1559. Cyprus Wine - To Imitate

To nine gallons of water put nine quarts of the juice of white elder-berries, which have been pressed gently from the berries, and passed through a sieve without bruising the kernels of the berries; add to every gallon of liquor, three pounds of Lisbon sugar; to the whole put an ounce and a half of ginger sliced, and three quarters of an ounce of cloves; then boil this near an hour, taking off the scum as it rises, and pour the whole to cool in a tub, and work it with ale yeast spread upon a toast of bread for three days, then put it into a vessel that will just hold it, adding a pound and a half of raisins split, to lie in liquor till you draw it off, which will be in January.

1560. Damson Wine

Gather the damsons on a dry day, and bruise them. Put them into a stein with a cock in it, and to every eight pounds of fruit add one gallon of boiling water. In two days you may draw it off, and put it into a vessel, and to every gallon of the liquor add two pounds and a half of sugar. Fill up and stop it up close. Keep it in a cool cellar for twelve months, then bottle it, putting a lump of sugar into each bottle. Cork them well, and it will be fit for use in two months after.

1561. Elder Wine

Pour a gallon of boiling water over every gallon of berries, let it stand twelve hours; then draw it off and boil it up with three pounds and a half of sugar; when boiling beat up some whites of eggs, and clarify it: skim it clear, then 'add half an ounce of pounded ginger to every gallon of the wine; boil it a little longer before you put it in the tub; when cool put in a toast rubbed in yeast; let it ferment a day or two, after which put it into a barrel previously rinced with brandy. All wines should be lukewarm when the yeast is added to it.

1562. Elder Wine - Another Way

To three pounds of elderberries put one pound of damsons, and to a nine gallon cask put a pint of sloes. Boil two gallons of water with an ounce of hops for an hour and a half; then put in sugar, such as four pounds to five quarts of water; keep skimming as it rises, and then set it to cool; boil the fruit for half an hour, strain the juice, and put a quart of it to every gallon of water; then let it work with yeast for three days; put it in the barrel and stop it close. The spice and sugar to be put according to taste. When the wine has stood six weeks put in four pounds of stoned raisins.

1563. Elder Flower Wine

Put ten pounds of sugar to four gallons pf water, boil it till a sixth part is wasted away; while it is boiling skim it well; then set it by till it is as cool as wort, then put in a spoonful of yeast, and as soon as it begins to work, put in about a pint and a half of blos soms of elder picked from the stalks, stir it daily until it has done working, which will be in about a week; then put it in a cask, stop it close, let it stand two or three months, and if it is clear bottle off.