The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-11-01
ON THE MAKING OF CIDER.

ON THE MAKING OF CIDER.
There has seldom been larger crop
of apples than that of the present sea-
son; the markets for present use have
been glutted, and many. who are un-
prepared for making cider, or have
not been able to procure casks, (which
are scarce and high, will have to cut
and dry. the fruit in the sun, (which
will pay or to turn in their hogs to
consume it. To those however who
have prepared themselves with cider
mills, we offer the following sugges-
tions from the N. E. Farmer, the
editor, in introducing them, remarks,
that whether cider be made good or
not, will depend greatly upon the
manner in which the business is man
aged. - ...-, ..-.., ..
In the first place, we are inclined to
believe that the ripening of the apples
has much to do with the quality of the
cider. If an unripe apple, and per-
fectly ripe one were analyzed, the re-
suits from each would probably be
quite different. An unripe peach or
pear has little resemblance to one that
is matured on the tree. An impOr-
tant chemical change takes place in
the ripening of apples, which gives
their choicest qualities,-such as the
flavor of the flesh and aroma of the
skin. If this be so, the first requisite
in cider making, is to secure ripeness
In the fruit to be used.
MELLowING.
1t is better that apples should lay
for time after being gathered before
they are ground or smashed. This
mellowing process has two advantages.
The first is, in a sort of maturing the
juice while In the apple, where it is
supposed to acquire q richness which
would be lost if the apples were ground
as soon as gathered from the tree.
The second Is, that in the process of
meIlowing, the texture is greatly soft
ened, so that the operations Of grind
ing and pressing are more easily and
more effectually performed. Care
should be taken, however, that the
mellowing is not carried too far. When
the thumb can be easily thrust into
the apple, it is time it were ground.
'g9 ROTTEN APPLES
For the same reason that apples
should be ripe before being made into
cider, we believe that rotton apples
should not be used. When decompo-
sition commences, a chemical change
takes place entirely unlike that which
gives flavor and aroma to the ripen-
ing fruit is now in a rapid state of
decay, and on tasting its juice it will
be found entirely unlike that of a
sound, mellow apple. The use of rot
ten apples is undoubtedly the source
of much poor cider.
When the fruit is gathered, the de-
caying apples should be rejected and
the sound laid in heaps a foot thick on
the grass ground, perhaps, where they
will mature. 1t is not necessary to
protect them from the weather, unless
frost is anticipated. If placed in a
building they are apt to get taint of
must which is likely to be cOmmuni-
Gated 10 the cider. When the apples
are taken up for grinding, it is best to
reject again those which are rotten.
GRINDING, PULPING OR MASKING THE
APPLES.
This is done in many instances
now, much more effectually than it
used to be. A considerably larger
amount of juice is obtained from the
same measure of apples, and the cider
is of better quality. Like the strip
pings" in milking, the last juice OBJ
tanned from the 'cheese" is of a darker
color and much richer than that which
flows out first. 1t is important, there
fore, that pressure should be very
great. While looking at a powerful
press set up last year, we were told
that the pomace Immediately from the
press, and broken up, would burn free
ly if thrown upon the fire.
In order to obtain q very fine quail
ity of cider, it is sometimes the prac-
tice to make the first pressing very
light, so as to extract only that Dor
ton of the juice which would flow al
most spontaneously; then remove the
pulp, break it to pieces and allow it to
iay for ten or twelve hours, turning it
over once or twice during the time.
By this exposure, the pulp will become
brown, and being then pressed bv a
gradually increasing pressure, will
give out not only deeper colOred, but
considerably sweeter juice, than that
which flowed at the first pressure.
CASKS FOR HOLDING CIDER.
Large quantities of cider are ruined
by being put into filthy casks. Scarce
ly ANYTHING can be more unclean
and offensive than the "dregs" which
remain in the cask after draining OF
the cider. 1t is collection of animal
and vegetable matter, in a high state
of decomposition, a stencn to the nos
trils, and q poison to the stomach.
And vet, casks containing this filth
are probably used every year, and
without even being rinsed out. Use
none but perfectly clean casks. Ii
will be difficult ever to make q filthy
cask sweet. A good way is to take out
one head, wash out the barrel with
strong soap-suds, and when it is dry,
throw i'm a handful of shavings and sci
them on fire, so that the blaze will
reach every part OF the inside of the
cask. Some persons use ashes, sui
phur, or carbolic acid or lime.
FERMENTATION.
This should be carefully watched, SC
that as soon as it ceases, the cask
should be closed. The barrel ought to
be kept full so that what scum rises
NAV flow off from the bung-hole,
while fermentation is going on.
LATE-MADE CIDER.
1t is said that if the apples can bt
kept from freezing, cider made late in
November, or in December, will bt
better than any made earlier:
From other reliable sources the fol
lowing is gleaned:-
If the casks are musty or foul put IN
a quantity of unslacked lime and ther
pour i'm boiling water until the same i
Stacked. Put i'm the bung and shake
until the water and lime have come in
contact with every part of the barrel
Let it stand six or eight hours, empty
out and smell the cask, and If moi
clean repeat the operation, and afteI
having again emptied out the lime
burn a strip of cloth dipped in melted
birthstone in the cask, fastening it BY
the bung, and a cask must be foul in
deed that cannot be purified by this
process.
The following process of keeping
sweet cider is also highly recommend
ed: Let the cider ferment once, so a,
to clear, then rack off, and into eacf
cask or barrel throw piece of raw
baep Ry this svstem the cider is no