APPLE CIDER 11 



CLARIFICATION 



The object of clarification of cider is to make the juice more easily filterable. 

 Substances in the cider tend to form a slimy film on the filtering surface and 

 slow down the speed of filtration. Hence, the clarification methods have as 

 their object the breaking up of the viscous suspension so that the filter-clogging 

 material is precipitated to the bottom of the container. The three best methods 

 are given below. 



Flash Heating Method 



Carpenter and Walsh (8) suggest coagulating the suspended colloidal 

 material by heating the cider to 180° F. for 20 seconds and cooling immediately. 

 This method is satisfactory but requires flash pasteurization equipment. 



Gelatin-Tannin Method 



Numerous precipitating agents such as tannin and gelatin, white of egg, 

 isinglass and blood, have been suggested as a means of clarifying cider. Of these 

 the tannin-and-gelatin treatment is the most satisfactory for cider. 



Addition of gelatin and tannin to the cider causes a fluffy precipitate to form 

 which gradually settles to the bottom leaving the upper part of the liquid 

 clear. Apparently the precipitate is caused by a combination of the pectin, 

 gelatin and tannin. Apple cider ordinarily contains enough tannin to react 

 with the gelatin, but to take care of the loss by precipitation additional tannin 

 is added so that the taste will not be changed. 



Since ciders differ in composition, it is necessary to test any given lot of cider 

 to determine the amount of gelatin and tannin to add. For this purpose the 

 following test solutions are made up. The description of the process is taken 

 from Walsh (26). (See Figs. 4. and 5.) 



Solution 1. Dissolve \i ounce of tannin in 5.95 fluid ounces of 95 per 

 cent alcohol. Then add 23.8 fluid ounces of water and mix thoroughly. 



Solution 2. Dissolve % ounce of gelatin in 23.8 fluid ounces of water 

 and add 5.95 fluid ounces of 95 per cent alcohol. Heat a portion of the 

 water and add the powdered gelatin slowly, stirring continuously. Then 

 add the rest of the water and dissolve the gelatin by heating in a pan of 

 hot water or double boiler and stirring. Add the alcohol and mix well. 



These solutions should be kept in separate stoppered glass containers 

 and may be used as needed, the alcohol acting as a preservative in both 

 cases. In some cases the gelatin solution will jell when cold, but it can be 

 liquefied when needed by putting the container in hot water. 



Four white glass quart bottles should then be filled up to the neck with 

 cider and numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then add to each bottle the following 

 amounts of solution 1 (tannin) and solution 2 (gelatin) : 



Bottle Bottle Bottle Bottle 

 No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 



Sol. 1 cubic centimeters.... 10 10 10 10 

 Sol. 2 cubic centimeters.... 5 10 15 20 



(Note: A measuring cylinder or pipette, graduated in cubic centimeters may be pur- 

 chased from a drug store or from a chemical supply or cider supply house. The test solu- 

 tions could also be made up at a drug store.) 



Measure and add the amounts of solution shown to each bottle, adding 

 the tannin solution first in all cases and shaking well after the addition 

 of each solution. Let the bottles stand 10 minutes and the bottle which 

 shows the most clear juice is the one to which the proper proportions of 

 tannin and gelatin were added. 



