Arizona republican., 1901-09-09
WINE MAKING WITH BACTERIA
Prof. Alw0od's Researches in France
aud Germany.

Prof. Atwood of the Virginia Poly
technic Institute spent last year in lab
oratories of France and Germany to
study the germs which arise in the
manufacture of fine wines. and he has
devoted the last eight months to mas
terlng the details of the work which
he began abroad. He brought with him
from France and Germany specimens
of the various germs found in the IA
nous wine producing districts. Seated
in his laboratory amid nnumerab
tubes, Walls and other apparatus, he ex-
planned the theories and possibilities OF
the work in which he is engaged, and
It's probable effect ON the manufacture
Of wines of high grade in this country.
Pointing to small vial, he said:
This vial contains the germs which
produce the famous Sauterne wines,
and in this other the Bordeaux Here
is vial of germs isolated from the
finest Of French champagnes. In the
other tube have the germs Of the cele-
bated Rudesheimer white wines, and
a whole collection from the noted Rhine
Wines"
What are these germs?"
They are simply minute vegetable
organisms which find the juice of fruits
the proper soil or medium In which to
erect their growth, and by this growth
they consume the sugar of the fruit
juices, producing alcohol to about half
the weight of sugar, and the balance of
the sugar escapes as gas, which causes
the appearance spoken of as working
or fermentation.
Fermentation is simply a result of
the growth Of yeast plants. No. they
cannot be seen with the naked eye. as
they are only about 1-10.OC0th part of
an inch in length, and each is unicel
lular. These tiny cells produce daugh-
ter cells by budding, ana so on indef-
inite!y, until the sugar substance in
the liquid is consumed when the fluid
comes 10 rest and fermentation Is prae-
tically completed"
But what of the theory that these
organisms affect the quality of the
liquor?"
That does appear strange, and from
my own work ! am inclined to modify
very much some of the statements that
have been made In regard to these
3 rms. But IL Is true that there are
good germs and bad germs. There are
germs which will produce strong even
fermentation. carrying 1t on with reg
uiarltN unit! the sugar Is consumed
Ana there are other germs which will
not produce this fine character of fer
mentation and which appear quite in
capable OF breaking up all the sugar.
Then some germs have cloudy LIQUID.
which is difficult to clear Further.
these various germs appear to be able
to produce different odors, which ma.
terialiy affect the bouquet of the liquors
produced.
My statement of the possibility of
using these germs to affect quality is
put as follows: That given proper
variety of fruit grown on favorable soil
and the Juice expressed in proper
manner so as to guard its cleanliness.
then scWn at once with strong Gull
ture Of gc6d yeast. it win be able to OBJ
tain such control Of the liquid that the
bad germs are quite crowded out and
eventually the proper germs remain in
entire possession of the field: thus it's
character will be given in considerable
measure To the resulting liquor. But TO
say that any fruit juice containing even
the requisite amount of sugar and other |
matters can be fermented into n Sau-
teinS, Bordeaux, a sherry or other
special wines at will Of the operator Is
certainly very far from what the known
facts warrant"
Then it would appear that the great
(tNHgrtgfinpC nj h al
been fostsre6 by certain writer's are not
TO be realized?"
Yes. The extreme statements are
never to be realized. in my opinion; but !
the complete investigation OF the sub. |
ject Is not half finished. | have prog
resscd far enough to feel mys, If war
ranted in saying that when we have |
studied carefully the organisms found |
In any district and have employed |
those having the best characte, to pro- |
tuce the fermented fruit beverages of |
hat district. this will result in a won |
terful advance in regard to the quail |
ny of the various fruit beverages pro- |
ruced. And this knowledge and utiliZa |
ton Of pure cultures will enable the |
to produce with certainty ]
qualities which 1t has not |
been possible to produce heretofore, |
when the fermentation has been al
lowed To take its own course, with all |
of wild germs which may hap
pen to be present"
rs this work carried On TO any ex-
tent In American"
Il think not. In fact, do not know !
IL any other place in America where
The breeding Of these germs is being
carried on, and ] think | was the first
American to master the details of this
work in the French and German lab
1ratories"
what success attends the foreign
laboratories in the way of Producing
and disposing Of these germs?"
"ln France they are being largely
sold from the institute La Claire. pre-
sided over by Jacquemin, and also from
The laboratory of Prof. Ferunbach, the
institute Pasteur But a very larga
of the people in the wine
md cider making districts Of France
we're net using them. In Germany | !
ound that the Royal School for Wine
Culture at Geisenheim had developed
he culture of these yeasts on a thor
Jughly practical and scientific basis.
and that the germs were used very |
argely both for wines and elders. Ger
.ain days while ] was in the laboratory
rs student the sales of these germs
amounted to the sum of 500 a day.
they are mailed to any part of the con-
.inent and even to foreign countries.