THE PRINCIPLES OF CIDER MAKING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 3 April 1923, Page 3

THE PRINCIPLES OF CIDER MAKING

1 : (By J. O. Wood fin, Vine and Wine | Instructor). , j Cider constitutes a first-class healthj I'u.l beverage when properly prepared. It can be made as a. purely temper- ! a>. c boverago or an excellent light 1 refreshing drink can bo prepared from , tLe fermented apple juice by adding ■ carbonated mineral water or lemon- ! ado. j In the older cider-making countries ' special cider apples,’suited to the elii matic and soil conditions, are grown. ! Seme of these varieties make good eiI (It by themselves, but the general j rule is to blend the different varieties so as to combine the necessary pro- ! portions of acidity, sugar, and tannin i to produce a good keeping and palatable drink. Experience has proved that a better fermentation and re- ! suiting cider is obtained iu this way i than by blending the cider produced fiviri different varieties of apples formened by themselves. 1 The value of Noy Zealand grown apples, from a eider-making point of , view, has not boon systematically j | to;ted ,but judging from the excellent I 1 pioduet obtained from a few varieties, J there is no reason why as good a cider should not be produced in New Zea- ' lard as m any other country m the , world. Mo rover, the climatic condi- 1 tarns in the principal apple-producing . districts are all that can be desired

for the successful fermentation and maturing of a first-class cider. The best criterion to base the choice of cider apples oil, and the proper preportion ot the diiferent varieties to be risen for blending purposes, is furnished by the cider produced from them. It is therefore essential, in order to arrive at manufacturing a standrd article, to take note when preparing the apples for the mill of the names and quantity of each variety and their respective qualities, the nature of the soil and situation in which they were grown, and of all other factors which, in the cider- * maker’s opinion, are susceptible of modifying tbe finished product. By comparing the finished ciders the maker can ultimately select a suitable blend of fruit for* the manufacture of a high class cider of distinctive qualities, a production of personal taste acceptable to connoisseurs and the majority of consumers. j Freshly gathered apples are rarely ■ sufficiently ripe or mellow to bo , converted into cider at once; even the .> early varieties can be improved by leaving them on tho ground, in favourable weather. This, however,

.should bo avoided, wherever ittyis possible to to store them under cover, as in rainy seasons the apples may lose as much as 3 per cent of their saccharine contents besides being rotted by excessive humidity. Under cover they should -be separated from the soil to prevent their being contaminated, and so that the air can circulate fiecly both underneath and through them. This can bo attained in several ways. For instance, by covering the soil with looso boards raised on fairly high cross-pieces or by covering the floor with a layer of manuka and straw. The apples can then be placed in heaps about two feet deep with air-shafts formed of small bundles of manuka placed at intervals to facilitate free ventilation. Apples placed in largo piles are liable to heat ami ferment, and the alcohol produced in them is liable to be attacked by vinegar bacteria—the worst enemy the cider-maker has to contend with. Whore bushel cases are available the fruit can bo stored in these, placed under cover, and piled up as thev are in cool storage. In fact, this will probably be found to lie the most convet, ion t and economical method of keeping them. Whichever plan is adopted, it will be found advantageous to store each variety and the varieties of each of the ripening periods separably, so as to facilitate the handling of them when required for the mill. The finest ciders tire produced from apples ripening during the ■ Infer periods of the apple season. These should always be matured under cover. Apples for cider-making should lie perfectly clean, sound, and free from mould and earthy\ flavours acquired through lying too long on the ground. They should bo ripe and only those varieties which attain their maximum of sugar contents at the same period should be blended. For the purposes of blending, apples are usually classed • into three main groups—-the sharp class, which includes all kinds containing a moderate to large amount of acid in the juice; the sweet class containing little acid and little tannin; and the bitter sweets, containing little acid but moderate to large quantities of tannin. While except under factory conditions it is more or less difficult to blend to a definite standard of chemical composition, which alone can give complete uniformity in the character of the finished product, it is generally worth the efFort to aim at some degree of standardisation by miring the varieties available ac-

cording to ;i. defimto plan. Persona] taste, which varies considerably in different individuals, must, determine the proportions of the varieties belong ing to these three groups required in the mixture, but as a, general guide from one to two parts by weight of sharp fruit to one part of sweet and one part of bitter sweet fruit, constitute a mixture which is widely approved. Dessert and culinary varieties of apples belong to the sharp class of apples* They are almost invariably deficient in tannin, usually yield juices which ferment vi iy rapidly, and in the case of all the better-known culinary varieties atu some of the dessert kinds contain very little sugar. Used alone they pioduce thin coarse ciders, too acid aril too dry, these features being especially marked where culinary varieties are concerned. Some of the sweeter and less npjd dessert kinds give better results, but a well-balan-ced blend will be found to yield a superior product. The modern cider mills and presses aie generally combined in one plant, and the milling and pressing is carrio ion continuously. The object of grinding or milling the apples is to rupture the cells containing the juice so that the maximum of juico will escape freely under the action of tie press. The grater type of mill is generally conceded to be tho most suitable for obtaining this condition. These mills have a wooden or ' metal cyl.nder fitted with corrugated or sawhko blades, which grate or rasp tho apples against a metal concavo or shoe, so regulated that the apples are reduced to a finely divided pomace without crushing the pips, which would give an undesirable flavour to : the cider. j

Tho modern method of extracting tho juice from tho milled fruit or po < - Tmicv is a distinct advance on the oldc systems still practised in parts of the cider producing countries. It consists in building up a cheese of several layers of pomace on the bed of tho press, each layer being about three or four inches thick and wrapped in a press doth of netting made of stout cotton or other suitable fibrous material. Between each layer is placed a slotted wooden rack to facilitate the drainage of tho juice. By this means each pressing is considerably expedited and a high yield of re- j latively clear juico with little sus- ' po'fled. matter secured. Using a mill j of the grater type in combination with a good hydraulic press, a ton of fruit I should render about 165 gallons of j juice, or a little over three gallons to j the {mshel. J (To be continued).