1857 The Bordeaux wine and liquor dealers' guide

53

MANUFACTURING AND .ADULTERATING LIQUORS.

barn or loft, to mellow or mature, during which time a considerable portion of the mucilage is decomposed, and alcohol and carbonic acid developed. The spoil– ed apples should then be separated from the sound ones, as they not onlyimpart a bad fiavor to the cider; but prevent its spontaneous clarification. Unripe apples should also be avoided, as they do not con– tain sufficient sugar to undergo the vinous fermenta– tion, while they contribute to render the liquor rough • and acidulous. Sour and rough-tasted apples are usually preferred by farmers for making cider, but fruit abounding in sugar would be preferable, pro– vided the same skill were exercised in the manu– facture of cider as in the process of brewing malt liquor. The process of cider making is nearly the same in all parts of the civilized world, and consists essentially of collecting the fruit, the expression and fermen– tation of the juice, and the storing and management of the liquor. The apples are crushed or ground in a mill; the liquor which runs off, is put into casks, and should be allowed to ferment in the shade in an airy situation at a temperature of 60° to 70° Fahr. It must be carefully watched, and as soon as the sediment has subsided, the cider must be racked off into clean casks, and material for its preparation should be added as follows :-

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