Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-03
Process OF Making Cyder.
'nblished by request of the Connecticut As-

ricultliral Society.
The merit of Cider will always dsDeud
much On the proper mixture, or rather OIL
The proper separation of the fruits those
whose rind and pulp are tinged with green
or red, without a miXture of yellow, should
DC carefully sorted from such as are yellow
| mixed with red--The latter kind which,
should reinain on the trees until ripe enough
to tall without being much shaken, arc alone
capable OF making fine cider. Each sorr
should be collected separately, and kept till
1t becomes perfectly mellow. For this pur-
pose, It is the Common practice to place the
fruit IN heaps, about q foot in thickness, full
ly exposed to the sun, air and rain; being.
never covered except in very severe frosts.
Each kind should also be ground separately,
or mixed with such only as become rine st
the same time; but it is from the practice
OF line elders of different favcurs and de-
grces OF strength, are best obtained frGIA the
same orchard the liquors being mixed af-
Ter made. The practice Of mixture difier-
ent varieties of fruit is, however, often found
eligible, for t is less difficult to find the re-
quislte quantities of richness, astringency,
and ftayour, III three varieties OF frult than
m one; and cider composed OF the luce OF
mixed fruits generally succeed with greater
certainty than those made of one Kind
In grinding, the fruit should be reduced as
nearly as possible,-to an UNIFORM consistency,
so that the rlnd and kernels are scarcely dis
coverable from the general mass it should
be ground slowly, with free access OF air.
When the fruithasbeen thoroughly ground
the reduced pulp should remain twenly-four-
hours before it is taken to the press
large quantity of juice wiz then pass thro'
the hair clothes used in pressing, and this IS
to be deposited in casks. net quite flied,
and situated in the open air. The first fer
rnentation to which the liquor is subject, is
the vinous; the second, if not checked, or
prevented, is the acteous; the third, thepu-
tretactive. The great object, therefore, ofthe
cider-maker, is to watch the first operation,
by which some of the impurities are foated
on the surface, but most OF them sink to the
bottom; the fine part is then carefully drawn
OH into another vessel-All further fermen-
tatiCn is to be avoided ard, on any appear
aHce of'it, small quantities are drawn eff in
| TO open tubs, and return to the main body in
| a state ofhatbess. The first fermentation, if
| the weather be cool or frosty, will generally
| be completed within a few DAYS and if the
| first opportunity of drawingit from the lees
| he neglected, a change of weather, or other
| circumstances, may renderit again impure in
very short time; the brightness of the Ii
! quor is therefore the best criterion to decide
! tie proper period of racking. The casks
| should want four or five gallons to complete
their fitness, and having remained in the o.
pen air until fully wrought, they should then
be completely filled, and the bungs be fixed,
| which until now, have OILY been placed
! loosely in their situations.
| elders, thus manufactured from good fruits,
| viii retain considerable proportion of their
| sweetness to the end of three OF four years,
when it is gradually lost.