The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-21
DEMAND FOR AMERICAN BRANDY,
California, Virginia and Kentucky the
Leaders in Its Manufacture.

Leaders in Its Manufacture.
According to the familiar declaration of
the juvenile copy book 1.-THE essential
difference between whiskey and brandy is
that whskeY is made from grain and
brandy is made from fruit The origin
of brandy, or eau-de-vie, as it is called
in France, is German. being derived from
branntWein. or burnt wine, and though
the American brandy. for which consid-
cradle home market has been obtained
is distilled according to the French for
mula the German designation of the pro-
duct is adhered to in preference to the
French During the fiscal year beginning
on July /. 1897 and ending on July l, 1898
the amount of brandy produced in the
United States aggregated nearly 100000
gallons, of which California produced
2,3S7, $50 gallons. Virginia 105, l15 gallons and
Kentucky 66.174 gallons.
There are seven varieties of fruits which
enter into the making of American brandy.
some states giving a preference to one
and some states to another, as local con-
ditions dictate. These seven fruits are
apples. peaches, grapes. pears, aprcots,
berries and prunes. The California brandy
is made almost exclusively of grape
juice. The Virginia brandy is made al
most exclusively of apple juice, though
in manufacture differing essentially from
the ordinary produce of apple juice which
is cider. In Maryland peach brandy is
the chief item of product in the line of
brandy making prunes to a small extent
are used in Oregon, apricots in California,
berries in Georgia and pears in Florida,
the pear brandy of the latter state having,
it Is said, some commercial advantages
which other states have been unable to
discover. The extent to which the bust
ness has grown in California may be
shown by the following official figures:
Deposited in each year in bonded ware
houses-1S79, 60, $40 gallons; 1884. 200, 1872 gal
Ions; 1885, 952, 1858 gallons; 1894, 1,32o,2S9 gal
Ions. ...
The shortage of the California grape
crop two years ago resulted in keeping
down the manufacture of brandy for con-
sumption Most of that distilled was used
for terrifying sweet wines in that state.
Afterward the remaining quantities. OF
suitable grapes were small Last year a
large amount of grapes ordinarily used
as, able grapes was converted into bran
dy, because the price for table grapes was
low. AS consequence of these, .condl-
,tons. the marketable supply of California
brandy varies from year to year, but in
quality it is hgenerally found tor hold its
own. even against foreign brandies. These
come chiefly from France. and, prior, to
1892 amounted on the average to 10000
gallons imported in casks and to $1,000
gallons imported in bottles After 1882
the importation Of foreign brandies,. de-
clined rapidly. and in 1896 it was down to
less than $1,000 gallons in wood and less
than 10000 gallons in glass. Since then,
however, there has been a steady increase
despite the increasing demand for Cali
fornia brandies, freely bought in prefer
ence to those imported. on account of
their greater purity and on account of
the more reasonable price at which they
are sold. With brandy. as with other
spirits however the rule of moderation
is the rule of safety. for too much brandy,
however wholesome 1t is in small amounts
and however careful its manufacture. is
injurious to the eXtravagant patron. Tn
der the wilson tariff there was duty of
$3.50 per proof gallon on imported brandy.
The present tariff is $225 per gallon.-New
York Sun.