The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-11-01
before it's beneficial work can be ex-
tended to all parts of the Pacific coast.

before it's beneficial work can be ex-
tended to all parts of the Pacific coast.
Y
C. Kempf. Port Townsend, Wash,
wants to know how to clear cider and
how to make vinegar from cider In
answer to his first request, l would
say that in order to have clear cider
several things must be attended to.
In the first place never use any dirty
apples. There is wrong idea about
cider making. 1t is often thought that
any kind of apples will do for this
purpose, but that is great mistake.
If you want good cider use only good
apples, and if you want clean cider
use only clean apples. Green apples
are not fit to use in cider making.
Use, therefore, good ripe apples. Then
all cider should be strained through
a cloth that will not let any of the
pomace through. AS soon as it settles
pour off the cider and reject any set
things at the bottom. Some cider will
look much clearer than other grades.
This will be owing to the condition
of the fruit. | would not want apple
cider that looks as clear as water for
the chances are that it would be no &C
count I am suppOsing the unter-
mented cider is what is wanted. Ii
you want hard cider" then let it fer
ment and all impurities will settle to
the bottom and the clear apple wine"
can be poured Off But | would not
use that kind of cider.
+
suppose that my inquirer wants
to know how to make vinegar on the
farm without the use of expensive ma
chinery. In vinegar factories eXpen-
sive machinery is used and the meth
.ods there used are impracticable on
the farm. For "home made cider
vinegar first prepare your cider as
before described. One very important
matter is to use apples with high
per cent of sugar. If vinegar is to be
sold the law requires 4 per cent OF
acetic acid. This acetic acid is not
in the apple as it comes from the
tree but is the result of fermentation.
What makes an apple sour or sweet
is not the presence or absence OF
acetic acid but malic acid. A sweet
apple may not have as high sugar
content as sour One-it is simply
short in malic acid. Make your cider
just as you would if you were going
to drink it fresh. If you have reason
to think it is low in sugar content
you may add a small amount OF sugar.
What you need now are two fermenta-
tions, first what is called vinous fer
mentation and then acetic fermenta-
ton. To bring about these fermenta-
lions two things are essential, viz,
heat and fresh air. So you must put
your cask containing your cider in a
warm place-out in the sun in the
summer time, and leave the bung out
and not have the cask full. An ord1-
nary cellar is too cool for a speedy
fermentation, but it will take place
there if you give it time enough. 1t
will take from four to six months for
the first fermentation to take place
but when it is completed you have
no vinegar at all. You have hard
cider, which contains alcohol but no
acetic acid. You may pour off all but
the sediment and still leave the cask
open to the air and in warm place.
Then sets in what is denominated
acetic fermentation and the result will
be that the alcohol all disappears and
acetic acid appears and then you have
cider vinegar. When this second fer
mentation is completed the vinegar
should be drawn off and put into a
cask from which the air must be ex-
Guided Ordinarily it takes six months
for this second fermentation to take
place. So it can be seen that on the
farm it takes about year to make
good cider vinegar and in a cool cellar
it may require two years. If the cask
is left open after the vinegar is made
a third fermentation will set in and
the vinegar will degrade. This is a
very brief outline of the process of
making vinegar on the farm. For a
moro elaborate dissertation a work ON