HIPS. Syn. Heps; Rosa canina (Ph. L.). The fresh fruit of the dog rose (Rosa canina), or wild briar. Used to make a conserve.
HOL′LANDS. Syn. Geneva, Schiedam, Hollands gin, Dutch g. Prep. 1. The materials employed in the distilleries of Schiedam, in the preparation of this excellent spirit, are 2 parts of the best unmalted rye and 1 part of malted bigg, reduced to the state of coarse meal by grinding. About a barrel (36 galls.) of water, at a temperature of from 162° to 168° Fahr., is put into the mash-tun for every 11⁄2 cwt. of meal, after which the malt is introduced and stirred, and, lastly, the rye is added. Powerful agitation is next given to the magma till it becomes quite uniform, when the mash-tun is covered over with canvas, and left in this state for two hours. Agitation is then again had recourse to, and the transparent ‘spent wash’ of a preceding mashing is added, followed by as much cold water as will reduce the temperature of the whole to about 85° Fahr. The gravity of the wort at this point varies from 33 to 38 lbs. A quantity of the best pressed Flanders yeast, equal to 1 lb. for every 100 galls. of the mashed materials, is next stirred in, and the whole is fermented in the mash-tun for about 3 days, or until the attenuation is from 7 to 4 lbs. (sp. gr. 1·007 to 1·004). During this time the yeast is occasionally skimmed off the fermenting wort. The wash, with the grains, is then transferred to the still, and converted into ‘low wines.’ To every 100 galls. of this liquor, 2 lbs. of juniper berries (3 to 5 years old), and about 1 lb. of salt, are added, and the whole is put into the low-wine still, and the fine spirit drawn off by a gentle heat, one receiver only being employed. The product per quarter varies from 18 to 21 galls. of spirit, 2 to 3 o. p.
2. (Best Hollands.) Hollands rectified to the strength of 24° Baumé (sp. gr. ·9125, or about 6 o. p.).
3. (English-made.)—a. From juniper berries (at least a year old, and crushed in the hands), 3 lbs.; rectified spirit, 11⁄2 gall. (or proof spirit, 21⁄2 galls.); digest, with agitation, for a week, and then express the liquor; after 24 hours’ repose, decant the clear portion, add it to good corn spirit, at 2 or 3% overproof, 90 or 100 galls., and mix them well together.
b. From juniper berries, 21⁄2 lbs.; sweet fennel seed, 5 oz.; caraway seed, 31⁄2 oz.; proof spirit, 2 galls.; corn spirit, 90 or 100 galls.
c. As the last, with the addition of Strasburg turpentine or Canadian balsam, 1 lb.
d. To either of the last two or three add a very small quantity of ground cardamoms or horse-radish. Some compounders also add 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, or about 15 gr. of assafœtida, with 1 gr. of ambergris rubbed to a powder with a little white sand or lump sugar. Good plain gin may be advantageously employed in lieu of the corn spirit ordered above, when expense is no object.
Obs. The last four forms, which are only given as examples, produce a very pleasant spirit, if it is kept for some time to ‘mellow.’ Age is one of the principal causes of the ‘creaminess’ of foreign gin, which usually lies in bond for some time before being consumed. The product is, however, much superior if the ingredients are rectified along with 20 galls. of water, and about 14 lbs. of salt, by a gentle heat.
It will be seen from the above that the superior flavour of Hollands spirit depends more on the peculiar mode of its manufacture than on the quantity of juniper berries employed; 2 lbs. of them, when new, being barely equivalent to 1 oz. of the essential oil; and when old, to less than 1⁄2 oz., a quantity wholly insufficient to flavour 100 gallons of spirit. The Dutch distillers, most noted for this liquor, add a little pure Strasburg turpentine and a handful or two of hops to the spirit, along with the juniper berries, before rectification. The former substance has a pale yellowish-brown colour, and a very fragrant and agreeable smell, and tends materially to impart that fine aroma for which the best geneva is distinguished. At Rotterdam sweet fennel seed is commonly added as a flavouring; and at Weesoppe Strasburg turpentine and fennel seeds, or the essential oil of fennel, are frequently substituted for a large portion of the juniper berries.
Schiedam Hollands is considered the best; the next quality is that of Rotterdam; after these comes that of Weesoppe.