Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-16
From tho Rural Oarolinian.
Wine Without fermentation


The late Professor William Hume, of
this city, was the discoverer of new
method of making wine, which is worthy
OF more attention than has yet been &C
corded to it.
At tho South unfortunately, where the
grape thrives most luxuriantly, and reaches
its highest degree of sweetness and flavor,
the climate is unfavorable to wine making.
The grape ripens in August, when the
temperature is generally too high for the
vlnous fermentation to be properly carried
on, except in cellars. Our wines become
too sour to suit American tastes. Some of
them excite a suspicion, at least, of vine
gar, although analysis fails to detect any
acetic acid IN them.
Finding that the aust. or expressed Juice
of the American grape, is abundantIy sup
piled with sugar, flavor and aroma to make
it palatable and even delightful to the
taste, Professor Hume applied himself to
the discovery of some process by which
this juice. at least all that is valuable
about it, may be preserved, and those
troublesome and sometimes unmanagSable
lamentations which destroy its sweetness
and flavor, be entirely prevented. The
result Of his experiments was new pro-
cess, in which fermentation is entirely
dispensed with. Wine makers opposed it,
a was to be expected, anu declared that
the beverage produced was not wine, but
q grape cordial. They could not deny
that it was pleasant to the taste and whole
some. We tried the new method on
several occasions, years ago, and the re-
suits confirmed Us in the opinion that the
process is a valuable one, for family use
at least. 1t may be briefly set forth as fol-
lows
l. Having removed all unripe or de
cayed berries, mash the grapes with the
hand, Or otherwise, being careful not to
crush the seed.
2. Press out the juice and pour it into 6
suitable vessel, prepared with faucet near
the bottom.
3. Add alcohol (the deodorized is tn
best, but the common will dol at the rate
of pint to the gallon. This will effec
the precipitation of the fecula and the
preservation of the juice perfectly, but
} you want stronger wine add more.
4. Cover the vessel with cloth, and oil
, low it to stand forty eight hours.
5. Draw off first the clear juice an
t then the sediment, passing both thrOug
a sand filter, but keeping them separate
practicable.
: 6. Put the wine into a cask and close
carefully air-tight. It may remain ther
Q till wanted for use, OF be drawn off after
t few weeks, and bottled.
7. Digest the mare skins, seeds. etc,
t one or two weeks in q mixture Of equi
f volumes of alcohol and water, in clos
' vessel, and press and filter as before, for
: strong cordial.
= 8. Care must be taken that nothing b
0 used in the manufacture out of which til
B alcohol can extract any flavor, or the win
r will be injured.
8 9. The evaporation of tho alcohol, alto
8 the process is completed, must be careful
!, ly guarded against by the close stoppag
= of the casks and bottles. The latte
q should be sealed with q composition c
= Burgundy pitch, wax and tallow, usin
Q enough of each to make if of a prope
. consistency-neither too soft nor too brit
tle-melt it over slow fire, and dip TIA
! ends of the bottles into it.