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:MANUFACTURING .AND ADU!.tl:R.ATING LIQUORS.
21
article
of
commerce, as early as the year 145 before
Christ.
Albacacis, in the twelfth century, taught the me–
thod of procuring spirits from wine, but the process
was doubtless known long before that time.
Wine is the fermented juice of the grape. The
general character and qualities of wine are princi–
pally influenced by the climate, soil, and the matu–
rity of the grape, as well as by the method of con–
ducting the fermentation.
The constituents
of
wine are
:-Alcoli.oZ,which is
one of the principal ingredients, and on which its
power of producing intoxication depends.
SugM,
which has escaped the process of fermentation, and
which is most abundant in sweet wines.
E~aet
in,
derived chiefly from the husk of the grape; its
quantity diminishes by precipitation, owing to the
gradual action
of
the atmosphere.
OoltrriJnf! mat–
ter.-T)tls exists in the husk also, and is extracted
by the newly-formed alcohol; its natural color is
blue or purple ; its red tint is owing to the action
of acids.
Ta;rl,a;r
and
bitar'flrate
of
potassilum
consti–
tute the most important portion of the saline matter
of
wine, and appears to exercise an important influ–
ence over the fermentation. It is gradually depo–
sited, along with coloring matter, by age.
Odori–
ferOU8
matter.-The
characteristic vinous odor ap-
Digitized
by