CIDER (from OF. cidcre, from Lat. sicera, from Gk. crimpa, siker°, from Het). shaar, strong drink. from shithar. to be intoxicated). The fermented juice of apple,. which is extensively prepared in Gloucestershire and in other parts of England, in Ireland, in the northern dis t•icts of France, and in North kmerica. The apples are first ground or grated in a mill, and the pulp is then made into a cheese by mixing with straw to hold it in shape, or in sonic cases is placed in forms made of reed grass. It is then subjected to pressure, and yields a dark-colo•ed sweet liquid. The pomace remaining is sometimes wet and pressed again, yielding an inferior eider. Green or rotten apples should not he used : the former make cider de ficient in sugar and turbid from the suspended particles of starch, while rotten fruit is sure to impair the flavor of the cider. Early apples make a much poorer quality of cider than do fall and winter apples• as the latter contain about 2.5 per cent. more of sugar. Fresh cider contains 85 to SS per cent. of water, 12 to 15 per cent. of total solid matter, consisting mostly of sugar, and a little malie acid. the natural acid of the apple. The 'working' or fermenta
tion of cider, by which alcohol is produced. is due to certain kinds of yeasts, which decompose the sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid, the latter passing into the air. In some countries pure cultures of yeasts are, with advantage, now employed for the fermentation. After the first or main fermentation the clear liquid is racked off into clean casks, which are placed in a cool cellar for the second or still fermentation. An acetic fermentation may take place by which acetic acid is produced and the cider becomes 'hard,' or quite sour, unless properly handled. The fermented eider contains only • or 3 per cent. of solids (instead of 12 to 13 per cent. as in the apple-juice). and from 4.5 to 7 per cent, of alcohol. By again racking off the cider, after the second fermentation, and placing it in casks tightly bunged or in closely stoppered bottles, it can lie kept for a considerable time without souring.
Cider brandy, or applejack, is a product de rived by distillation from fermented eider. It contains very much more alcohol. For cider vinegar, see VINEGAR.