The La Jara chronicle., 1910-03-04
VINEGAR MAKING.

1t is only within comparatively re-
cent years that the true nature OF
the biological processes involved in
vinegar making have been fully un-
derstood. Pure cider vinegar. as it
is produced on the farm, has been
taken as the standard of excellence
for long time. but as one buys this
article on the open market. he sell
dom finds it possessing the merits
claimed for it. ] fact, in many To-
calities the white wine vinegar,
commercial product, is much to be
preferred to the worthless and inferi-
or apple product. There seems to be
little excuse for the existence of so
poor an article, for with little care
md a few simple directions, the av-
erage farmer can produce as high
grade vinegar as the most fastidious
could desire.
In the first place, avoid the use of
old vinegar barrels, unless they are
thoroughly scalded with either boil
ing water or live steam. The object
of this is to destroy Objectionable
germs which are apt to be present
and which might produce bad avors
II allowed to develop in the fresh
cider. II practicable. pasteurize the
sweet cider by heating it for twenty
minutes at 1856 degrees F. before
placing it in the clean barrels: this
precaution is taken in order to rid
the cider of undesirable yeasts and
bacteria. The barrels should be not
more than two-thirds to three-fourths
filled with apple juice and the outer
air allowed free access TO the cask
through an open bung hole stoppered
with cotton plug. The alcoholic
fermentation is started best by add
ing cake of either compressed or
dry yeast. BY this means a good
quality of alcohol is produced and
the hard cider which develops is
reasonably free from the numerous
off flavors which are so commonly
present in vinegar made in the old
fashioned way. When the cider has
reached the hard cider stage which
under ordinary farm management re-
quires frCm five to six months, If
the barrels are kept in cellar at a
temperature of 40 degrees to 80 de
=roes F.. add to each cask small
piece of mother of vinegar" which
previous experience has shown to
! possess desirable vinegar making
properties. The hard cider shOu'
now be kept in warmer place, 65
to - degrees F. to allow the more
rap.l growth of the acetic acid germ.
the chief constituent of the mother"
which changes the alcohol of the hard
cider into acetic acid At this tenn
perature the acetic acid fermentation
may be completed in fifteen to eigh-
teen months, or if left at the lower
temperature. in twenty one to twenty
four months. When the maximum
amount of acetic acid has been pro-
drawn off and stored in clean. well
scalded barrels which should be COM
plete y filled and tightly stoppered;
Otherwise deterioration may take
place. due to the action cf certain
germs which destroy the acetic acid
in the presence of an abundant sup
ply of oxygen.
Pasteurizatio has been suggested
as another means of preventing the
deterioration. and If carried on prop
erly, is TO be preferred to the method
above described This consists in
heating the vinegar for twenty min
utes at l2O degrees F. By this
means the harmful bacteria are des-
troyed without the loss of either the
acid itself or the volatile substances
which give cider vinegar its charac-
teristic flavor.
WALTER G. SACKETT