Elder Wine

Ingredients

• every quart of berries
• two quarts of water
• three quarters of a pound of coarse sugar
• some Jamaica peppers
• a few cloves
• bruised ginger
• a pint of brandy

Method

1. 1

   To every quart of berries put two quarts of water, boil them half an hour, run the liquor and break the fruit through a hair sieve.

2. 2

   To every quart of juice, add three quarters of a pound of coarse sugar, boil the whole a quarter of an hour with some Jamaica peppers, a few cloves, and bruised ginger.

3. 3

   Pour it into a tub warm; when of a proper warmth, into the barrel with toast and yeast to work.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The frugal housewife, or, Housekeeper's and servant's guide, being a carefully selected assortment of useful family receipts, in cookery, confectionery, making wines, preserving, pickles, &c., with every necessary information connected with the above arts (1900), page 13. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Elder Wine. To every quart of berries put two quarts of water, boil them half an hour, run the liquor and break the fruit through a hair seive, then to every quart of juice put three quarters of a pound of coarse sugar, boil the whole a quarter of an hour with some Jamaica peppers, a few cloves, and bruised ginger, pour it into a tub warm ; when of a proper warmth, into the barrel with toast and yeast to work, which there is more difficulty to make it do than most other liquors. When it ceases to hiss, put in a little brandy, and stop it up. The liquor must be in a warm place, to make it work. Raisin Wine. To every gallon of spring water put eight pounds of fresh Smyrnas, in a large tub ; stir it thoroughly every day, for a month ; then press the raisins in a horse-hair bag, as dry as possible ; put the liquor into a cask, and, when it has done hissing, pour in a bottle of the best brandy ; stop it up close for twelve months ; then rack it off, without the dregs, which filter through a bag of flannel three or four times double ; add the clear to the quantity ; pour brandy in according to the size of the cask, and stop it up for at least a twelvemonth. Raisin wine would be good, if made rich of the fruit only, and kept long, which improves the flavour greatly. Sack Mead. To every gallon of water put four pounds of honey, and boil it three quarters of an hour, taking care to skim it. To every gallon, add an ounce of hops ; then boil it half an hour. Let it stand till next day ; put it into your cask ; add a pint of brandy

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.