How To Distil Apples
Apples ought to be perfectly ripe for distillation, as it has been
ascertained from repeated trials, that they produce more and better
spirit, (as well as cider), when fully ripe than if taken green, or the
ripe and unripe mixed--if taken mixed it will not be found practicable
to grind them evenly, or equally fine; those fully ripe will be well
ground, whilst those hard and unripe will be little more than broken or
sli
htly bruised--and when this coarse and fine mixture is put into a
hogshead to work or ferment, that fully ripe and fine ground, will
immediately begin, and will be nearly if not quite done working before
the other begins, and of course nearly all the spirit contained in the
unripe fruit will be lost--and if it is left standing until the ill
ground unripe fruit is thoroughly fermented, and done working, you will
perceive that a large portion of the spirit contained in the ripe well
ground fruit is evaporated and of course lost.
But if the fruit be all ripe and evenly ground, of course then it will
work regularly and can be distilled in due and right order, and will
produce the greatest quantity of spirit, and much superior to that
produced from uneven, ill-ground or unripe fruit.
Apples cannot be ground too fine.