Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-01
MAKING CIDER VINEGAR.
Timely Suggestions Isased on Experien.
and Observatiou

Timely Suggestions Isased on Experience
and Observation.
Many of our large orchardsts use the
entire product of their orchards, that is
not desirable as fruit, in making vinegar.
The agricultural editor of The New York
World tells how this is done. As soon
as enough apples have fallen to furnish
a supply, these are ground mp in any
kind OF a cider mill and the juice may
be pressed out at once and be left to
fcrment and soar, but it is better to keep
the pomace in open vats or casks until it
has thoroughly fernented, when the
Juice will he more easily and completely
separated from the pomace than If
pressed al the time OF grinding.
After tie pressing is over the sour
liquor Is pat into open casks to settle
and is afterwards racked off into barrels
not quite full, leaving the sediment in
the bottom of the casks. To get the
benefit of the warm fail weather these
barrels should stand ont in the sun, but
be- covered with loose boards to protect
the cooperage. On the advent of cold
weather the barrels ought to be removed
should he a stove or some good arrange
ment for warming the house that will
keep up a mild and even temperature
through the winter. Many who have
no such convenience put the barrels into
their cellars to prevent freezing and
bring them ont again in the spring; but
when the liquor can he kept above
ground and in "a warm and dry atInos-
phere the souring process will go on
much better
Experience has shown that keeping the
liquor in packages of barrel size will Sc
cure the desired acIdity sooner and bet
ter than when stored in large open tanks.
Throughout the whole process, until the
vinegar Is made and no greater acidity
Is desired, the barrels should remain un-
bunged, with a small piece Of netting
tackled over the bunghole to keep out in
sects. The barrels should be iron hooped
and he kept thoroughly well painted.
Some dilution is often necessary in the
manufacture, as, where there is an ex-
cess of saccharine matter in the Juice, it
will he too slow in turning to the acid
condition without proper addition of
water. All the varieties OF summer.
fall and winter apples may be used
together indiscriminately in making
vinegar During the process the chemi-
cal changes eliminate from the iuice
everything that could identify it as the
product of any particular variety.
Making vinegar by the natural process
will require at least one year, but it will
continue to grow stronger and better the
longer 1t is kept In the first stage of
the making the sugar in the Juice is
turned by fermentation into alcohol and
carh0nic acid. The acid. being "A gas.
bubbles to the surface and escapes, while
the alcohol is retained. The richer the
juice is in the sugar the more alcohol it
will contain after fermentation To
make vinegar the alcohol is changed by
oxidation into acetic acid, and when this
Is accomplished the vinegar is made.
But when alcohol exists in liquids in
large proportions it will hinder or entire
acid. Thus, when a small amount of
water is added to whisky it simply weak
ems the proof, while if the amount is
large the whole will turn TO vinegar.
So apple juice too rich in sugar may
remain after fermentation in the condi-
tion of hard cider for years, unless it is
diluted with water, for the reason that
it contains too much alcohol for a speedy
change. Making vinegar may be hastened
by running it slowly in small stream
from one barrel to another few feet
distant, exposing it more fully in its di-
vided form to the action of the atmos-
phere, or by trickling it down through
beach chips, shavings or corn cobs satu-
rated with old vinegar, or by the addi-
ton of a gallon or two of strong vinegar
to each barrel of cider.