1857 The Bordeaux wine and liquor dealers' guide

66

A TREATISE ON

not be drank before it becomes sufficiently matured. To improve the flavor of a hogshead of cider, one and one half gallons of' good brandy or rum· are fre– quently added, with 2 oz. powdered catechu (dis– solved in water), 7 lb~. good moist sugar or honey, one half oz. each bitter almonds and cloves, and 4 oz. mustard seed. These must be well stirred in, and occasionally stirred up for a fortnight, after which it must be al~owed to repose for 3 or 4 months, when ·it will usually be found as bright as wine. Should this not be the case, it must be fined with a pint ot isinglass finings, or a dozen of eggs, and in two weeks more it will be fit for use. If the cider be preferred pale, omit the catechu, and instead of isinglass fine with one quart of skimmed milk. If wanted of a light reddish, or rose tint, use i oz. of cochineal, and omit the catechu. Preparatory to bottling cider, it should be examined to see whether it is clear and sparkling ; if not, it should be clari– fied again, and left for two weeks. The night before it is intended to be put into bottles, the bung should be left out of the cask, and left so until the next day, when it may be bottled, but not corked down until the day after, as, if' this be done at once, many of the bottles will burst by keeping. The best corks and champagne bottles should be used, and it is usual to wire and cover the corks with tin foil, after

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