CIDER AS A BEVERAGE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4964, 1 March 1895, Page 3

CIDER AS A BEVERAGE.

[iO'un; i;ititor.] Sill, —Youi' Christcliurcli correspondent, the other day, referral to the growing taste for cider as osummer beverage, and the prosperous advances being made by the two linns engaged in its manufacture in the Southern city, In this connection, it might interest you to know that the same appreciation of the good qualities of that refreshing drink, is also being shown in the North Island, and that in Wellington, during the past two or three weeks of hot weather, Christchurch cider, either "straight," or mixed with soda-water or lemonade, has been a most popular drink: it is found to be more thirst-quenching tlmn any other. The most-esteemed make is that for which Messrs T. andW. Young are agents, This allusion is not in any way intended as an advertisement for that firm, and I should not mention their name, but that it is my only way of specifying the precise article, as I have forgotten the name of the " brand," and, as before stated, there are two makes. But for that matter, both are good, It is to be regretted all hotels do not keep cider in stock. It sells readily atthesamcprice as beer, and there is quite as much profit derivable, while it is a much less objectionable and more wholesome form of refreshment. At present it is obtained in comparatively few hotels. Cider, of course is mainly a summer drink although many people drink it all the year round, The article as mado in Christchurch is a guaranteed pure production from the juice of specially selected apple stock—there is a recognised variety of cider apples—and in this respect it is a very different thing from the chemical compound frequently sold under the namo of " cider" by careless shopkeepers, Thero is, as your Christchurch correspondent suggests, a taste to bo stimulated and a market to be supplied, as soon as farmers care to turn out good cider of unvarying makc,but possibly, as in 'the case of butter, before much reliance can be placed 011 uniformity of quality, co-operation and a eiderfactory would be a necessity. In the meantime I might state that I have already tasted in Mastertob a first-class sample of cider made by a district farmer—one equal to or better than either of the Christchuich manufactures.—l am, etc., A Visitor. Club Hotel, Masterton,