The beſt Way to make Raifin Wine.
Procure a clean wine or brandy hogſhead, put in two hundred of raiſins, ſtalks and all, and then fill the veſſel with fine clear ſpring-water; let it ſtand till you think it has done hiſſing; then throw in two quarts of fine French brandy; put in the bung tightly, and in about three weeks or a month, if you are ſure it has done fretting, ſtop it down cloſe; let it ſtand ſix months, peg it near the top, and if you find it very fine and good, fit for drinking, bottle it off, or clip ſtop it up again, and let it ſtand ſix months longer. It ſhould ſtand ſix months in the bottle: this is by much the beſt way of making it, as the wine will be much ſtronger, but leſs of it: the different forts of raiſins make quite a different wine; and after you have drawn off all the wine, throw on ten gallons of ſpring-water, take off the head of the barrel, and ſtir it well twice a day, preſſing the raiſins as well as you can; let it ſtand a fortnight or three weeks, then draw it off into a proper veſſel to hold it, and ſqueeze the raiſins well; add two quarts of brandy, and two quarts of ſyrup of elderberries; ſtop it cloſe when it has done working; and in about three months it will be fit for drinking. If you don’t chuſe to make this ſecond wine, fill your hogſhead with ſpring-water, and ſet it in the ſun for three or four months, and it will make excellent vinegar.