SC - Looking for Grappa info and recipe

[georg]

> > I got this inquiry a few days ago and after confirming that grappa was
> > indeed a distilled Italian wine, I checked my files but I must not have
> > saved the messages that were posted here about grappa in the past.
> >
> > Her original message was:
> > > Hello -
> > > I was wondering if you had a recipe for making grappa?  Thank you.
> >
> > And her clarification was:
> > > Many thanks for responding...Grappa is indeed an distilled Italian
> > > digestive, produced from the discarded skins of grapes used in
> > > winemaking.  I appreciate your help,
> > >   -Lorraine

It is my understanding that one should press grapes in the normal
fashion. The first press is used to make good wine. Then there is a
second press, and sometimes water is added to "rinse" the left over
bits. Sugar is also often added to this second run. Then it is allowed
to ferment as usual. This second run wine is not as tasty as the first,
so it is then distilled. IIRC, it gets freeze-distilled to concentrate
the flavors that were watered down.

For a modern recipe, one could dissolve 2 lbs of sugar in a half gallon
of water and pour this over a couple of pounds of crushed grapes, add
water to a full gallon, and allow to ferment (pitching yeast if you
don't like it wild). Rack off the fruit in a few days, and make wine as
usual. When it has fallen clear, you can pop the gallon in your freezer
and in two days pour out the liquid. Note: in the US, this freezer step
is considered illegal by the BATF.

- -georg
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