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THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION
Valley, which, incidentally, is
in
Washington, and is pronounced
Yack-a-maw
and not
ya-Key-ma,
the basic fermentation principles are
forever the same. Cider has been made for thousands of years and due
to the fearful, muddy hogwash our rural folk insist on inflicting upon
their customers, it is widely neglected by those who should know
better.
As a matter of fact, and with all due credit to our Pacific North–
west stalwarts, the tart, more flavourful Eastern apples really are
better for fine cider-apples like the favourite winesap, for instance.
The rules are really quite simple.
I.
Use apples not quite ripe,
if
we want sparkle, snap and finest flavour
in cider.
2.
Don't be both lazy and stingy by gathering up a bin of wormy wind–
falls, unless .we really admire that sad bruised-apple taste. Cider is an
important business and deserves first grade fruit, not something we
wouldn't dare feed to swine. Science has not yet been able to announce
any virtue in crushed worms, entirely aside from their distinct lack of
distingue.
Inferior fruit is what ruins most ciders.
3. Mellow these apples for
IO
days to
2
wks, depending on briskness of
weather-the colder the longer-by spreading them out on dry straw
in
a dry barn. This permits mucilage to break down, and perhaps the
starch, for all of us!-and starts development of carbonic acid which
insures that delightful sparkle so lacking in almost all professional, and
most amateur, ciders.
4. The apples are now ground to a pulp and juice pressed out through
coarse strong cotton bags. A small hand cider press is used in small
amounts, filtering the juice well.
5· Put juice in open tub or vat at a constant temperature of around 60°
Fahrenheit, covered with a cloth to prevent entry of dust, entomological
specimens, and general rural addenda. . . . Allow
2
days for weak
c~der;
8 to
10
days for strong; or in latter event, when sediment has sub–
sided. Beyond this point the vinegar trend develops apace--abortive
and acid beverage, at best, and not one to be admired.
6. Rack off into clean wooden kegs and store in cellar where fairly cool,
even temperature is assured.
7· Drink now if we cannot wait, but remember it will really
be
a divine
nectar by the coming spring!
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