We present a new proof of the identities needed to exhibit an explicit [bold]Z-basis for the universal enveloping algebra associated to an affine Lie algebra. We then use the explicit [bold]Z-bases to extend Borcherds' description, via vertex operator representations, of a [bold]Z-form of the enveloping algebras for the simply-laced affine Lie algebras to the enveloping algebras associated to the unequal root length affine Lie algebras.