The Following Is A Very Highly Approved American Mode Of Making Cider
Take care to have every necessary utensil to be made use of in the whole
process, perfectly clean and free from every foreign smell. For this
purpose, before you begin your work, let your mill, trough and press be
made perfectly clean, by thoroughly washing, and if necessary, with
scalding water. The casks are another material object, and if musty, or
any other bad smell, one end should be taken out, and with shavings burn
afterwards, and drain them perfectly; when dry, bung them tight and keep
them in a cool shady place until wanted for use.--The apples should be
quite ripe, and all the unripe and rotten ones, leaves, and every other
thing that can tend to give the cider any disagreeable taste, carefully
separated from them. I have found from careful attention and many
experiments, that it is a great advantage to the cider to be separated
from the gross parts as soon as possible; for this purpose, I tried
several methods: that which I found succeeded the best, I shall now
relate, as by following it, I was able to preserve my cider in a sound
state, though made in the early part of the season. I took a large pipe,
of about 150 gallons, had one of the heads taken out, and on the inside
of the other laid on edge, four strips of boards, two inches wide, and
on these strips placed a false bottom, filled with gimlet holes, three
inches a part. On this false bottom, I put a hair cloth, (old blanket or
swingline tow will do) so as to prevent any sand from washing into the
space between the true and false bottoms; I procured a quantity of
coarse sand, which was carefully washed in repeated waters, until it
would not discolor the clean water--then dried the sand, put it in the
pipe, on the hair cloth, (coarse blanket or swingline tow,) about 9
inches thick.
Thus having every thing in readiness, I went through the process of
making, as quick as possible, by having the apples ground fine early in
the morning, putting them in the press as fast as they were ground; and
then in sufficient quantities pressed out the juice, and put it over the
sand in the cask, (having previously bored a gimlet hole in the side of
the cask), between the true and false bottoms, in which I introduced a
large goose-quill, stopped with another. The pipe was placed so high, as
to admit of a cask under it, to receive the liquor as it ran from the
quill, which, if rightly managed, will be perfectly fine, and being put
away in a cool cellar, and stopped close, will keep well, and prove of
an excellent quality.
This process is easy, and in every person's power to execute, as the
liquor, by being cleared, from its gross feculences, will not run into
that violent fermentation, so destructive to the fine vinous flavor,
which renders good cider so pleasing a drink.
Query. Would not a quart of good apple brandy to each barrel of cider,
made in this way, prevent any fermentation?
But it is generally believed that cider is the better for having
undergone a fermentation, becoming then more active and light; cider
that has undergone condensation, or has been boiled down until strong,
has been found to keep sound some length of time, but it is too heavy
and destructive to the appetite, cloying the digesting powers.--And by
too frequent use, I fancy, will ultimately produce ague and fevers; and
I fear, cider made according to the foregoing receipt, would have a
similar effect, but in a lesser degree.
I would recommend after a due attention to cleanliness, in the apple
mill, trough, press and casks, that the apples be assorted, and having
been exposed to the air, under a roof or shed some time, selecting the
sound only, that they be ground fine, and let stand soaking in the
pumice twelve hours, and then pressed off, through a clean rye straw
cheese (being the most common and convenient in the country,) and when
flowing from the press, a vessel should be provided, with the bottom
full of gimlet holes, in the style of a riddle, on which lay a coarse
cloth, then a layer of clean sand, over which a parcel of coarse rye
straw, and suffer it to filter thro' this vessel into the large
receiving tub; the rye straw will intercept the coarser pieces of
pumice, and may be changed frequently--This mode will rid the liquor of
all the coarser pieces of pumice--then I would recommend that the cider
should be placed in open hogsheads, such as are used for mashing grain
in distilleries; those being raised about two feet and an half high on
logs or a scaffolding, under a shade or covering--a spile hole bored
near the bottom of each, so as to admit a barrel to stand under the
spile--in this state, I would recommend it to stand until it undergoes a
fermentation, carefully watching the top, and when the pumice is found
to have risen, to skim it off carefully, then having previously provided
sweet barrels, draw it off by the spile hole, adding from a pint to a
quart of apple brandy to each barrel of strong cider, bung it up tight,
and store it where the frost will not injure it. In this way, I presume
it will keep well--and if the party be so disposed, I would recommend
any bottling to be done in April, and during clear weather, though it is
safe to bottle immediately after having undergone a thorough
fermentation.
More
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Observations On Weather
Some seasons are better for fermentation than others. Should a hail storm occur in the summer, the distiller should guard against cooling off with water in which hail is dissolved, for it will not work well. If a thundergust happens when the hogsh... Observations On Wood For Hogsheads
The cheapest and easiest wrought wood is generally most used for making mashing tubs, or hogsheads, and very often for dispatch or from necessity, any wood that is most convenient is taken, as pine or chesnut; indeed I have seen poplar tubs in use f... Observations On Yeast
That yeast is the main spring in distilling, is acknowledged by all distillers, tho' but few if them understand it, either in its nature or operation; tho' many pretend a knowledge of the grand subject of fermentation, and affect to understand the... Of Brewing Beer
As the following is intended principally for the use of private families, it will be necessary to begin with directions how to choose good Malt; for which, see page 67. Of the Brewing Vessels. To a copper that holds 36 gallons, the mash-tub oug... Of Fermentation
"Fermentation is a spontaneous and intestine motion, which takes place amongst the principles of organic substance deprived of life, the maximum of which always tends to change the nature of bodies, and gives rise to the formatio... Of Ferments
They are of two kinds; the very putrescent bodies, and those supplied by the oxigen. Animal substances are of the first kind: acids, neutral salts, rancid oils, and metallic oxids, are of the second. Were I obliged to make use of a ferment of th... Of Hogs
Raising, feeding and fattening hogs on potale, a business pursued and highly spoken of, but from my experience I have discovered that few good pigs can be raised entirely on potale--as it has a tendency to gripe and scour too much; but after they ar... Of Mashing Or Raking Your Liquors
Suppose you take six bushels of malt, and two pounds of hops, and would make of it one barrel of strong, and two barrels of small beer. Heat your first copper of liquor for mashing, and strew over it a double handful of bran or malt; by which you ... Of Spirituous Liquors Or Spirits
Spirituous liquors are the produce of vinous ones, obtained by the distillation of these last. The art of making wine is of the remotest antiquity, since it is attributed to Noah; but that of distilling it, so as to extract its most spirituous par... Of The Areometer Or Proof Bottle
This instrument is indispensable to the distiller: it ascertains the value of his spirits, since it shows the result of their different degrees of concentration. I will give the theory of this useful instrument, as it may be acceptable to those wh... Of The Art Of Brewing
The art of brewing consists: 1st. In the sprouting of a proportion of grain, chiefly barley. This operation converts into a saccharine matter, the elements of that same substance already existing in grains. 2dly. In preparing the wort. For that... Of The Diseases Of Hogs
The only disease that I know of which seems to be peculiar to hogs, is a kind of leprosy, commonly called measles, when it seizes them, they become dull and sleepy, if the tongue is pulled out, the palate and throat will be found full of blackish sp... Of The Distiller Of Whiskey
Whiskey is made either with rye, barley, or Indian corn. One, or all those kinds of grains is used, as they are more or less abundant in the country. I do not know how far they are mixed in Kentucky; but Indian corn is here in general the basis of w... Of The Fining Of Malt Liquors
It is most desirable to have beer fine of itself, which it seldom fails to do in due time, if rightly brewed and worked; but as disappointments some times happen, it will be necessary to know what to do in such cases. Ivory shavings boiled in you... Of The Formation Of Vinous Liquors With Grains In Order To Make Spirits
The art of extracting wine from the juice of the grape, not being the object of this book, I shall confine myself to what is necessary and useful to the distillers of whiskey; it is therefore of the vinous liquor extracted from grains, that I am g... Of The Proportions Of The Elements Necessary To Form A Good Vinous Liquor
What are the proportions of the elements necessary to form a good vinous liquor? We owe the important knowledge of those proportions to the celebrated and unfortunate Lavoisier, who has proved, by the most accurate experiments, that there must ... Of The Room For Distillation
We have hitherto considered the liquor as containing only principles upon which the air has no action, and from which it can only extract some watery vapors; and, in fact, all those principles contained in the liquor are fixed. The action of the f... Of The Season For Brewing
The season for brewing keeping-beer is certainly best before Christmas, for then your malt is in perfection, not having time to contract either a musty smell, dust or weavels, (an insect that eats out the heart of the malt) and the waters are then s... Of The Urns
These are copper vessels, thus called from their resembling those funeral vases of the ancients. Mine have a bottom of about 18 inches diameter; they are two feet high, have a bulge of 6 inches near the top, and then draw in to form an overture of a... Of Working The Liquor
In this, regard must be had to the water: liquor naturally grows warm in working; therefore, in mild weather, it should be cold before it be set on, but a little warm in cold weather. The manner of doing it, is to put some good sweet yeast into a ha... On Colouring Liquors
One pound of brown sugar burnt in a skillet almost to a cinder, add a quart of water, which when stirred, will dissolve the sugar--when dissolved, this quantity will color three barrels. A pint of well parched wheat put into a barrel will colour i... On Feeding Cattle And Milch Cows
Potale is a great creator of milk, and will increase the quantity greatly in cows yielding milk, but no so good. Young cattle thrive very well, that get hay or straw during the night. To fatten cattle there ought to be mixed with the slop, a little ... On Fining Liquors
Isinglass is almost universally used in fining liquors. Take about half an ounce to the barrel--beat it fine with a hammer, lay it in a convenient vessel, pour thereon two gallons whiskey, or a like quantity of the liquor you are about to fine, let ... On Wines
Presuming this work may be rendered more desirable to farmers, from the introduction of some receipts for making domestic wine from the common hedge grapes, or such as are common on fence rows and on high rich grounds, and which are pleasantly flavo... Precautions Against Fire
Cannot be too closely attended to. The store house, or cellar for keeping whiskey in, ought to be some distance from the distillery, and the liquor deposited, and all work necessary in it done by day, to avoid all possible danger arising from candle... Profits Of A Common Distillery
Profits arising from a distillery with two common stills, one containing 110 gallons, and one containing 65 gallons that is well conducted for 10 months. The calculations predicated on a site, distant about 60 miles from market. Due regard is paid t... Receipt For Making Honey Wine
I put a quantity of the comb from which the honey had been drained, into a tub, to which I add a barrel of cider, immediately from the press; this mixture was well stirred, and left to soak for one night. It was then strained before a fermentation t... Receipt For Stock Yeast
For a stock yeast vessel of two gallons, the size best adapted for that purpose. Take one gallon good barley malt, (be sure it be of good quality) put it into a clean, well scalded vessel, (which take care shall be perfectly sweet) pour thereon f... Receipt To Prepare Potatoes For Distilling
Wash them clean, and grind them in an apple mill, and if there be no apple mill convenient, they may be scalded and then pounded--then put two or three bushels into a hogshead and fill the hogshead nearly full of boiling water, and stir it well for ... Stock Yeast Good For Years
When the weather is moderately warm in autumn or the spring, take of your best stock yeast that has fermented about twenty four hours, and stir it thick with the coarsest middlings of wheat flour, add small quantity of whiskey, in which, previously ... The Art Of Making Gin After The Process Of The Holland Distillers
Having indicated the most proper means of obtaining spirits, I will now offer to the public the manner of making Gin, according to the methods used by the distillers in Holland. It may be more properly joined to the art of making whiskey, as it ad... The Best Method Of Distilling Rye
Take four gallons boiling, and two gallons cold water--put it into a hogshead, then stir in one and a half bushels chopped rye, let it stand five minutes, then add two gallons cold water, and one gallon malt, stir it effectually--let it stand till y... The Best Method Of Making Common Country Gin
Take of singlings a sufficient quantity to fill the doubling still, put therein ten or twelve pounds of juniper berries, with one shovel full of ashes, and two ounces alum--put on the bead, and run her off, as is done in making whiskey. This is the ... The Best Method Of Setting Stills
If stills are not set right, great injury may accrue to them, in burning and damaging the sides, singeing the whiskey, and wasting of fuel too, are not the only disadvantages; but more damage may be done in six months, than would pay a man of judgme... The Duty Of An Hired Distiller
Is to rise at four o'clock every morning. Wash and clean out the boiler, fill her up with clean water, put fire under her, and to clean, fill and put fire under the singling still--to collect and put in order for mashing, his hogsheads--and as soon ... The Duty Of The Owner Of A Distillery
The main and first object of the proprietor of a distillery, is gain or profit--and the second, it is natural, should be the acquiring a character or reputation for his liquor, and a desire to excel neighboring distilleries--in both of which, neglec... The Following Is A Very Highly Approved American Mode Of Making Cider
Take care to have every necessary utensil to be made use of in the whole process, perfectly clean and free from every foreign smell. For this purpose, before you begin your work, let your mill, trough and press be made perfectly clean, by thoroughly... The Following Receipt To Make An Excellent American Wine
Was communicated to the Burlington Society for promoting domestic manufactures, by Joseph Cooper, Esq. of Gloucester county, state of New Jersey, and ordered to be published;--which, from its extreme simplicity, and economy, shewing the convenience ... The Room For Fermentation
The room destined to the fermentation must be close, lighted by two or three windows, and large enough to contain a number of hogsheads sufficient for the distillery. It may be determined by the number of days necessary for the fermentation; 30 or... The Room Of Infusion
It is here that the liquor destined to make whiskey, should be prepared, and made rich enough to procure a good fermentation. To this effect, there must be a mill with a vertical stone, moved by a horse, or any other means of motion. Those mills a... To Ascertain When Rye Works Well In The Hogshead
When mashed rye begins to work or ferment in the hogsheads, either in a heavy, thick, or light bubbly top, both of which are unfavorable; when it rises in a thick heavy top, you may be sure there is something wrong, either in the grain, yeast, or co... To Brew Strong Beer
To a barrel of beer take two bushels of wheat just cracked in the mill, and some of the flour sifted out of it; when your water is scalding hot, put it into your mash-vat, there let it stand till you can see your face in it; then put your malt upon ... To Correct The Taste Of Singed Whiskey
Altho' this cannot be done effectually without clarifying, as prescribed, but Bohea tea will in a great measure correct a slight singe--a quarter of a pound may be tried to the barrel. ... To Distill One Half Rye And One Half Corn
This method of distilling equal quantities of rye and corn, is more in practice, and is much better than to distill unequal proportions, for reason you can scald your corn and rye to a certainty, and the produce is equal if not more, and better whis... To Give An Aged Flavor To Whiskey
This process ought to be attended to by every distiller, and with all whiskey, and if carefully done, would raise the character, and add to the wholesomeness of domestic spirits. It may be done by clarifying the singlings as it runs from the stil... To Know When Grain Is Scalded Enough
Put your mashing stick into your hogshead and stir it round two or three times gently, then lift it out and give it a gentle stroke on the edge of your hogshead--if you perceive the batter or musky part fall off your stick, and there remains the hea... To Know When Yeast Is Good Or Bad
When you perceive your yeast working, observe if it works quick, sharp and strong, and increasing in bulk nearly double what it was before it began to work, with a sweet sharp taste, and smell, with the appearance of a honey comb, with pores, and al... To Make A Quarter Of A Hogshead Of Ale And A Hogshead Of Beer Of
cooked Malt. Take five strike of malt not ground too small; put in some boiling water, to cover the bottom of your mashing-vat before you put in your malt; mash it with more boiling water, putting in your malt at several times, that it may be sure ... To Make Ale Or Any Other Liquor That Is Too New Or Sweet Drink Stale
To do this to the advantage of health, put to every quart of ale, or other liquor, 10 or 12 drops of the true spirit of salt, and let them be well mixed together, which they will soon do it by the subtile spirits penetrating into all parts, and have... To Make China Ale
To six gallons of ale, take a quarter of a pound or more of China root, thin sliced, and a quarter of a pound of coriander seeds, bruised--hang these in a tiffany, or coarse linen bag, in the vessel, till it has done working; and let it stand fourte... To Make Elderberry Wine
The editor is happy in introducing the following receipts which he is confident is hardly known in America. The great quantities of the Elderberry, which yearly goes to waste, might with very little trouble be manufactured into one of the most whole... To Make Elderberry Wine To Drink Made Warm As A Cordial
Equal quantities of berries and water boiled together, till the berries break, then strain off the liquor, and to every gallon thereof, put three pounds of sugar, and spice, to your palate, boil all up together, let it stand till it becomes cool, (n... To Make Elderberry-beer Or Ebulum
Take a hogshead of the first and strong wort, and boil in the same one bushel of picked Elderberries, full ripe; strain off, and when cold, work the liquor in the hogshead, and not in an open tun or tub; and after it has lain in the cask about a yea... To Make Four Gallons From The Bushel
This is a method of mashing that I much approve of, and recommend to all whiskey distillers to try it--it is easy in process, and is very little more trouble than the common method, and may be done in every way of mashing, as well with corn or rye, ... To Make Improved And Excellent Wholesome Purl
Take Roman wormwood two dozen, gentian-root six pounds; calamus aromatics (or the sweet flag root) two pounds; a pound or two of the galen gale-root; horse radish one bunch; orange peal dried, and juniper berries, each two pounds; seeds or kernels o... To Make Rye Malt For Stilling
Steep it twenty four hours in warm weather, in cold, forty eight, so in proportion as the weather is hot or cold; drain off the water, lay it in your malt cellar, about fifteen inches thick, for twelve hours; then spread it out half that thickness, ... To Make The Best Yeast For Daily Use
For three hogsheads take two handfuls of hops, put them into an iron pot, and pour thereon three gallons boiling water out of your boiler, set the pot on the fire closely covered half an hour, to extract the strength from the hops, then strain it in... To Mash Corn
This is an unprofitable and unproductive mode of mashing, but there may be some times when the distiller is out of rye, on account of the mill being stopped, bad roads, bad weather, or some other cause; and to avoid the necessity of feeding raw grai... To Mash One Third Rye And Two Thirds Corn
This I deem the most profitable mashing that a distiller can work, and if he can get completely in the way of working corn and rye in this proportion, he will find it the easiest process of mashing. That corn has as much and as good whiskey as rye o... To Mash Rye In The Common Mode
Take four gallons cold water to each hogshead, add one gallon malt, stir it well with your mashing stick, until the malt is thoroughly wet--when your still boils, put in about sixteen gallons boiling water, then put in one and an half bushels of cho... To Mash Two Thirds Rye And One Third Corn In Summer
This I have found to be the nicest process belonging to distilling--the small proportion of corn, and the large quantity of scalding water, together with the easy scalding of rye, and the difficulty of scalding corn, makes it no easy matter to exact... To Prevent Hogsheads From Working Over
If the stuff is cooled off too warm, or too much yeast is put in the hogsheads, they will work over, and of course lose a great deal of spirit, to prevent which, take tallow and rub round the chine of the hogsheads a little higher than they ought to... To Recover Liquor That Is Turned Bad
If any liquor be pricked or fading, put to it a little syrup of clay, and let it ferment with a little barm, which will recover it; and when it is well settled, bottle it up, put in a clove or two, with a lump of loaf sugar. ... To Recover Sour Ale
Scrape fine chalk a pound, or as the quantity of liquor requires, more; put it into a thin bag into the ale. ... To Set A Doubling Still
As spirits can hardly be burned or singed in a doubling still, if not before done in singling, all the precaution necessary is to set them in the best method for saving fuel, and preserving the still. The instructions given for setting a singling st... To Sweeten Hogsheads By Burning
When you have scalded your hogsheads well, put into each, a large handful of oat or rye straw, set it on fire, and stir it till it is in a blaze, then turn the mouth of the hogshead down; the smoke will purify and sweeten the cask. This process shou... To Sweeten Hogsheads By Scalding
When you turn your vessels out of doors (for it is esteemed slothful and a lazy mode to scald them in the still house,) you must wash them clean with your scrubbing brush, then put in sixteen or twenty gallons boiling water--cover it close for about... Use Of The Kettle
The kettle is destined to make the infusion of the grain, and boil it so as to convert it into wort. By that operation I make the liquor richer, which I intend for fermentation, and bring it to divers degrees of strength. I put into the kettle ... White Oak
Disapproving of black, tho' next in order to white oak staves for all the vessels about the distillery ... as being the most durable of close texture, easily sweetened ... and hard to be penetrated by acids of any kind, tho' sometimes the best white...