vinegar will fcarce diffolve 
above two drams of iron ; or faturate more than the 
like quantity of good fait of tartar-, but our method 
of condenfation effectually remedies this inconveni- 
ence and fo far deprives the vinegar of its fuperflu- 
ous water, and colledts its acetous penetrating fharp- 
nefs, as to render it extremely powerful ; thus throw- 
ing out five or fix parts of ulelefs phlegm, that taftes 
fcarce perceptibly acid, and, at the fame time, retain- 
ing the ftrength and virtue of the whole, in the part 
remaining uncongealed. 
’The advantages of the method of conderjing Wines by 
cold. 
;; It is certain, that the beft and nobieft Wines, if ex- 
pofed for feveral days to the warm open air of the 
fummer, out of a vault, or other proper receptacle, 
will inevitably corrupt and fpoil, throwing a mouldy 
and mucilaginous matter to their flirt ace, and acquir- 
ing a degree of flench or vapidity, or at beft, turning 
to vinegar. On the contrary, the Wine condenfed in 
our manner buffers none of thefe changes, upon being 
fo expofed ; but remains for a long time not only un- 
corrupted, but even unaltered, as we have experienced 
for. feveral years. 
And as this difference is owing to nothing more than 
freeing the Wine of its fuperfluous water; it may 
hence°be fairly prefumed, that water alone is the prin- 
cipal or immediate inftrument of all the fermentative 
motions and changes of vinous liquors. 
We 
urUlls 4*414*1 fir- 
■ ' , - • J 
Cry A 
/ / , ^ 
