WINES AND LIQUORS
Bitters.
Bitters, as the name indicates, are merely tinctures of bitter roots and barks, with the addition of spices to flavor, and depend for their effect upon their tonic action on the stomach. Taken too frequently, however, they may do harm, by overstimulating the digestive organs.
The recipes for some of these preparations run to great lengths, one for Angostura bitters containing no fewer than 28 ingredients. A very good article, however, may be made without all this elaboration. The following, for instance, make a very good preparation:
| Gentian root (sliced) | 12 ounces |
| Cinnamon bark | 10 ounces |
| Caraway seeds | 10 ounces |
| Juniper berries | 2 ounces |
| Cloves | 1 ounce |
| Alcohol, 90 per cent | 7 pints |
| Macerate for a week; strain, press out,and filter, then add | |
| Capillaire | 1 1/4 pints |
| Water to make up | 2 1/2 gallons |
Strength about 45 u. p.
Still another formula calls for Angostura bark, 2 1/2 ounces; gentian root, 1 ounce; cardamom seeds, 1/2 ounce; Turkey rhubarb, 1/2 ounce; orange peel, 4 ounces; caraways, 1/2 ounce; cinnamon bark, 1/2 ounce; cloves, 1/4 ounce.
Brandy Bitters.—
| Sliced gentian root | 3 pounds |
| Dried orange peel | 2 pounds |
| Cardamom seed | 1 pound |
| Bruised cinnamon | 1/2 pound |
| Cochineal | 2 ounces |
| Brandy | 10 pints |
Macerate for 14 days and strain.
Hostetter’s Bitters.—
| Calamus root | 1 pound |
| Orange peel | 1 pound |
| Peruvian bark | 1 pound |
| Gentian root | 1 pound {763} |
| Calumba root | 1 pound |
| Rhubarb root | 4 ounces |
| Cinnamon bark | 2 ounces |
| Cloves | 1 ounce |
| Diluted alcohol | 2 gallons |
| Water | 1 gallon |
| Sugar | 1 pound |
Macerate together for 2 weeks.
Cordials.
Cordials, according to the Spatula, are flavored liquors containing from 40 to 50 per cent of alcohol (from 52 to 64 fluidounces to each gallon) and from 20 to 25 per cent of sugar (from 25 to 32 ounces avoirdupois to each gallon).
Cordials, while used in this country to some degree, have their greatest consumption in foreign lands, especially in France and Germany.
Usually such mixtures as these are clarified or “fined” only with considerable difficulty, as the finally divided particles of oil pass easily through the pores of the filter paper. Purified talcum will be found to be an excellent clarifying medium; it should be agitated with the liquid and the liquid then passed through a thoroughly wetted filter. The filtrate should be returned again and again to the filter until it filters perfectly bright. Purified talcum being chemically inert is superior to magnesium carbonate and other substances which are recommended for this purpose.
When the filtering process is completed the liquids should at once be put into suitable bottles which should be filled and tightly corked and sealed. Wrap the bottles in paper and store away, laying the bottles on their sides in a moderately warm place. A shelf near the ceiling is a good place. Warmth and age improve the beverages, as it appears to more perfectly blend the flavors, so that the older the liquor becomes the better it is. These liquids must never be kept in a cold place, as the cold might cause the volatile oils to separate.
The following formulas are for the production of cordials of the best quality, and therefore only the very best of materials should be used; the essential oils should be of unquestionable quality and strictly fresh, while the alcohol must be free from fusel oil, the water distilled, and the sugar white, free from bluing, and if liquors of any kind should be called for in any formula only the very best should be used. The oils and other flavoring substances should be dissolved in the alcohol and the sugar in the water. Then mix the two solutions and filter clear.
Alkermes Cordial.—
| Mace | 1 1/2 avoirdupois ounces |
| Ceylon cinnamon | 1 1/8 avoirdupois ounces |
| Cloves | 3/4 avoirdupois ounce |
| Rose water (best) | 6 fluidounces |
| Sugar | 28 avoirdupois ounces |
| Deodorized alcohol | 52 fluidounces |
| Distilled water, q. s. | 1 gallon |
Reduce the mace, cinnamon, and cloves to a coarse powder macerate with the alcohol for several days, agitating occasionally, then add the remaining ingredients, and filter clear.
Anise Cordial.—
| Anethol | 7 fluidrachms |
| Oil of fennel seed | 80 minims |
| Oil of bitter almonds | 16 drops |
| Deodorized alcohol | 8 pints |
| Simple syrup | 5 pints |
| Distilled water, q. s. | 16 pints |
Mix the oils and anethol with the alcohol and the syrup with the water; mix the two and filter clear, as directed.
Blackberry Cordial.
The name is frequently applied to a preparation containing blackberry root often combined with other astringents, but the true blackberry cordial is made according to the formulas given herewith. Most of these mention brandy, and this article should be good and fusel free, or it may be replaced by good whisky, or even by diluted alcohol, depending on whether a high-priced or cheap cordial is desired.
I.—Fresh blackberry juice, 3 pints; sugar, 7 1/2 ounces; water, 30 fluidounces; brandy, 7 1/2 pints; oil of cloves, 3 drops; oil of cinnamon, 3 drops; alcohol, 6 fluidrachms. Dissolve the sugar in the water and juice, then add the liquor. Dissolve the oils in the alcohol and add 1/2 to the first solution, and if not sufficiently flavored add more of the second solution. Then filter.
II.—Fresh blackberry juice, 4 pints; powdered nutmeg (fresh), 1 ounce; powdered cinnamon (fresh), 1 ounce; powdered pimento (fresh), 1/2 ounce; powdered cloves {764} (fresh), 1/2 ounce; brandy, 2 1/2 pints; sugar, 2 1/2 pounds. Macerate the spices in the brandy for several days. Dissolve the sugar in the juice and mix and filter clear.
Cherry Cordials.—
| I.— | Oil of bitter almonds | 8 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of cinnamon | 1 drop | |
| Oil of cloves | 1 drop | |
| Acetic ether | 12 drops | |
| Ceuanthic ether | 1 drop | |
| Vanilla extract | 1 drachm | |
| Alcohol | 3 pints | |
| Sugar | 3 pounds | |
| Cherry juice | 20 ounces | |
| Distilled water, q. s. | 1 gallon |
The oils, ethers, and extracts must be dissolved in the alcohol, the sugar in part of the water, then mix, add the juice and filter clear. When the juice is not sufficiently sour, add a small amount of solution of citric acid. To color, use caramel.
| II.— | Vanilla extract | 10 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of cinnamon | 10 drops | |
| Oil of bitter almonds | 10 drops | |
| Oil of cloves | 3 drops | |
| Oil of nutmeg | 3 drops | |
| Alcohol | 2 1/2 pints | |
| Cherry juice | 2 1/2 pints | |
| Simple syrup | 3 pints |
Dissolve the oils in the alcohol, then add the other ingredients and filter clear. It is better to make this cordial during the cherry season so as to obtain the fresh expressed juice of the cherry.
Curacoa Cordials.—
| I.— | Curacoa orange peel | 6 ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon | 3/4 ounce | |
| Mace | 2 1/2 drachms | |
| Alcohol | 3 1/2 pints | |
| Water | 4 1/2 pints | |
| Sugar | 12 ounces |
Mix the first three ingredients and reduce them to a coarse powder, then mix with the alcohol and 4 pints of water and macerate for 8 days with an occasional agitation, express, add the sugar and enough water to make a gallon of finished product. Filter clear.
| II.— | Curacoa or bitter orange peel | 2 ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Cloves | 80 grains | |
| Cinnamon | 80 grains | |
| Cochineal | 60 grains | |
| Oil of orange (best) | 1 drachm | |
| Orange-flower water | 1/2 pint | |
| Holland gin | 1 pint | |
| Alcohol | 2 pints | |
| Sugar | 3 pints | |
| Water, q. s. | 1 gallon |
Reduce the solids to a coarse powder, add the alcohol and macerate 3 days. Then add the oil, gin, and 3 pints of water and continue the maceration for 8 days more, agitating once a day, strain and add sugar dissolved in balance of the water. Then add the orange-flower water and filter.
Kola Cordial.—
| Kola nuts, roasted and powdered | 7 ounces |
| Cochineal powder | 30 grains |
| Extract of vanilla | 3 drachms |
| Arrac | 3 ounces |
| Sugar | 7 pounds |
| Alcohol | 6 pints |
| Water, distilled | 6 pints |
Macerate kola and cochineal with alcohol for 10 days, agitate daily, add arrac, vanilla, and sugar dissolved in water. Filter.
Kümmel Cordials.—
| I.— | Oil of caraway | 30 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of peppermint | 3 drops | |
| Oil of lemon | 3 drops | |
| Acetic ether | 30 drops | |
| Spirit of nitrous ether | 30 drops | |
| Sugar | 72 ounces | |
| Alcohol | 96 ounces | |
| Water | 96 ounces |
Dissolve the oils and ethers in the alcohol, and the sugar in the water. Mix and filter.
| II.— | Oil of caraway | 20 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of sweet fennel | 2 drops | |
| Oil of cinnamon | 1 drop | |
| Sugar | 14 ounces | |
| Alcohol | 2 pints | |
| Water | 4 pints |
Prepare as in Formula I.
Orange Cordials.
| I.— | Sugar | 8 avoirdupois pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 2 3/4 gallons | |
| Oranges | 15 |
Dissolve the sugar in the water by the aid of a gentle heat, express the oranges, add the juice and rinds to the syrup, put the mixture into a cask, keep the whole in a warm place for 3 or 4 days, stirring frequently, then close the cask, set aside in a cool cellar and draw off the clear liquid.
II.—Express the juice from sweet oranges, add water equal to the volume {765} of juice obtained, and macerate the expressed oranges with the juice and water for about 12 hours. For each gallon of juice, add 1 pound of granulated sugar, grape sugar, or glucose, put the whole into a suitable vessel, covering to exclude the dust, place in a warm location until fermentation is completed, draw off the clear liquid, and preserve in well-stoppered stout bottles in a cool place.
III.—Orange wine suitable for “soda” purposes may be prepared by mixing 3 fluidounces of orange essence with 13 fluidounces of sweet Catawba or other mild wine. Some syrup may be added to this if desired.
Rose Cordial.—
| Oil of rose, very best | 3 drops |
| Palmarosa oil | 3 drops |
| Sugar | 28 ounces |
| Alcohol | 52 ounces |
| Distilled water, q. s. | 8 pints |
Dissolve the sugar in the water and the oils in the alcohol; mix the solutions, color a rose tint, and filter clear.
Spearmint Cordial.—
| Oil of spearmint | 30 drops |
| Sugar | 28 ounces |
| Alcohol | 52 ounces |
| Distilled water, q. s. | 8 pints |
Dissolve the sugar in the water and the oil in the alcohol; mix the two solutions, color green, and filter clear.
Absinthe.—
| I.— | Oil of wormwood | 96 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of star anise | 72 drops | |
| Oil of aniseed | 48 drops | |
| Oil of coriander | 48 drops | |
| Oil of fennel, pure | 48 drops | |
| Oil of angelica root | 24 drops | |
| Oil of thyme | 24 drops | |
| Alcohol (pure) | 162 fluidounces | |
| Distilled water | 30 fluidounces |
Dissolve the oils in the alcohol, add the water, color green, and filter clear.
| II.— | Oil of wormwood | 36 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of orange peel | 30 drops | |
| Oil of star anise | 12 drops | |
| Oil of neroli petate | 5 drops | |
| Fresh oil of lemon | 9 drops | |
| Acetic ether | 24 drops | |
| Sugar | 30 avoirdupois ounces | |
| Alcohol, deodorized | 90 fluidounces | |
| Distilled water | 78 fluidounces |
Dissolve the oils and ether in the alcohol and the sugar in the water; then mix thoroughly, color green, and filter clear.
Detannating Wine.
According to Caspari, the presence of appreciable quantities of tannin in wine is decidedly objectionable if the wine is to be used in connection with iron and other metallic salts; moreover, tannin is incompatible with alkaloids, and hence wine not deprived of its tannin should never be used as a menstruum for alkaloidal drugs. The process of freeing wines from tannin is termed detannation, and is a very simple operation. The easiest plan is to add 1/2 ounce of gelatin in number 40 or number 60 powder to 1 gallon of the wine, to agitate occasionally during 24 or 48 hours, and then to filter. The operation is preferably carried out during cold weather or in a cold apartment, as heat will cause the gelatin to dissolve, and the maceration must be continued until a small portion of the wine mixed with a few drops of ferric chloride solution shows no darkening of color. Gelatin in large pieces is not suitable, especially with wines containing much tannin, since the newly formed tannate of gelatin will be deposited on the surface and prevent further intimate contact of the gelatin with the wine. Formerly freshly prepared ferric hydroxide was much employed for detannating wine, but the chief objection to its use was due to the fact that some iron invariably was taken up by the acid present in the wine; moreover, the process was more tedious than in the case of gelatin. As the removal of tannin from wine in no way interferes with its quality—alcoholic strength and aroma remaining the same, and only coloring matter being lost—a supply of detannated wine should be kept on hand, for it requires very little more labor to detannate a gallon than a pint.
If ferric hydroxide is to be used, it must be freshly prepared, and a convenient quantity then be added to the wine—about 8 ounces of the expressed, but moist, precipitate to a gallon.
Prevention Of Fermentation.
Fermentation may be prevented in either of two ways:
(1) By chemical methods, which consist in the addition of germ poisons or antiseptics, which either kill the germs or prevent their growth. Of these the principal ones used are salicylic, sulphurous, boracic, and benzoic acids, formalin, fluorides, and saccharine. As these substances are generally regarded as adulterants and injurious, their use is not recommended.
(2) The germs are either removed by {766} some mechanical means such as a filtering or a centrifugal apparatus, or they are destroyed by heat or electricity. Heat has so far been found the most practical.
When a liquid is heated to a sufficiently high temperature all organisms in it are killed. The degree of heat required, however, differs not only with the particular kind of organism, but also with the liquid in which it is held. Time is also a factor. An organism may not be killed if heated to a high temperature and quickly cooled. If, however, the temperature is kept at the same high degree for some time, it will be killed. It must also be borne in mind that fungi, including yeasts, exist in the growing and the resting states, the latter being much more resistant than the former. One characteristic of the fungi and their spores is their great resistance to heat when dry. In this state they can be heated to 212° F. without being killed. The spores of the common mold are even more resistant. This should be well considered in sterilizing bottles and corks, which should be steamed to 240° F. for at least 15 minutes.
Practical tests so far made indicate that grape juice can be safely sterilized at from 165° to 176° F. At this temperature the flavor is hardly changed, while at a temperature much above 200° F. it is. This is an important point, as the flavor and quality of the product depend on it.
Use only clean, sound, well-ripened, but not over-ripe grapes. If an ordinary cider mill is at hand, it may be used for crushing and pressing, or the grapes may be crushed and pressed with the hands. If a light-colored juice is desired, put the crushed grapes in a cleanly washed cloth sack and tie up. Then either hang up securely and twist it or let two persons take hold, one on each end of the sack and twist until the greater part of the juice is expressed. Next gradually heat the juice in a double boiler or a large stone jar in a pan of hot water, so that the juice does not come in direct contact with the fire at a temperature of 180° to 200° F., never above 200° F. It is best to use a thermometer, but if there be none at hand heat the juice until it steams, but do not allow it to boil. Put it in a glass or enameled vessel to settle for 24 hours; carefully drain the juice from the sediment, and run it through several thicknesses of clean flannel, or a conic filter made from woolen cloth or felt may be used. This filter is fixed to a hoop of iron, which can be suspended wherever necessary. After this fill into clean bottles. Do not fill entirely, but leave room for the liquid to expand when again heated. Fit a thin board over the bottom of an ordinary wash boiler, set the filled bottles (ordinary glass fruit jars are just as good) in it, fill in with water around the bottles to within about an inch of the tops, and gradually heat until it is about to simmer. Then take the bottles out and cork or seal immediately. It is a good idea to take the further precaution of sealing the corks over with sealing wax or paraffine to prevent mold germs from entering through the corks. Should it be desired to make red juice, heat the crushed grapes to not above 200° F., strain through a clean cloth or drip bag (no pressure should be used), set away to cool and settle, and proceed the same as with light-colored juice. Many people do not even go to the trouble of letting the juice settle after straining it, but reheat and seal it up immediately, simply setting the vessel away in a cool place in an upright position where they will be undisturbed. The juice is thus allowed to settle, and when wanted for use the clear juice is simply taken off the sediment. Any person familiar with the process of canning fruit can also preserve grape juice, for the principles involved are identical.
One of the leading defects so far found in unfermented juice is that much of it is not clear, a condition which very much detracts from its otherwise attractive appearance, and due to two causes already alluded to. Either the final sterilization in bottles has been at a higher temperature than the preceding one, or the juice has not been properly filtered or has not been filtered at all. In other cases the juice has been sterilized at such a high temperature that it has a disagreeable scorched taste. It should be remembered that attempts to sterilize at a temperature above 195° F. are dangerous so far as the flavor of the finished product is concerned.
Another serious mistake is sometimes made by putting the juice into bottles so large that much of it becomes spoiled before it is used after the bottles are opened. Unfermented grape juice properly made and bottled will keep indefinitely, if it is not exposed to the atmosphere or mold germs; but when a bottle is once opened it should, like canned goods, be used as soon as possible to keep from spoiling.
Another method of making unfermented grape juice, which is often {767} resorted to where a sufficiently large quantity is made at one time, consists in this:
Take a clean keg or barrel (one that has previously been made sweet). Lay this upon a skid consisting of two scantlings or pieces of timber of perhaps 20 feet long, in such a manner as to make a runway. Then take a sulphur match, made by dipping strips of clean muslin about 1 inch wide and 10 inches long into melted brimstone, cool it and attach it to a piece of wire fastened in the lower end of a bung and bent over at the end, so as to form a hook. Light the match and by means of the wire suspend it in the barrel, bung the barrel up tight, and allow it to burn as long as it will. Repeat this until fresh sulphur matches will no longer burn in the barrel.
Then take enough fresh grape juice to fill the barrel one-third full, bung up tight, roll and agitate violently on the skid for a few minutes. Next burn more sulphur matches in it until no more will burn, fill in more juice until the barrel is about two-thirds full; agitate and roll again. Repeat the burning process as before, after which fill the barrel completely with grape juice and roll. The barrel should then be bunged tightly and stored in a cool place with the bung up, and so secured that the package cannot be shaken. In the course of a few weeks the juice will have become clear and can then be racked off and filled into bottles or jars direct, sterilized, and corked or sealed up ready for use. By this method, however, unless skillfully handled, the juice is apt to have a slight taste of the sulphur.
The following are the component parts of a California and a Concord unfermented grape juice:
| Concord Per Cent | California Per Cent | |
|---|---|---|
| Solid contents | 20.37 | 20.60 |
| Total acids (as tartaric) | .663 | .53 |
| Volatile acids | .023 | .03 |
| Grape sugar | 18.54 | 19.15 |
| Free tartaric acids | .025 | .07 |
| Ash | .255 | .19 |
| Phosphoric acids | .027 | .04 |
| Cream of tartar | .55 | .59 |
This table is interesting in so far that the California unfermented grape juice was made from Viniferas or foreign varieties, whereas the Concord was a Labruska or one of the American sorts. The difference in taste and smell is even more pronounced than the analysis would indicate.
Small quantities of grape juice may be preserved in bottles. Fruit is likely to be dusty and to be soiled in other ways, and grapes, like other fruits, should be well washed before using. Leaves or other extraneous matter should also be removed. The juice is obtained by moderate pressure in an ordinary screw press, and strained through felt. By gently heating, the albuminous matter is coagulated and may be skimmed off, and further clarification may be effected by filtering through paper, but such filtration must be done as rapidly as possible, using a number of filters and excluding the air as much as possible.
The juice so obtained may be preserved by sterilization, in the following manner: Put the juice in the bottles in which it is to be kept, filling them very nearly full; place the bottles, unstoppered, in a kettle filled with cold water, so arranging them on a wooden perforated “false bottom” or other like contrivance as to prevent their immediate contact with the metal, this preventing unequal heating and possible fracture. Now heat the water, gradually raising the temperature to the boiling point, and maintain at that until the juice attains a boiling temperature; then close the bottles with perfectly fitting corks, which have been kept immersed in boiling water for a short time before use.
The corks should not be fastened in any way, for, if the sterilization is not complete, fermentation and consequent explosion of the bottle may occur unless the cork should be forced out.
If the juice is to be used for syrup, as for use at the soda fountain, the best method is to make a concentrated syrup at once, using about 2 pounds of refined sugar to 1 pint of juice, dissolving by a gentle heat. This syrup may be made by simple agitation without heat; and a finer flavor thus results, but its keeping quality would be uncertain.
The juices found in the market are frequently preserved by means of antiseptics, but so far none have been proposed for this purpose which can be considered entirely wholesome. Physiological experiments have shown that while bodies suited for this purpose may be apparently without bad effect at first, their repeated ingestion is likely to cause gastric disturbance.
Sparkling Wines.
An apparatus for converting still into foaming wines, and doing this efficiently, simply, and rapidly, consists of a vertical steel tube, which turns on an axis, and {768} bears several adjustable glass globes that are in connection with each other by means of distributing valves, the latter being of silver-plated bronze. The glass globes serve as containers for carbonic acid, and are kept supplied with this gas from a cylinder connected therewith.
The wine to be impregnated with the acid is taken from a cask, through a special tube, which also produces a light pressure of carbonic acid on the cask, the object of which is to prevent the access of atmospheric air to the wine within, and, besides, to cause the liquid to pass into the bottle without jar or stroke. The bottles stand under the distributing valves, or levers, placed above and below them. Now, if the cock, by means of which the glass bulbs and the bottles are brought into connection, is slightly opened, and the desired lever is put in action, the carbonic acid at once forces the air out of the bottles, and sterilizes them. The upper bottles are now gradually filled. The whole apparatus, including the filled bottles, is now tilted over, and the wine, of its own weight, flows through collectors filled with carbonic acid, and passes, impregnated with the gas, into other bottles placed below. Each bottle is filled in course, the time required for each being some 45 seconds. The saturation of the liquid with carbonic acid is so complete and plentiful that there is no need of hurry in corking.
By means of this apparatus any desired still wine is at once converted into a sparkling one, preserving at the same time its own peculiarities of taste, bouquet, etc. The apparatus may be used equally well upon fruit juices, milk, and, in fact, any kind of liquid, its extreme simplicity permitting of easy and rapid cleansing.
Artificial French Brandy.
I.—The following is Eugene Dieterich’s formula for Spiritus vini Gallici artificialis:
| Tincture of gallapples | 10 parts |
| Aromatic tincture | 5 parts |
| Purified wood vinegar | 5 parts |
| Spirit of nitrous ether | 10 parts |
| Acetic ether | 1 part |
| Alcohol, 68 per cent | 570 parts |
| Distilled water | 400 parts |
Mix, adding the water last, let stand for several days, then filter.
II.—The Münchener Apotheker Verein has adopted the following formula for the same thing:
| Acetic acid, dilute, 90 per cent | 4 parts |
| Acetic ether | 4 parts |
| Tincture aromatic | 40 parts |
| Cognac essence | 40 parts |
| Spirit of nitrous ether | 20 parts |
| Alcohol, 90 per cent | 5,000 parts |
| Water, distilled | 2,500 parts |
Add the acids, ethers, etc., to the alcohol, and finally add the water. Let stand several days, and, if necessary, filter.
III.—The Berlin Apothecaries have adopted the following as a magistral formula:
| Aromatic tincture | 4 parts |
| Spirit of nitrous ether | 5 parts |
| Alcohol, 90 per cent | 1,000 parts |
| Distilled water, quantity sufficient to make | 2,000 parts |
Mix the tincture and ether with the alcohol, add the water and for every ounce add one drop of tincture of rhatany.
Of these formulas the first is to be preferred as a close imitation of the taste of the genuine article. To imitate the color use burnt sugar.
Liqueurs.
Many are familiar with the properties of liqueurs but believe them to be very complex and even mysterious compounds. This is, of course, due to the fact that the formulas are of foreign origin and many of them have been kept more or less secret for some time. Owing to the peculiar combination of the bouquet oils and flavors, it is impossible to make accurate analyses of them. But by the use of formulas now given, these products seem to be very nearly duplicated.
It is necessary to use the best sugar and oils obtainable in the preparation of the liqueurs. As there are so many grades of essential oils on the market, it is difficult to obtain the best indirectly. The value of the cordials is enhanced by the richness and odor and flavor of the oils, so only the best qualities should be used.
For filtering, flannel or felt is valuable. Flannel is cheaper and more easily washed. It is necessary to return filtrate several times with any of the filtering media.
As a clarifying agent talcum allowed to stand several days acts well. These rules are common to all. {769}
The operations are all simple:
First: Heat all mixtures. Second: Keep the product in the dark. Third: Keep in warm place.
The liqueurs are heated to ripen the bouquet flavor, it having effect similar to age. To protect the ethereal oils, air and light are excluded; hence it is recommended that the bottles be filled to the stopper. The liqueurs taste best at a temperature not exceeding 55° F. They are all improved with age, especially many of the bouquet oils.
Bénédictine.—
| I.— | Bitter almonds | 40 grams |
|---|---|---|
| Powdered nutmeg | 4.500 grams | |
| Extract vanilla | 120 grams | |
| Powdered cloves | 2 grams | |
| Lemons, sliced | 2 grams | |
| True saffron | .600 grams | |
| Sugar | 2,000 grams | |
| Boiling milk | 1,000 c.c. | |
| Alcohol, 95 per cent | 2,000 c.c. | |
| Distilled water | 2,500 c.c. |
Mix. Let stand 9 days with occasional agitation. Filter sufficiently.
| II.— | Essence Bénédictine | 75 c.c |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol, 95 per cent | 1,700 c.c. |
Mix.
| Sugar | 1,750 grams |
| Water, distilled | 1,600 c.c. |
Mix together, when clear solution of sugar is obtained. Color with caramel. Filter sufficiently.
NOTE.—This liqueur should be at least 1 year old before used.
Essence Bénédictine for Bénédictine No. II.—
| I.— | Myrrh | 1 part |
|---|---|---|
| Decorticated cardamom | 1 part | |
| Mace | 1 part | |
| Ginger | 10 parts | |
| Galanga root | 10 parts | |
| Orange peel (cut) | 10 parts | |
| Extract aloe | 4 parts | |
| Alcohol | 160 parts | |
| Water | 80 parts |
Mix, macerate 10 days and filter.
| II.— | Extract licorice | 20 parts |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet spirits niter | 200 parts | |
| Acetic ether | 30 parts | |
| Spirits ammonia | 1 part | |
| Coumarin | .12 parts | |
| Vanillin | 1 part | |
| III.— | Oil lemon | 3 drops |
| Oil orange peel | 3 drops | |
| Oil wormwood | 2.5 drops | |
| Oil galanga | 2 drops | |
| Oil ginger | 1 drop | |
| Oil anise | 15 drops | |
| Oil cascarilla | 15 drops | |
| Oil bitter almond | 12 drops | |
| Oil milfoil | 10 drops | |
| Oil sassafras | 7 drops | |
| Oil angelica | 6 drops | |
| Oil hyssop | 4 drops | |
| Oil cardamom | 2 drops | |
| Oil hops | 2 drops | |
| Oil juniper | 1 drop | |
| Oil rosemary | 1 drop |
Mix A, B, and C.
NOTE.—This essence should stand 2 years before being used for liqueurs.
Chartreuse.
| Fresh balm mint herbs | 64 parts |
| Fresh hyssop herbs | 64 parts |
| Angelica herbs and root, fresh, together | 32 parts |
| Cinnamon | 16 parts |
| Saffron | 4 parts |
| Mace | 4 parts |
Subject the above ingredients to maceration for a week with alcohol (96 per cent), 1,000 parts, then squeeze off and distill the liquid obtained over a certain quantity of fresh herbs of balm and hyssop. After 125 parts of sugar have been added to the resultant liqueur, filter.
The genuine Chartreuse comes in three different colors, viz., green, white, and yellow. The coloration, however, is not artificial, but is determined by the addition of varying quantities of fresh herbs in the distillation. But since it would require long and tedious trials to produce the right color in a small manufacture, the yellow shade is best imparted by a little tincture of saffron, and the green one by the addition of a few drops of indigo solution.
| II.— | Eau des Carmes | 3 1/2 ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 1 quart | |
| Distilled water | 1 quart | |
| Sugar | 1 1/2 pounds | |
| Tincture of saffron | 1 ounce |
Mix. Dissolve sugar in warm water, cool, strain, add remainder of ingredients, and filter. This is known as yellow Chartreuse. {770}
Curaçao Liqueur.—
| A.— | Oil lemon, q. s. | 10 drops |
|---|---|---|
| Oil bitter almond, q. s. | 5 drops | |
| Oil curaçoa orange | 15 parts | |
| Oil sweet orange | 1 part | |
| Oil bitter orange | 1 part | |
| Cochineal | 1 part | |
| French brandy | 50 parts | |
| B.— | Alcohol | 4,500 parts |
| C.— | Sugar | 3,500 parts |
| Water (distilled) | 4,000 parts |
Mix A, B, and C. Filter. Color with caramel.
May Bowl Or May Wine.
In Baden and in Bavaria in preparing Maitrank the practice was formerly to first make an essence—Maitrankessenz, for the preparation of which every housewife had a formula of her own. The following was that generally used in the south of Germany:
| I.— | Fresh, budding woodruff, cut fine | 500 parts |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol, commercial (90 per cent) | 1,000 parts |
Digest together for 14 days, then filter and press off. Many add to this some flavoring oil. As coumarin has been found to be the principle to which the Waldmeister owes its odor, many add to the above Tonka bean, chopped fine, 1 part to the thousand. From about 12 to 15 drachms of this essence is added to make a gallon of the wine, which has about the following formula:
| French brandy, say | 4 drachms |
| Oil of unripe oranges | 80 drops |
| Sugar | 4 to 8 ounces |
| Essence | 12 drachms |
| Wine to make | 1 gallon |
II.—Take enough good woodruff (Waldmeister) of fine aroma and flavor. Remove all parts that will not add to the excellence of the product, such as wilted, dead, or imperfect leaves, stems, etc., and wash the residue thoroughly in cold water, and with as little pressure as possible. Now choose a flask with a neck sufficiently wide to receive the stems without pressing or bruising them, and let the pieces fall into it. Pour in sufficient strong alcohol (96 per cent) to cover the herbs completely. In from 30 to 40 minutes the entire aroma is taken up by the alcohol, which takes on a beautiful green color, which, unfortunately, does not last, disappearing in a few days, but without affecting the aroma in the least. The alcohol should now be poured off, for if left to macerate longer, while it would gain in aroma, it will also take up a certain bitter principle that detracts from the delicacy of flavor and aroma. The extract is now poured on a fresh quantity of the herb, and continue proceeding in this manner until a sufficiently concentrated extract is obtained to give aroma to 100 times its weight of wine or cider.
III.—Fresh woodruff, in bloom or flower, is freed from the lower part of its stem and leaves, and also of all foreign or inert matter. The herb is then lightly stuck into a wide-mouth bottle, and covered with strong alcohol. After 30 minutes pour off the liquor on fresh woodruff. In another half hour the essence is ready, though it should not be used immediately. It should be kept at cellar heat (about 60° F.) for a few days, or until the green color vanishes. Any addition to the essence of aromatics, such as orange peel, lemons, spices, etc., is to be avoided. To prepare the Maitrank, add the essence to any good white wine, tasting and testing, until the flavor suits.
The following are other formulas for the drink:
| IV.— | Good white wine or cider | 65 parts |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol, dilute | 20 parts | |
| Sugar | 10 parts | |
| Maitrankessenz | 1 part |
Mix.
Maraschino Liqueur.—
| Oil bitter almonds | 15 minims |
| Essence vanilla | 1 drachm |
| Jasmine extract | 2 drops |
| Raspberry essence | 10 drops |
| Oil neroli | 10 drops |
| Oil lemon | 15 minims |
| Spirits nitrous ether | 2 drachms |
| Alcohol | 6 pints |
| Sugar | 8 pounds |
| Rose water | 10 ounces |
| Water sufficient to make | 2 gallons |
Make a liquor in the usual manner.
To Clarify Liqueurs.
Medicinal Wines:
Beef And Iron.
| I.— | Extract of beef | 35 grams |
|---|---|---|
| Tincture of citro-chloride of iron | 35 c.c. | |
| Compound spirit of orange | 1 c.c. | |
| Hot water | 60 c.c. | |
| Alcohol | 125 c.c. | |
| Syrup | 125 c.c. | |
| Sherry wine sufficient to make | 1,000 c.c. |
Rub the extract of beef with the hot water, and add, while stirring, the alcohol. Allow to stand 3 days or more, then filter and distill off the alcohol. Add to the residue 750 cubic centimeters of the wine, to which the compound spirit of orange has been previously added. Finally add the tincture of citro-chloride of iron, syrup, and enough wine to make 1,000 cubic centimeters. Filter if necessary.
II.—For Poultry and Stock.—A good formula for wine of beef and iron is as follows:
| Beef extract | 256 grains |
| Tincture of iron citro-chloride | 256 minims |
| Hot water | 1 fluidounce |
| Sherry wine enough to make | 1 pint |
Pour the hot water in the beef extract and triturate until a smooth mixture is made. To this add, gradually and under constant stirring, 12 ounces of the wine. Add now, under same conditions, the iron, stir in well, and finally add the remainder of the wine.
Cinchona.
II.—Yvon recommends the following formula:
| Red cinchona, coarse powder | 5 parts |
| Alcohol, 60 per cent | 10 parts |
| Diluted hydrochloric acid | 1 part |
| Bordeaux wine | 100 parts |
Macerate the bark with the acid and alcohol for 6 days, shaking from time to time, add the wine, macerate for 24 hours, agitating frequently, then filter.