I

A formula for an imitation cider is as follows:

Rain water......... 100 gallons

Honey, unstrained . . 6 gallons Catechu, powdered. 3 ounces Alum, powdered. ... 5 ounces Yeast (brewer's preferably).......... 2 pints

Mix and put in a warm place to ferment. Let ferment for about 15 days; then add the following, stirring well in:

Bitter almonds, crushed 8 ounces Cloves............... 8 ounces

Let stand 24 hours, add two or three gallons of good whiskey, and rack off into clean casks. Bung tightly, let stand 48 hours, then bottle. If a higher color is desired use caramel sufficient to produce the correct tinge. If honey is not obtainable, use sugar-house molasses instead, but honey is preferable.

II

The following, when properly prepared, makes a passable substitute for cider, and a very pleasant drink: Catechu, powdered.          3 parts

Alum, powdered. . .          5 parts

Honey............ 640 parts

Water............12,800 parts

Yeast............         32 parts

Dissolve the catechu, alum, and honey in the water, add the yeast, and put in some warm place to ferment. The container should be filled to the square opening, made by sawing out five or six inches of the center of a stave, and the spume skimmed off daily as it arises. In cooler weather from 2 weeks to 18 days will be required for thorough fermentation. In warmer weather from 12 to 13 days will be sufficient. When fermentation is complete add the following solution:

Oil of bitter almonds 1 part

Oil of clover........ 1 part

Caramel........... 32 parts

Alcohol............ 192 parts

The alcohol may be replaced by twice its volume of good bourbon whiskey. A much cheaper, but correspondingly poor substitute for the above may be made as follows :

Twenty-five gallons of soft water, 2 pounds tartaric acid, 25 pounds of brown sugar, and 1 pint of yeast are allowed to stand in a warm place, in a clean cask with the bung out, for 24 hours. Then bung up the cask, after adding 3 gallons of whiskey, and let stand for 48 hours, after which the liquor is ready for use.

CIDER VINEGAR:

See Vinegar.