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RAWIjING'S mixed drinks 99
of a hatchet strike a few sharp, quick
blows on the stave each side of the
bunghole, until the bung is partly up
but not altogether loose. Raise the
keg to skids or a strong table, with a
block of wood each side to prevent roll
ing. One or two days' rest before bot
tling is advisable. When ready to bot
tle, remove the bung as gently as possi
ble.
Taper corks may be used when the
wine is not to be kept for any consider
able length of time; these will not re
quire a corking machine, and may be
used many times. Soak them in hot
water while bottling the wine,and they
will be much easier to handle. Always
hold the bottle at a slight angle to the
faucet; otherwise the outrushing air
will give you trouble. Do not quite
fill the bottle: leave an air space of at
least one inch, or the cork will be
forced out. Practice the trick of filling
one bottle after another without shut
ting off the key; have the empty ones
on the floor all on one side of the stool,
and while replacing one with another
under the faucet put the filled bottles