New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-03
CORRECTIVES FOR CIDER.
TO PREVENT DISCOLORATION AND
SQUIRTING.
RECENT FRENCH RESEARCHES NEUTRALIZIN0
THE TANNIN AND CHECKING
ACETIFICATION.
ACETIFICATION.

Apple Juice is the great beverage OF Thanks
giving Day. It Is a truly rural drink. But
while its popularity In this country dates from
the earliest Colonial times, It Is doubtful whether
its virtues even yet fully appreciated. A
good deal OF the cider that Is drunk in America
Is imbibed when it is comparatively new and
crude. Another large percentage is disguised
under the name OF champagne. And that which
is honestly sold and drunk cider is apt to be
regarded as pebeian connection. Nevertheless,
cider made from carefully selected fruit and
properly treated is a delicious beverage, OF
which no man need be ashamed. and IT pos
sesses besides, recognized therapeutic qualities.
II Is recommended for govt rheumatism and
kindred maladles, and also certain intestinal
disorders
For more than half a century both profess
sional and amateur bottlers have been in the
habit Of adding various substances 10 cider to
preserve it and to add to its flavor. The gem
eral Idea Of attempting to correct by chemical
means the disposition Of apple juice to spoil Is
not new. However, Improvements are beingmade
in this art as in most others. from time to time.
And II is possible that to Americans there will
be something novel and valuable in the conclu-
siOns reached by Messrs Dufour and Daniel.
who have given good deal Of attention recent
director Of the Laboratory Of Vegetable Biology.
at Fontainebleau. His colleague is a professor at
the LyC6e OF Rennes The object they had in
view was the prevention Of the dscoloraton
Of cider.
The gradual darkening Of the hue OF cider
from amber to a dirty yellow or brown Is attrib-
uted by Messrs. Dufour and Daniel to the pres
ence OF tannin. The amount varies within
rather wide limits. The larger the proportion
Of tannin the more readily does the cider turn
dark. This change occurs, however only when
the air has access to the fluid. When barrel
Of new cider is allowed to stand with an open
bung and small quantities are drawn from II
for daily consumption, the remainder Is sure to
become dscoored If there is much tannn in It,
When the percentage is as small as .415 Of
gramme to a litre Slightly more than a quartz
it is practically safe But with between 800
and 1.2j5 grammes more or less change may
be confidently expected. Discoloration takes
place rapidly when the amount runs up as 1t
sometimes does to two or two and hall
grammes to the ltre. Another factor in tho
problem Is the presence Of salts of iron in the
cider In fact, the tannin acts not directly
but Indirectly. 1t CONFINES with the iron salts
to make a minute quantity Of ink.
The best way discovered to obyiate this trout
BILE is to add a small quantity Of some acid.
number OF acids tried by Messrs. Dufour
and Daniel. and they deemed 1t wise TO give
the preference to ctric acid. because the latter
possesses antiseptc properties in addition to its
other merits a careful chemical analysis Of the
cider should be made before treatment begins.
1t is desirable to know just how much tannn
the fluid contains and also to obtain definite In
formation about the atter's acdity In extreme
fottr i.
acid to one hundred ltres Of cider are required
But ordinarily from ten to twelve grammes Is
sufficient
In the course Of their investigations the
Frenchmen just referred to found that 1t IS
common practice Of their rural countrymen to
add wood ashes 10 the tub or tun in which cider
is stored for the purpose OF clarifying IT, The
value of that experiment is called in question
by Messrs Dufour and Daniel. They say that the
alkaIi Of the ashes neutralizes the natural acids
Of the cider, and thus promotes the darkening
action Of the contained tannin. Lime or calca-
rcous earth should also be withheld for like
reason.
What IS called hard" cider has undergone
double change II is distinctly more acid to the
taste and contains little alcohol, the product
OF fermentation In the natural order Of proceed
ure the alcohol IS first developed, and them
through the absorption Of oxygen from the air.
a part OF the alcohol is turned into acetic acid
or vinegar Now. the connolsseur likes a GER
tain amount OF alcohol but abomnates the vim
egar. Hence it is desirable to control the process
Of fermentation II possible, in such way. as to
retain the alcohol unchanged. This effect can be
produced by the addition OF sub-nitrate Of bis
muth. n drug which favors the preliminary fer
mentation but checks what may be called acct