Home Wine-making

Ingredients

• 1 quart water
• 1 pound chalk
• 1 pound sugar candy (for acidity)
• bruised raisins (to improve poor wines)
• 1 ounce powdered roch-alum (for fining)
• ripe medlars or bruised mustard-seed (to remove mustiness)
• 2 ounces oyster-shell powder (for pricked wines)
• ½ ounce coarse sea salt (formerly 'bay salt')

Directions

1. In an open vessel, combine 1 quart of water with the cask and roll it well. Next day, add 1 pound of chalk and seal the cask.

2. After 3-4 days, wash the cask with boiling water.

3. To prepare a match, melt brimstone and dip a long piece of coarse linen or brown paper into it. When ready, light the match and place it in the bung-hole of the cask.

4. To improve acidity in wine, dissolve 1 pound of sugar candy in the wine and mix well.

5. For poor wines, add bruised raisins.

6. To fine the wine, add 1 ounce of powdered roch-alum to 4 gallons of wine and let it sit for 10 days.

7. To remove mustiness, tie ripe medlars or bruised mustard-seed in a bag and add it to the wine.

8. For pricked wines, rack the wine into a cask that previously held the same type, adding 2 ounces of oyster-shell powder and ½ ounce of coarse sea salt. Stir and let it sit for a few days before racking again.