Home-Made Cider Vinegar 
13 
the case. Theoretically, 100 parts of alcohol should give about 
130 parts of acetic acid, but in actual practice this will probably 
fall below 120. 
When the acetic acid has reached 4.5 to 5 per cent., fill the 
barrels as full as possible and cork tightly. In this way, contact 
of the air with the vinegar is cut off and the acetic acid organisms 
soon cease their activity. If this is not done and the acetic and 
other bacteria are allowed to develop indefinitely, there is apt to 
be a reverse reaction resulting in a partial or complete loss of the 
acetic acid. Such vinegar is, of course, worthless. 
Clarification of Vinegar. 
For those who desire an extra fancy product of extraordinary 
brightness, suitable for bottling, it will be necessary to subject the 
vinegar to a special process of clarification known as fining. Ac¬ 
cording to Bioletti*, the best results are obtained by using isinglass. 
This is employed at the rate of from one-half to three-fourths of an 
ounce of isinglass to each one hundred gallons of vinegar. 
“The isinglass is cut into small pieces and soaked for twelve 
to twenty-four hours in a little water containing acetic or tartaric 
acid equal in weight to the isinglass used. When thoroughly soft it 
is then rubbed several times through a fine sieve, gradually adding 
a little more water until a perfectly fluid liquid is obtained. This 
fluid is then well mixed with a little vinegar and thoroughly stirred 
into the cask. With some vinegars it is necessary to add a little 
tannin, from one-half to one-seventh the amount of the isinglass 
used. This tannin should be added at least twenty-four hours be¬ 
fore the finings. 
When the finings have settled and the vinegar is perfectly 
bright it is ready for bottling.” 
Pure Cultures for Vinegar Making . 
Reference has been made above to the use of pure cultures, 
both yeast and acetic acid bacteria, for vinegar making. For a 
little more than one year, the Bacteriological Laboratory of the 
Colorado Experiment Station has been supplying these at fifty 
cents (50c) per set, post paid, sufficient for one barrel, to those 
who care to give them a trial. Full printed directions for their 
use are included. These cultures have been selected because of 
certain properties which they possess which make them especially 
suited to the vinegar industry. No guarantee, either expressed or 
* Bioletti, Frederic T. t Grape Vinegar, Bull. 227, California Kxp. Sta,, 1912. 
