Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-08
Erse-for evil genius.
DISTILLING BRANDY.
The Grape Growers DistIllery
Hard at Work.

Hard at work.
A month before the grape crop was ready
for crushing the outlook to the vineyardist
was gloomy one. 1t was feared that grapes
would have to be sold for what they would
fetch and that they would fetch but very
little, thus rendering the producers capital
and labor unproductive. There were but
few buyers. plentyof crops and many sellers,
and under those conditions purchasers
could lower the price of grapes until II
would have been preferable to let them rot
on the vines. movement was made
amongst the vineyardists of the county to
improve the situation, and if possible pre-
vent a recurrence of a condition of affairs
which left the grape grower helpless with
his stock. A Grape and Wine Growers
Association was formed, but for a time it
looked as If nothing would be evolved from
1t but talk and theories. But after the men
of speech had had their say. the men of
action, those who saw that immediate
efforts were necessary to save themselves
and others In the same boat, from throwing
up in despair the culture Of the grape in
this section-those men took hold of the
project and brought 1t to triumphant solu-
tion. Aided by L. ]. Rose, who was the
foremost in advocating urgency and de-
csive action the Grape and Wine Growers
having finally organized, determined to in
corporate and run the Rose Distillery, on
the other side OF the river. By crushing
their grapes and turning them into brandy
they produced stable commodity which
could always command a ready sale and
would not be liable to fluctuations
of the markets or to the chances
of success to which wine Is ex-
posed. Having obtained this outlet for
their crop it became an impOssibility for
the grape buyers to bring the prices of
grapes down to a mere nothing, and it
would not only aid the members of the as
sociation, but everyone connected with
vine culture in Southern California L. J.
Rose noby put his distillery at the disposal
of the association, asking therefor nomin.
al rental, and demanding only such condi-
tious as would insure his property against
destruction by fire. The task of placing the
distillery, which had lain idle for two seas.
ons, in working order, was commenced and
completed before the LIST OF October, the
be crushed The members of the associa
tion issued $500 shares of stock, at 81 apiece,
giving the owner the privilege OF having one
ton of grapes changed into brandy for each
shares began steadily, until when 2250 had
been sold the demand for them became so
strong that at meeting OF the association 1t
was moved and unanimously agreed that all
the remaining shares should abe kept
for the members themselves and be
d vided among themselves alone. This
shows how valuable they have
become, and that the demand is in
spired by the benefits which the grape men
see are to be derived from membership in
this mutual cooperative undertaking.
On the 30th of last month. the distillery
having meanwhile been placed in excel
lent working condition, the first installment
of grapes arrived, but during the frs. two
days only Muscat was received and the
crushing did not amount to much. On the
third day Mission and Zinfandel made their
appearance and in such quantities that last
night at 6 o'clock $50 tons had been crushed.
A HERALD reporter, desirous OF informing
the readers OF this paper of what is being
done at thedistillery, yesterday. in company
with J. A. Brewer one of the shareholders
who has given most time and thought to
the matter, rode over to the old familiar
building beyond the covered bridge to in
spect the work being done. A string of %
four-horse teams filed the yard and extend
ed into the street. awaiting their turn to
discharge their juicy loads: At no time since
the 2nd have there been less than 10 to IL
wagons standing there in expectancy, wait
ing to be attended to.
AsI.the wagon takes its stand upon the
scales laborers with pitchforks seize the
bunehes and I'll them into the steam
away to one side and the wine juice and
skins flow together into big vat 10 feet In
diameter, CALI an agitator, where they
are kept revolving until temperature OF
72o is react ed. In case this is not produced
naturally, a jet of steam is thrown into the
mixture, which when ready is drawn off
into 1000 gals. watts, where it is allowed to
ferment There are 80 OF these watts, of
which % are already lled with pSmaoe S6n
Ions, which at the rate of gallons of POM
ace to l of brandy will produce 1900 gal
Ions of brandy. When properly fermented,
and this takes about days, the pomace is
ready for the distillery. 1t is then sent
into large cement tank, having a
capacity OF 10000 gallons. This is
called the underback and contains an agita-
tator to keep the fluid we'll mixed and pre-
vent the solid matter from settling at the
bottom. 1t is next pumped into wooden
still twenty-six feet high and eight feet in
diameter. From the still the grape juice
flows out pellucid and is called singlings;
When the hydrometer indicates @ tnat u Is iy
to be remixed with the pomace in revolu-
ton, but when 1t Is of the proper degree 1t
is allowed to run into the copper still, from
which 1t sallies as pure. overproof brandy;
Thence 1t Is reduced, goes into barrels ana
is ready for the market. :,
A sixty horse power engine does all the
mechanical work that is required.
James II. Mooney, who was for NUMBER
of years the superintendent OF Mr. l.. J.
Roses distillery, is the manager OF the
Crane and Wine Growers distiilery also.
Under him are two engineers, two dfstillers,
four fermenting room men, one man VINO
attends to the illing OF receptacles and nine
laborers. This is for the day watch. The
distillery begins this morning and will go
on day and night until the crop has been
metamorphosed. The night gang consists OF
one engineer, one distiller and two men in
the fermenting ro m. The process is so in
teresting that 1t will repay those desirous of
becoming acquainted with the future in
dustry of Los Angeles to examine IT..
Bottled Beer burglary.