lo March, 1910.] Vinegar from Apples. 155 



Unless the room in which acetification is to take place can be warmed arti- 

 ficially, it will be better, especially in cool districts, to store the cider until 

 the following spring, when the weather is sufficiently warm for satisfactory 

 action. Such rest will improve condition, a very important advantage, 

 for the growth of the surface ferment film, the agent w'hich carries out 

 the transformation of alcohol into acetic acid, is not normal unless the 

 liquid be clear. Filtration or fining should be had recourse to, prior to 

 acetification, if the liquid be cloudy. 



The most satisf actor v strength for the cider is between 12 per cent, and 

 16 per cent, proof spirit. Above 16 per cent, action is slow and below 12 

 the resulting \inegar is too weak. Should the strength of the cider be 

 above 16, it should be reduced with pure water, preferably boiled and 

 allowed to cool. 



As regards the process of acetification, full information as to how this 

 can be best conducted on a small scale is given in the Journal of IMarch, 

 1905, in an article by B. Fallot on the production of " Home-made 

 Vinegar " by the Orleans method. Though this is one of the oldest 

 methods, it is one which is capable of producing excellent vinegar, with 

 very simple plant. The chief objection to it, on a large scale, is that it 

 is rather slow. It therefore necessitates the holding up of a considerable 

 stock, in course of manufacture. (As the Journal mentioned is out of print, 

 the article is reproduced herewith.) For this reason, several other methods 

 have general Iv been substituted for it in large vinegar works, notably the 

 English method, the German method, and what is know^n in France as 

 the Luxembourg method. These require elaborate plant. On account 

 of its simplicity, as well as the good quality of the product it is capable 

 of yielding, the old Orleans method, as described in the article mentioned 

 above, is the one to be recommended for our present purpose. 



The percentage of acetic acid in the vinegars produced by ciders of 

 different strength is a point of great importance. Theoretically, 100 

 parts of alcohol should produce 130 parts of acetic acid, but in practice 

 there is a loss of about 15 per cent, of alcohol. The following table* 

 shows the strengths of vinegars yielded in practice by wines of different 

 strengths : — - 



These figures applv to the manufacture of vinegar from wine, but they 

 apply equalh- well in the case of cider, provided the conversion takes place 

 under normal conditions, as would be the case in properly conducted works 

 under skilled supervision. On a small scale, it is doubtful if the full 

 yield of acetic acid, as stated above, would be obtained. 



Plant Required. 



Full particulars as to this will lie found in the two articles referred to 

 (see Journals, March, 1905 (reprinted below^), and June, 1909, p. 347)- 



* Portes and Ruyssen. Ti-aitOdeln Vigne et de sex Produits. Vol. II., p. 613 



