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JƲly 22. I included, two or three weeks ago, some ripe Goose-berries in a great glass, and filled all the interstices with water and Sugar: to day seeing the Fruit did ferment apace, I took out some with the liquor, and filled therewith ⅘ of a little glass-pot; then I made use
of some of this liquor alone to fill another glass-pot, wherein I had put some fresh Goose-berries unfermen∣ted: having included these two pots in the same frame and in the same Engine, I advanced the fire till the drop of water would dry away in 2 seconds, and kept it so for a while; the inward pressure was ten times stronger than the ordinary pressure of the Air. The Vessels be∣ing cooled, I found the pot containing the fermented Goose-berries to be half empty and mightily burnt; but the Vessel containing the fresh Goose-berries was scarce at all the emptier, though there were in it a good deal of fermented liquor which had no taste of burning.
From this Experiment I concluded, that when Wine is made so by infusing fruit in water and Sugar, there is much more strength in the fruit than in the liquor: so that the fruit by fermenting comes to be near as apt to rarifie as Spirit of Wine it self (see Chap. 6. Exper. 2.) Therefore I though if I did make Wine with fruit alone without water, it would be mighty strong; but because the juyce of Goose-berries and several other Fruits are too thick to make Wine withal, unless they be boiled, I think that this screwed Engine is very necessary to boil these Juyces, seeing we can perform it without water, and without evaporating the most subtile parts, there∣fore I made the following Experiment.
July 25. I put ripe Goose-berries into a Pewter-pot, and having inclosed it in the Engine, I continued the fire till a drop of water would dry away in 3 seconds, with an inward pressure ten times stronger than the or∣dinary pressure of the Air: I presently took off the fire, and the Vessels being cooled, I found that the Goose-berries had yielded a very red juyce, and that in the places where the Goose-berries had been burst next to the Pewter pot, they had acquired a very fine purple Violet colour.
I put this morning some of the same ripe Goose-ber∣ries
with water and Sugar into a glass Vessel well stopt; and afterwards I put some of the Goose-berries, newly taken out of the Engine, into another glass with some of their Juyce and ¼ of Sugar, that I might see which of them would ferment sooner and better.
August 2. Two or three days ago I saw the Goose-berries ferment in both glasses much alike, and to day having taken some of the Juyce out of the two glasses, I put them severally into two Vials, and then I put them both together in Vacuo, where I observed, according to my expectation, that the Juyce of those Goose-berries that had been boiled, was much more like the nature of Wine than the liquor of the other glass, for that bub∣bled more, and its taste was more pungent and spiri∣tuous.
August 3. I separated the boiled Goose-berries from their Juyce, and squeezed them that they might yield more: I put all that Juyce into a Bottle which I have kept ever since, that is, near six weeks. For two or three days in the beginning that liquor fermented migh∣tily, threw out the Cork and ran over, though it was not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 full; but since that time it hath been much abated, and now its taste is very good and pungent, yet it doth ferment still, several bubbles arising in it, and it is not clarified: this makes me believe that such Wine may be kept for a great while, and that it is to be feared rather that it will be too long a making, than that it will grow four too soon.
I put the remainder of the squeezed Goose-berries into another Glass with water and a little Sugar: this in less than 24 hours began to ferment very violently, and in a fortnight the liquor was pretty well clarified and good to drink, but not so strong as that without water, and I believe also it would have grown four in a short time. This Experiment was made by guess and without Scales; but I guest the fruit to have been about ½ of the weight of the water, and the Sugar 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
From this Experiment we see that the same fruit, by
means of this Engine, may afford two sorts of Wine; the one to keep long, and the other to drink quickly.
August 5. I took some of the Juyce of the Goose-ber∣ries above-mentioned, in the time it did ferment most briskly, and having put it into a little glass-pot, and then in the Engine, I continued the fire till the drop of water would dry away in 10 seconds, with an inward pressure three times stronger than the ordinary pressure of the Air. I found that the liquor had got a taste near to that they call in France raisiné, and it was pleasing to drink, and apt to quench thirst. Then that I might know whether the liquor had been much altered by boiling in the Engine, I put some of it into a little glass, and took some also out of the great Bottle that was a fermenting, and having put it into another glass, I in∣cluded them both at the same time in Vacuo, and found that the liquor which I had set upon the fire during its fermentation, did not bubble so much as common water would do; but the other liquor did at the very first suction rise all into bubbles.
From this Experiment I guess: 1. That by boiling a Liquor, whilst it ferments, we may quickly take away the ill quality it hath to generate winds, and cause pains in the Belly. 2. That such a liquor would not hurt the Head neither, as Wine doth, because the Spirits are not yet quite so loose, as they are in Wine: and this appears, because the Wine boils in some measure in Vacuo Boy∣liano, but this liquor doth hardly yield any little bub∣bles. 3. That such a liquor would not easily dye, since the Spirits can so hardly extricate themselves: And last∣ly, I am very apt to believe that it would be a good nourishing and strengthning Drink, since Bread is rec∣koned to be the staff of life which is put into the Oven, even during its fermentation: yet we must expect fur∣ther Experiments before we can have any certainty of it; in the mean time we may be sure that such drink may be got ready pretty soon.
August 17. I took Juyce of Plums distilled after the manner to be described Chap. 6. Exper. 3. and because it was thicker than that which is drawn without distilling (for the Juyce which remains in the heat with the fruit, is thereby continually attenuated) I thought I should use more heat to attenuate the same: therefore having shut it after the ordinary way, I continued the fire till the drop of water would dry away in less than 2 seconds, with an inward pressure twelve times stronger than the ordinary pressure of the Air: I took away the fire, and the Vessels being cooled, I found (contrary to my expe∣ctation) that the Juyce was become almost all solid from the top to the bottom of the pot, and that it was turned into a black stuff much burnt which could easily be powdered between ones fingers; yet there were many cavities full with a very fluid liquor, which had such an acrimony, that the Tongue could hardly endure it: so that the heat did work upon that Juyce almost the same effect as the Runnet doth upon Milk.
I have kept for two months together some of the same distilled Juyce of Plums, and I found that it was not at all grown hard, as that which had been in such a great heat was; but it hath fermented very little in compari∣son with those that are more sluid.
This Experiment shews that the degree of heat is to be well observed in making Drink, not to give too much nor too little: and that distillations of Juyces may in∣deed prove very good to make clear Cakes, Gellies, Sy∣rups, &c. but for Drinks, ordinary boiling, as I have said of Goose-berries, will do better: yet in time it may be, such thick Juyces will make stronger Wines than thinner ones; but I am afraid that will require many years.
August 17, 18, &c. I kept Juyces of Plums to make
the same Experiments, as I have said of Goose berries; but I think it needless to give the particulars of them, because I learnt nothing new by them, but that Damsons, if they be not too ripe nor over-boiled, will make Wine much stronger than Goose-berries: and that having mingled a little Juyce that was a fermenting with a Bottle of Juyce newly drawn, this mixture did, like a Ferment, hasten the fermentation in the said Bottle.