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A TREATISE ON
not be drank before it becomes sufficiently matured.
To improve the flavor of a hogshead of cider, one
and one half gallons of' good brandy or rum· are fre–
quently added, with 2 oz. powdered catechu (dis–
solved in water), 7
lb~.
good moist sugar or honey,
one half oz. each bitter almonds and cloves, and 4
oz. mustard seed. These must be well stirred in, and
occasionally stirred up for a fortnight, after which it
must be
al~owed
to repose for 3 or 4 months, when
·it will usually be found as bright as wine. Should
this not be the case, it must be fined with a pint ot
isinglass finings, or a dozen of eggs, and in two
weeks more it
will
be fit for use.
If
the cider be
preferred pale, omit the catechu, and instead of
isinglass fine with one quart of skimmed milk.
If
wanted of a light reddish, or rose tint, use
i
oz. of
cochineal, and omit the catechu. Preparatory to
bottling cider, it should be examined to see whether
it is clear and sparkling ; if not, it should be clari–
fied again, and left for two weeks. The night before
it is intended to be put into bottles, the bung should
be left out of the cask, and left so until the next
day, when it may be bottled, but not corked down
until the day after, as,
if'
this be done at once, many
of the bottles will burst by keeping. The best corks
and champagne bottles should be used, and it is
usual to wire and cover the corks with tin foil, after
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