The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-11-03
METHOD FOR PRE-
SERVING SWEET CIDER

Sweet cider or grape juice can be
preserved in sweet condition lndef1n-
itely if the directions furnished by
specialists in the Bureau of Plant In
dustry, United States Department of
Agriculture, are carefully followed.
AS rapidly as the juices are pressed
from the fruit place them in clean ves-
sells. Wooden barrels or tubs which
have previously been thoroughly
scalded will serve the purpose very
well, although eaTthenware jars, if
available, should be used. These are
allowed to stand over night, or for not
more than IL to ii hours, in the coolest
location possible so that much of the
solid matter suspended in the juice
will settle to the bottom. Glass jars
or bottles must be thoroughly steril-
ized to receive the juices, which are
drained off without disturbing the sedi-
ment.
If fruit jars are used they should be
fitted with sterilized caps and rubbers.
and the cap frightened down as far as
it can be turned. If the bottles using
crown caps are used, the bottles are
capped as they are filed. using caps
bottles closed with corks are used, set
the previously sterilized corks in place
in the bottles and tie them down loose
ly with a strong cord so that steam
may escape. To relieve the pressure
during sterilization the bottles should
be filled only to the neck.
A wash boiler or other convenient
vessel can be prepared for a 'water-
~,
on which the containers filled as above
indicated with juice are placed. The
bath is filled with cold water and the
bottles or jars, if closed, are inverted
or laid on one side so as to wet the in
side of the caps thoroughly with juice.
If bottles closed with corks are used,
the bottles must stand upright in the
water, which should come up to the
neck of the bottles.
The heating is then started. A ther-
mometer is hung so that it will dip for
half its length into the water, which is
heated gradually until its temperature
reaches ITS degrees f. Allow the bot
ties or jars to remain in the water for
30 minutes If quart or half-gallon jars
are used, and from 40 to as minutes if
gallon bottles are used. Then remove
from the stove and Immediately tight
en- down the caps of the jars, if jars
are used. If corked BOTTLES are used,
drive the corks firmly into the necks
inVert each bottle so as to wet. the
cork thoroughly with the hot juice
then complete the sealing by cutting
the cork off smoothly and pouring hot
paraffin over it.
Place the product in a dark, cool
room. Watch it for period
of week or more for the beginning of
fermentation, which will be indicated
by frothing at the surface of the liquid. |
If any bottles show signs of ferment
ing, return them to the wash boiler |
and repeat the process exactly as be-
fore, loosening the tops, Of course, be-
fore heating begins. and closing down
firmly again before. the liquid is al
lowed to cool.
When the juice is placed in storage |
the suspended solid matter will gradu- |
ally settle out and sediment will ac-
in the bottom and on the |
sides of the jars. In the course of two |
or three months at ordinary tempera-
lures, this settling will be completed |
and the liquid will be fairly clear. 1t |
may be used directly from the bottles
or drawn off into clean bottles. which
should be steriIized before they are
filled and which should then be eorked |
and pasteurized by heating to 10 de-
grees f. for the same length of time
as in the first pasteurIzatiOn. If re-
bottling is necessary or desirable the
second heating should never reach the
temperature to which the juice was
first heated; otherwise, the clarifica
tion which is secured by settling and
tecanting into new containers will be
defeated, as a second process of sedi
will occur. If the tempera-
Iure be kept degrees below that
reached at the first heating, this result
will be avoided. A reliable thermom-
ster is a necessity for this work, as it
IS important that the juice be heated
10 l75 degrees f. in the first heating.
n order to destroy the organisms which
would otherwise cause fermentation.
Il is equally important that the juice
should not be overheated, as this will
give it a cooked taste which is decided
v unpleasant to many people.