Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-05-10
BOGUS CHAMPAGNE.
From the N. Y. World.l

BOGUS CHAMPAGNE
From the N. Y. World.l
The following advertisement appeared ir
Il morning newspaper in this city some days
ago:
c1 nm A COMPLETE champagne factory
ken.
A Uorld reporter found the factory in the
basement of dilapidated brick tenement
house on side street within block of the
Hoboken City Hail. Entering the base.
ment door and cropping along narrow pas
sageway Uttered with boxes, the reporter
| finally found himself in a dingy, dark room
the floor of which was almost paved with
bottles. A blonde young man wearing
spectacles, in reply TO an inquiry as to
where the proprietor could be found, an
sWered:
He isn't here much, but if you want to
buy can tell you all about the business"
Without giving the reporter an opportu-
nifty to dispel the idea that he was q capi.
talist the young man said that he was a
chemist and in Germany had been for many
years engaged in the Manufacture of bogus
champagne He talked very glibly of his
and was very frank in telling of the tricks
of the trade, evidently hoping that if his
hearer should be induced to purchase the
factory he would retain him as manager.
1T is common thing to make artificial
champagnes, for the majority of people don't
know the difference" he said. "They do it
in France, and can safely sag that all of
the genuine article made in the world can
be drunk in one day.
"Do you initiate the imported brands ?"
he was asked.
"Of course we do. Why, an American
wont drink American champagne, and the
few who do would pay as high a price for it
as is charged for the imported brands. In
Germany and France they don't initiate q
brand to make it sell. When they do this
it is 10 get higher prices. But if we did not
call our manufacture imported we could not
get half az much as we do for it,"
Most OF the champagne in stock bore la
bells that were fac SMILES of those on two
| we'll known brands supposed to be most
popular at this time. In general appearance
the bottles are similar to those in which the
genuine wine is sold. The only defect in
the bottling of the wine by which it could
be be detected as an imitation is in the cork,
which does not bear the makers mark aud
is squeezed and dented like soda.wa bot
tie corks, by reason of imperfect machinery.
1t is not too much to say of the contents OF
the bottles, however, that the majority of
the people who frequently drink sparkling
wine would be deceived, and an imitation
of one wel-known brand would pass muster
at table with all save connoisseur.
! Catawba or some other sweet wine is used
| because III the manufacture OF the counter.
| felt champagne it requires less sugar than
others. California wine preferred oE this
account and because it is SO cheap, costing
when bought by the barrel only about 45 or
so cents gallon. Five quarts of the cham
payne are made from gallon of the Cali
| fornia wine. The wine is drawn Oft in q
big tub, to which is added enough granulated
sweetness. Chemicals are employed to
neutralize the acids of new wines and to
produce the desired bouquet For addi.
tional navoring various oils are used, one or
combination of them for each brand, such
as celery for Veuve Cliquot and Silery and
and apricot for Heidsieck.
After the sugar has been dissolved the
mixture is filtered and then charged with
| gas, as is done with soda water, and is then
| bottled under pressure of so to 100 pounds.
The process is very simple and not more
than two hours are required for bottling
forty gallons. Then the labels are affixed to
the bottles and the gold or silver foil
wrapped around the corks and necks. Then
the bottles are packed in old boxes in which
champagne was imported, and which are
bought in small quantities at 10 cents each.
There is such trade in bogus champagne
that there are one or two firms in this city
who make specially of initiating the genu-
inc labels, which are we'll executed and are
sold at low price.
This was the table of actual expenses
made up for the reporter of case of dozen
bottles
Box and straw, 1Oc.; gallon of wine 81. 90;
bottles ut 24c. each, 30c.; gold foil, wire and
labels, 1Sc.; labor, 40c.; sugar. 3Oc.; flavor.
ing and chemicals. 20c.; total, S2,GS.
In addition to this must be added rent
fuel and allowance for carriage and sum
for the interest on the money invested for
the apparatus and the wear and tear. This
particular factory is offered for sale at 81 900
and complete new outfit could probably
be purchased for even less than that amount
The owner has been very successful and has
secured good trade. Two men in one day
are able to make and put up ready for mar.
ket about ten dozen bottles, which are sold
| to wholesale dealers at 81 to $3.50 per dozen
quarts. Over half of this is clear profit, and
the jobbers make nearly or quite as much
The factory is not worked to its full capac.
| ity, and if it were, from $50 to s75 a day
| could be cleared with the same apparatus
which does not differ at all from that used
in soda water and ginger ale factories. The
material is not expensive and it is plain te
see how one of the three men engaged ir
this business in this city has become mil
| lionaire inside of ten years.
The day after the reporter had made thi'
inspection of the factory he was at lunch il
we'll known. restaurant. A gentleman a
the next table who was entertaining party
of friends ordered bottle of champagne
The waiter dropped the cork he had drawn
which showed the ear.marks of the Hoboker
factory. The label appeared genuine ane
the price on the wine card was the regula
! tion, $3.50.