How To Judge When Apples Are Ready For Distilling


Put your hand down into the hogsheads amongst the apples as far as you

can, and bring out a handful of pugs--squeeze them in your hand, through

your fingers, observe if there be any core, or lumps of apples

un-digested, if none, you may consider them as sufficiently fermented

and quite ready for distilling. It may also be ascertained by tasting

and smelling the cider or juice, which rises in the hole placed in the

centre; if it tastes sweet and smells strong, it is not yet ready, but

when quite fermented, the taste will be sour, and smell strong, which is

the proper taste for distilling. A nice discriminating attention is

necessary to ascertain precisely, when the fermentation ceases, which is

the proper moment for distillation, and I would recommend, rather to

anticipate, than delay one hour after this period.



More

;