Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the clarification and removal of hazes from fresh, pasteurized, and fermented fruit juices by the use of honey as a clarifying agent, or alternatively, the treatment of the unclarified juice with both tannin and honey in instances where the natural fruit juice tannins are low. Furthermore, these clarification processes can be used in conjunction with presently used clarification processes, such as enzyme treatment, to shorten the clarification period.

Abstract: A device is provided for transforming or converting an enclosure or container into a self-emptying type of container which is equipped with such a device. The device is particularly adapted for converting an enclosure or container which is adapted to receive a fluid body which is susceptible to being separated by decantation into a liquid and a residue. One example of such a container is a vinification container which retains a liquid and a marc cake. The device comprises an axial rotating evacuation element positioned in a channel at the bottom of the container and at least one wall which is journalled to the channel and movably controlled by a system of one or more movable vertical beams. A substantially horizontal grill is movable on or with the beam system and is adapted to preserve the marc cake and to ultimately break it up so as to mix it with the juice. The journalled wall comprises one or more panels and is connected by a rod system to the vertically movable beam.

Abstract: A method for producing a fertilizer and decay promoting substance by subjecting grape marc to aerobic decay so that in a first phase, the sugar content is converted to alcohol and microbial fermentation produces organic acids. During the first phase, the alcohol and acids react to produce aromatic esters and a decay stabilized mass. In a second phase, the mass is rearranged to facilitate access of air and promote penetration of the mycelia of Humicola lanuginusa and thermophilic actinomycetes into the mass. In a third step, the mass is rearranged to effect microbial degradation of the mycelia and the mass is dried and the pip-containing fraction is separated. The thus obtained pips or seeds are infested with spores of the above-mentioned microorganisms and still contain their natural oil content and constitute an excellent high-grade fertilizer and aerobic decay promoting agent for the decay of vegetable and animal waste materials.

Abstract: A method for producing a fertilizer and decay promoting substance by subjecting grape marc to aerobic decay so that in a first phase, the sugar content is converted to alcohol and bacterial fermentation produces organic acids. During the first phase, the alcohol and acids react to produce aromatic esters and a decay stabilized mass. In a second phase, the mass is rearranged to facilitate access of air and promote penetration of the mycelia of a thermophilic actinomycete into the mass. In a third step, the mass is rearranged to effect microbial degradation by the actinomycete mycelia and the mass is dried and the pip-containing fraction is separated. The thus obtained pips or seeds are infested with mycelia and still contain their natural oil content and constitute an excellent high-grade fertilizer and aerobic decay promoting agent for the decay of vegetable and animal waste materials.

Abstract: A system and process for relatively quickly applying and evenly distributing accurate amounts of sulfur dioxide to must. The system comprises a sulfur dioxide containment vessel and means for pressurizing the sulfur dioxide in the vessel with an inert gas. Conduit means delivers the sulfur dioxide to a must flow conduit. An inert gas under relatively low pressure is introduced into the conduit for the sulfur dioxide conduit means for ultimate delivery to the must flow conduit. Metering means delivers the precise proportions of sulfur dioxide to the must flow conduit.The process enables the introduction of precise proportions of the sulfur dioxide to the must flow conduit and the introduction of an inert gas under relatively low pressure along with the sulfur dioxide into the must.

Abstract: Wine is champagnized by a continuous-flow process wherein a stream of champagne wine-stock, saccharose and yeast cells is continuously passed for secondary fermentation at a temperature up to 15.degree. C. through a yeast mass accumulated by separation of yeast from the stream. During secondary fermentation the wine is enriched with biologically active substances from autolyzed yeast and is freed of yeast cells while the yeast mass increases in concentration to 5-10 billion cells per ml. Completely champagnized wine stock substantially free of yeast cells is obtained in about 17 days. The process enables intensification of champagnization by 5 to 6 times due to the use of yeast exceeding by 10-15 times the concentrations usually employed. The process can be continued for a time period of 2-3 years without stopping the process to recharge.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for macerating and fermenting grapes in the presence of carbon dioxide, the picked grapes being put in a hopper in clusters and fed therefrom by a screw conveyor to an intermittently pulsating pump located below a fermentation vat being filled, and carbon dioxide being drawn from this vat, and others in the installation, and reinjected into the mixture of partially crushed grapes and their must as it is being conducted in a pipe from the pump upwardly into the vat against the back-pressure of the contents therein.

Abstract: Fermentation of solutions such as grape juice is carried out in an apparatus that permits continuously fermenting under sterile conditions. The apparatus is a closed slender upright hollow tower having connected thereto inlet and outlet means, sterile gas inlet means fitted with membrane filters, sintered candle means to introduce sterile gas, steam inlet means connected via sampling means for sterilizing with steam and pressure regulating means for maintaining excess pressure in the tower.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for maturing sherry wine in which the multiplicity of casks conventionally used in the respective maturation stages are replaced by respective single containers, preferably sub-divisions of a single large vessel.

Abstract: An alcoholic beverage of good clarity and alcohol content in the 12-16% by volume range, namely wine or cider, is made in a space of about 28 days by mixing together water, sugar and a rapid ferment and flavor conferring composition, maintaining the mixture under fermentation conditions for about 28 days, and then removing the liquor from the solid sediment. The composition comprises a mixture of, firstly, the dried granulated product prepared by mixing the yeast nutrients ammonium phosphate, urea, monobasic potassium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate with water to form a paste, then drying and granulating the solid mixture from the paste; and, secondly, a combination of flavor conferring and fermentation ingredients including a wine yeast, food grade lecithin, calcium carbonate, sodium citrate and an organic acid such as malic acid. For a wine beverage, freeze-dried wine powder may be added. For a cider beverage, apple juice powder is added.

Abstract: Wines, particularly those which are prepared from grapes which have a very strong foxy or wild characteristic, such as those of the Vitis labrusca species or variety, are improved as to their taste characteristics and stability. This is accomplished by contacting one given portion of a wine with a weak basic ion exchange material or resin, contacting another given portion of said wine with a strong acid cation exchange material or resin, and then blending certain proportions of each of said aforesaid treated wines alone or with a given portion of the original untreated wine or with a different original untreated wine of similar character to that of the original wine.

Abstract: A method for cold stabilizing wine by the addition of a treating composition to cause precipitation of calcium tartrate. The treating composition is formed by mixing calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide and tartaric acid in wine or water to form a slurry including seed microcrystals of calcium tartrate. The wine is agitated vigorously during the mixing step and during subsequent holding at room temperature.

Abstract: A method of treatment of an anthocyanic extract, characterized in that it mainly comprises an ultrafiltration stage which consists in separating from said extract by ultrafiltration, on the one hand a liquid filtrate which passes through an ultrafilter membrane and on the other hand a first concentrate containing more condensed forms of anthocyanins, and a reverse osmosis stage which consists in separating from said filtrate by reverse osmosis, on the one hand a diffusate which passes through a reverse osmosis membrane and on the other hand a second concentrate which contains less condensed forms of anthocyanins.

Abstract: The invention relates particularly but not exclusively to the basic food products consumed by human beings.The method of improving and retaining the nutritional qualities of basic foods and drinks consists in incorporating in these products, after the final stage of normal usefulness of the yeasts contained therein, an anti-mycotic product such as selenium sulphide or any selenium salt or heavy-metal salt.The method is applied by adding very small quantities of selenium sulphide to bread, wines, beer and other foods and beverages requiring the addition of yeasts for preparing them for consumption.The method of the invention may also be applied in the treatment of products other than food products, for example tooth-pastes, bottles, under-garments and medical equipment made of plastics materials.

Abstract: The bubbling of poorly soluble gases into fermentation liquids either for the replenishment of dissolved oxygen or for removal of excess super-saturated CO.sub.2 can lead to severe foaming problems, particularly in deep fermentation vessels. The present invention overcomes this problem by dissolving the gas in an aqueous medium, usually water, under superatmospheric conditions and injecting the gas solution into the fermentation liquid in controlled quantities under conditions such that the gas is either retained in solution in the fermentation liquid or, at most, the gas is released from solution in the form of microbubbles of much smaller size than can be obtained by passing gas through a porous diffuser. Microbubbles may be released from the gas solution by injecting the pressurized gas solution into the fermentation liquid under conditions of high shear rate.

Abstract: The production of fermented alcoholic beverages in large volumes such as wine is accelerated by a process of introducing a fermentable mixture into a large volume batch container so that a portion of the container volume remains unfilled, substantially evacuating the unfilled volume of the container to produce an anaerobic environment within the container, introducing an outside source of fermentation gas into the unfilled volume of the container while maintaining the anaerobic environment, allowing fermentation to proceed and increase gaseous pressure, periodically reducing the gaseous pressure to a lower pressure limit when a pressure upper limit is reached, continuing periodic pressure reduction until primary fermentation is complete, and allowing aging to occur under controlled pressure of fermentation gas until aging is complete as indicated by a certain drop in pressure or by chemical analysis.

Abstract: A method of treating wine, comprising introducing crude wine to both the dilution and concentration chambers of an electrodialysis apparatus; operating said apparatus so that the potassium concentration of the wine in the dilution chamber falls to below 500 mg/liter and the potassium content of the wine in the concentration chamber is increased into the range 1000 to 2000 mg/liters; cooling the wine from the concentration chamber to below 10.degree. C and adding tartaric acid crystals to said wine in order to adjust the pH into the range of 2.8 to 3.2 thereby precipitating tartar; separating the tartar from the wine and admixing said wine with wine emerging from the dilution chamber of the electrodialysis apparatus in a ratio such that the potassium content of the resulting mixture is below 500 mg/liter.

Abstract: Method for secondary fermentation of champagne in the bottle. In the secondary fermentation process solid of liquid yeast is introduced into the bottle permitting interchange of liquid and gaseous products of fermentation and yeast autolysis by confining the yeast in a semipermeable or porous wall or membrane to prevent the introduction or contamination of the wine with solid components. The yeast may be introduced through a special closure fitting underneath a bottle cap. After the secondary fermentation has been completed the pressure may be reduced by piercing the cap after which the cap and the device containing the yeast are removed. Sweetening of the champagne material is then accomplished to complete the process.

Abstract: A tartarous beverage, such as wine, containing a tartrate to be removed therefrom is conveyed from a storage container through a conduit under pressure into a first module having a semipermeable membrane. The semipermeable membrane forms two streams, a tartrate-free permeate and a concentrate containing a solution of said tartarous beverage and tartrate. The permeate stream is directed from the module through a conduit to a delivery tank. The concentrate may then be conveyed from the first module to a plurality of modules that are serially connected to each other. Each of the modules has an outlet that is connected by an intermediate conduit to an inlet of the adjacent module for the passage of the solution therethrough. The permeate stream exits from each of the modules and is collectively conveyed to the delivery tank. The concentrate is directed through the modules to provide a stronger concentration of the tartrate in the solution.

Abstract: Alcoholic beverages such as beer are preserved without pasteurization by mechanically removing microorganisms from the beverage and by carrying out the removing of microorganisms and all subsequent treatment of the beverage including bottling and sealing in a circuit free of air.

Abstract: Fruit wines excellent in taste and bouquet can be manufactured from fruit juices of low sugar content by subjecting the crude fruit juices to a semi-permeable membrane separation process (reverse osmosis or ultrafiltration), thereby to concentrate the crude fruit juices. The time periods required for fermenting the concentrated fruit juices and aging the wines made therefrom are considerably shorter in comparison with other wine-making processes.

Abstract: A flexible fermentation container which has, in place of the common air lock, a diaphragm having a Gurley porosity of 2 to 120 seconds. The diaphragm material, such as spun bonded polyethylene, allows fermentation gases to pass out of the container, but does not allow bacteria or other contaminants to enter.

Abstract: Red or Rose wine is prepared by fermenting juice and pulp from grapes with colored skins by a process which involves separating skins from juice and pulp, digesting the skins with an aqueous mixture of citric acid and an acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, sulfuric and phosphoric to extract coloring material, protein and aromatic substances, neutralizing the resultant extract with sodium carbonate or the like and adding the neutralized extract to the juice and pulp prior to completing fermentation to wine to provide a wine having a desired color and taste.