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.