The Young Students Learning Library defines fermentation as a chemical change caused by many different kinds of bacteria, molds, and yeasts. These different types of fermentation give off certain chemicals. The chemicals found in most are enzymes. An enzyme is a chemical compound that makes the chemical reaction faster. Our bodies also have enzymes, which help the digestion process.

Cider by UK definition is wholly or partly from the fermented juice of apples. In colonial times North Americans loved to drink the warm cider to get them through long winters. Cider seems to have been made in the Mediterranean basin around the time of Pliny (1st century AD), around Europe. This is the home of Louis Pasteur. Louis Pasteur worked with the fermentation and pasteurization of wine and beer. In the UK and other parts of the world hard cider has become popular. This is because of its five to seven percent alcohol content.

Crushing apples and getting the juice by machines makes cider. Hard cider is produced when the apples are allowed to ferment. The yeast, which is already in the juice, ferments the sugar and turns it into alcohol. To stop the cider from spoiling it is pasteurized. The hard cider can even be turn into vinegar; when the bacterium transforms to alcohol to acetic acid.

During the Thanksgiving and Christmas time cider is consumed. It has been apart of these holidays since the pilgrim days. Many people drink the hard cider at mealtimes with dinners. Because of the alcohol levels some drink it instead of wine.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Phillips, Micheal. Juice of the Apple. Season s Cheer. December 01,

1994.

http://www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.cgi?id

Cider. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2000 ed.