703. To Make Spirit Finings

703.    To Make Spirit Finings. Pulverize 1 pound ordinary crystals of alum, divide into 12 equal portions, and put up in blue papers marked No 1. Next take 6 ounces carbonate (the ordinary sesquicarbonate) of soda, divide it into 12 parts and put them up in white papers marked No. 2. In place of the 6 ounces carbonate of soda, 4 ounces dry salt of tartar may be substituted, but the white papers containing this latter substance must be kept in a dry, well corked bottle or jar.

704. To Clarify Gin or Cordials

704.    To Clarify Gin or Cordials. To clarify from 30 to 36 gallons gin, dissolve the contents of one of the blue papers, as prepared in No 703, in about a pint of hot water, and stir it into the liquor thoroughly. Then dissolve the contents of one of the white papers in about 1/2 pint hot water, and stir well into the liquor; bung the cask close, and let the whole remain till the next day.

705. To Blanch Gin or* other White Liquor

705.    To Blanch Gin or* other White Liquor. By using double the quantity of finings, that is, 2 of each of the powders, as laid down in the foregoing receipt, the liquor will be blanched as well as clarified. It is well to recollect, however, that the more finings are employed, the greater the risk of injuring the liquor, which may have a tendency to become flat when " on draught."

706. Finings for Gin

706.    Finings for Gin. To 100 gallons gin, take 4 ounces roche alum, and put it into 1 pint of pure water; boil it until it is dissolved, then gradually add 4 ounces salts of tartar; when nearly cold put it into the gin, and stir it well with a staff for 10 minutes. The liquor must not be covered until it is fine; when this is accomplished, cover it up tight to prevent it from losing its strength.

707. To Remove the Blackness from Gin

707.    To Remove the Blackness from Gin. Some gin has a particular blackness; to remove which, take 1 ounce pulverized chalk and 2 or 3 ounces isinglass, dissolved; put this into the gin and it will become transparent. The above is enough for 50 gallons. The blackness which gin sometimes contracts by coming in contact with iron, may also be carried down by putting a solution of 2 ounces isinglass and 1 quart skimmed milk into the spirit. When the color is very black, which will happen by merely an iron nail having fallen into the liquor, there is no remedy but to have the liquor distilled over again.

708. To Clarify Stained Gin

708.    To Clarify Stained Gin. When gin has once become much stained, the only remedy is to re-distill it; when it is only slightly stained the addition of a few pounds acetic acid to a pipe or butt, 1 or 2 spoonfuls to a gallon, or a few drops to a decanterful, will usually decolor it.

709. Brandy Filter

709.    Brandy Filter. When necessary to filter an imitation brandy, an excellent utensil may be used for that purpose which has already been described. (See No. 17 (Filtration), fig. 5.) It will, however, be necessary to substitute cotton wadding in place of the charcoal.