Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-23
Blackberry Wine.


The season is now at hand for the ripen-
ing first of the dewberry and then Of the
blackberry 1t is we'll known to most of
our people that from these two berries may
be made wine both excellent for the table
and the kitchen, and highly valuable for
the sick rOOm-in some classes of diseases
especially affections of the bowels. more
valuable than the costiest foreign wines,
even when pure. But while it is generally
Known that such is the case, for few of
our good kousekeepers know how to make
the wine properly, and the miserable stuff
usually exhibited as blackberry wine has
led many to think that its process is very
difficult and the result very uncertain and
consequently most of our ladies are deter
red from making the attempt
On the contrary, the process is very sim
pie and the result almost certain, if ordina-
ry care is taken. good wine for ordinary
purposes where the berries are gathered at
home, may be made for forty cents gallon,
and a capital wine for sixty to seventy cents
a gallon. The writer has made it for Sc
veral years past, sufficient for his family
use and friends, and has not failed in any
instance. Either OF the following methods
may be pursued advantageously
Gather the berries when perfectly ripe
and avoid bruising-as gathered, empty
them into tub until you have enough to
produce wine in sufficient quantity to fill
one of your kegs or casks. Each bushel of
ripe berries, if good, will produce from sew
en- to nine gallons Of wine Have ready
the kegs or barrels in which your wine is
to be put, beatnr made of seasoned hick-
ory, cedar or ASIA pail, large bowl or
turcen covered with several folds of flannel
or blanket, as strainer, spare tub or
two, couple OF yards OF osnaburgs, and a
tub of soft spring water, and be careful to
have everything, especially the kegs or
casks, as clean and free from odor of any
kind as is possible.
Crush the berries thoroughly with the
beater, and then after straining the liquor,
which runs freely from the pulp through
the folded flannel, empty it INTO the cask,
measuring 1t as you put it in When the
Juice mas been all drained from the puip,yo
proceed to press the pulp dry. Ifthe anan-
tlty is large, this had best be done by a
regular press, but if o 'ly twenty or thirty
gallons arc wantod the osnaburgs answer
very well. Stretch out the osnaburgs. put
gallon or gallon and a half of the pulp
into the centre, fold the cloth over it on
each side, and let strong hand at either
end twist the cloth with ali their strength ::
when the juice is well pressed out, remove
and lay aside the cake of pomace and put
in more pul p. This process is apparently
rough, but is both rapid and effectual The
Juice so extracted is strained and measur-
ed into the cask before mentioned The
flannel strainer and the osnaburrs NAV
need rinsing occasionally during the work.
When all the pulp is pressed, put the
hard cakes of pomace taken from the cloth
into tub, and pour upon them little more
soft spring water, than you have clear Juice,
break up the balls and wash them thor
oughly in the water SO as to obtain all the
juice left In the mass, and then strain it
clear measure out as many gallons of this
water as you have clear juice, dissolve in
each gallon Of water six pounds of sugar.
Drown or white, as you want a common or
hrst rate wine and when thoroughly dis
solved, add the juice first passing it again
through the strainer. and mix them Then
rinse out your cask, put it where it can
stand undisturbed in cellar. FIJI il nerfect-
ly full Of the mixture, and lay cloth loose
ly over the bung hole In two or three
days fermentation will commence, and the
impurities run over at the bung look at it
every day, and fit does not run over, with
some OF the mixture which you have re-
served in another vessel, fill it up to the
bung. In about three weeks fermentation
will have ceased, and the wine be still fill
1t again, drive in the buDg tight, nail tin
over IT, and let it remain undisturbed until
the following November, or, what is better,
March. Then draw it off, without shaking
the cask, put it into bottles or demiiohns,
cork tightly and sea- over
F"r = thirty gallon cask, You will need
aunt Aifif"n KAIIras If juice, thirteen gal
~+* u "%Df afA ss,eSty.eighl pounds Of