It is always to be observ’d, that even weak alkali’s cure the strongest acid, such, for instance, as calcin’d chalk, calcin’d oyster or scallop-shells, calcin’d egg-shells, alabaster, &c.  But if a hogshead can soon be drank, use a stronger alkali, such as salt of tartar, salt of wormwood; but in using them, you must always preserve their colour with lac, or else the alkali will turn the liquor black, and keep it foul.

To one hogshead, take two gallons of lac, and put to it one ounce and a half of isinglass beat well and pulled small; boil them together for five or six minutes; drain it, and when a stiff jelly, break it with a whisk, and mix about a gallon of the cyder with it; then put three pounds of calcin’d chalk, and two pounds of calcined oyster-shells to it, whisk it well together with four gallons more of the cyder, and apply it to the hogshead.  Stir it well, and it will immediately discharge the acid part out at the bung.  Let it stand one hour, then bung it close for five or six days; rack it from the bottom into a clean hogshead, and apply one quart of forcing to it.  If you use a strong alkali, put to the lac four ounces of salt of tartar, or salt of wormwood; but the former is best, as it hath not the bitter taste in it which the wormwood has.

Note, Lac is milk, but the cream must be skimm’d off it for use.

To cure OILY CYDER.

The reason that cyder is sometimes oily, is owing to the fruit not being sorted alike; for the juice of fruit that is not ripe will seldom mix with ripe juice in fermentation.  The acid part of one will predominate over the other, and throw the oily particles from it, which separation gives the liquor a disagreeable, foul taste; to remedy which you must treat it in the following manner, which will cause the oily parts to swim at top, and then you may rack the liquor from its bottom and oil.

To a hogshead, take an ounce of salt of tartar, and two ounces of half sweet spirit of nitre, mix them in a gallon of lac, and whisk them well together; apply it to the hogshead, bung it up, and let it stand ten or fifteen days; then put a cock within two inches of the bottom of the hogshead, and rack it.

Observe when it runs low, to look to the cock, lest any of the oily part should come, which will be all on the top, and will not run out till after the good liquor is drawn off.

Put to the clean a quart of forcing, to raise it, and bung it close.

Note, When you take out the oil and bottom, your cask must be well fired, otherwise it will spoil all the liquor that shall be afterwards put into it.

For ROPY CYDER.

The following remedy for ropy cyder must be proportion’d with judgment to the degree of the disorder in the liquor.  If the rope be stiff and stringy, you must use a larger quantity of the ingredients.