1743. To Improve Alcohol Vinegar

1743.    To Improve Alcohol Vinegar. Vinegar made from pure alcohol and water does not possess the flavor of wine or cider vinegar, and is therefore inferior to them for table use; but a little acetic ether added to it renders it agreeable. Raw spirits containing some fusel oil produce a more pleasantly flavored vinegar than refined spirits; hence a few drops of fusel oil added to rectified spirits, in making the wash for vinegar, improves its aroma. A little oil of cloves or butyrie ether added in the same manner improves its flavor. A very small quantity of cider vinegar gives a large quantity of whiskey vinegar a pleasant flavor. An infusion of chicory is sometimes added to high wine vinegar, to give it the color of cider vinegar.

1744. To Keep Up a Constant Supply of Cheap Vinegar

1744.    To Keep Up a Constant Supply of Cheap Vinegar. A supply of vinegar can be kept constantly on hand by retailers in the following manner: Before a barrel is quite sold out, fill up the barrel with 1 gallon molasses to every 11 gallons soft water. This mixture will become good vinegar in about 3 weeks - and can be treated in its turn in the same way. Where less than a barrel a week is used, 3 barrels thus treated and used in rotation, will be sufficient to keep up a perpetual supply. If the barrels stand on end, there must be a hole made in the top, protected with gauze to keep out insects. If standing on the side, the bunghole must be left open and similarly protected.

1745. To Make Vinegar in Three Weeks

1745.    To Make Vinegar in Three Weeks. Mix in the following proportions: 1 quart molasses, 1 pint yeast to 3 gallons warm rain water. Put the mixture into a keg or barrel with the bunghole open, but protected with gauze against insects.

1746. Distilled Vinegar

1746.    Distilled Vinegar. Put 1 gallon vinegar in a retort; and distill by a sand-bath, 7 pints. This should produce a vinegar of specific gravity 1.0065. The use of a lead or pewter worm must be avoided, as it renders the product cloudy and poisonous.

1747. To Make Vinegar from Sugar

1747.    To Make Vinegar from Sugar. An excellent domestic vinegar may be made by dissolving 11/4 pounds sugar to each gallon water used, with 1/4 pint good yeast. If the heat of the mixture be maintained at 70° to 80° Fahr., acetification will set in, so that in 2 or 3 days it may be racked off from the sediment into a cask; it then receives the addition of 1 ounce cream of tartar, and 1 ounce crushed raisins; when completely free from sweet taste, it should be bottled and corked closely. The juice of currants, gooseberries, and many other fruits, and of beets, may be thus made into vinegar, either alone or in combination with syrup. Vinegar made in this manner keeps better than that made from malt liquors.

1748. Tests for Vinegar

1748.   Tests for Vinegar. The methods of testing the strength of vinegar are given under the head of Acetimetry. The following tests of purity will be found useful:

Paper written on or smeared with pure vinegar, is not charred when strongly warmed before the fire; if it is, the vinegar contains fully 2 per cent, of sulphuric acid.

Dip a small porcelain capsule or china cup into a solution of 1/2 ounce sugar in 15 ounces water, and then heat the capsule to a temperature of 212° Fahr. A drop of vinegar let fall on it will not be materially discolored if pure; it will turn a dark brown or black, if the vinegar contains only 1/300 part of sulphuric acid; the presence of 1/1000 of sulphuric acid will cause the spot to turn an olive green; a less proportion will produce a pale green color.

Chloride of barium testifies the presence of the same acid by forming a heavy white precipitate; each grain of this precipitate, after being dried and gently ignited, represents .344 grain of dry sulphuric acid; and if the precipitate from 1000 grains of vinegar exceed 21/2 grains, it contains an undue proportion of sulphuric acid.

If a solution of nitrate of silver gives a cloudy white precipitate, hydrochloric acid is present.

If, after the addition of 2 or 3 grains carbonate of potash, and evaporation of the sample to dryness, the residuum deflagrates when ignited, the sample contains nitric acid.