Practical Treatise on Brewing

Practical Treatise on Brewing

A | PRACTICAL TREATISE on f BREWING, WITH THE MODE OF USING THE THERMOMETER AND SACCHAROMETER, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR PRIVATE FAMILIES. . BY WILLIAM CHADWICK, BUTLER TO WM. BLAKE, ESQ. LONDON: WHITTAKER & CO., AVE-MARIA-LANE. 1835, 3S. W. Davy, Printer, Gilbert-street, Grosvenor-square. A PRACTICAL TREATISE, &e. &e. Tue object of the present work is to supply some sound practical directions for assisting private families in brewing their own beer. The Author has himself found the want of such directions, more especially as to the use of the Thermometer and Saccharometer; two instruments which he considers absolutely necessary to ensure precision in the results. By a proper ‘pplication of those in- struments, ‘ ‘end ‘a judicious choice of Malt and Hops, he is satisfied a oon- siderable saving may be effected; and his own experience justifies him in stating, that by the method he recom- mends, the same quantity of ale, of a superior flavour, and more generally esteemed, may be produced from six bushels of malt, than by the usual plan B2 2 ON BREWING. of proceeding can be obtained from eight bushels. There can be no doubt that good beer has often been brewed without a ther- mometer and saccharometer, but it is equally certain, that there is scarcely a family which has not been frequently obliged to submit to the disappointment and inconvenience arising from con- stant failures; and it is to avoid the risk of these failures, and to introduce certainty into the operations, rather than to rely upon guess, that the author has drawn up the following rules. The subject is divided into sections, in which each part of the process is treated in its natural order, begin- ning, first, with an account of the In- struments, and of the Utensils necessary for brewing, and the most convenient mode of arranging them in the brew- house, and of keeping them clean and in order: secondly, with a description of the qualities of the Materials used in UTENSILS. 3 brewing, and herein more especially as to Water, Malt, and Hops, so as to make a proper choice of those articles: lastly, with practical directions for ensuring the production of good beer through the different processes of Mashing, Boiling, Cooling, Ferment- ing, and Cellaring; pointing out the proper time for running the beer from the gyle-tuns into casks, and the proper management of it when in the cellar. UTENSILS. Tue essential utensils are, first, a copper or boiler, for heating the water and boiling the worts; a mash-tub, in which the infusion of malt is to be made; an underback, or tub, into which the worts are drawn off from the mash-tub ; flat shallow tubs, exposing a large surface, B2 4 UTENSILS. with but little depth, called coolers, for cooling the worts after they are boiled ; and a tub, in which the fermentation is to be carried on, usually called the fer- menting-vat, or gyle-tun. Where there is a regular brewhouse, the copper should be highest in point of elevation, so that the cock which emp- ties it may be above the top of the mash-tub, and this latter vessel must be above the underback. The coolers are generally so placed, as to admit of the worts being conveyed into them after boiling, from the cock at the bottom of the boiler, by means of a shoot, or wooden trough, and the gyle-tuns are placed immediately underneath the coolers. It is, moreover, very con- venient, that the cistern, or reservoir, from which the water is obtained, should be higher than the copper, so that by means of a pipe with a cock opening over the copper, it may be filled as wanted. When this is not the case, the UTENSILS. 5 water may be conveyed into the under- back, from whence it may be pumped into the copper by means of a pump, which will be found also very conveni- ent for pumping the worts into the copper after they have run from the mash-tub. All these utensils should be carefully. cleaned, and more especially when any long interval takes place between the brewings. In public breweries, they generally brush these vessels with lime and water, or whiting and water; the calcareous matter absorbing and neu- tralizing any acid that may be formed. Another very simple method of effect- ing the same purpose, is to rinse them well with water in which some alkali is dissolved; such as soda, or salt of tartar, or common pearl-ash, any of which will effectually destroy the acidity that may remain; and the salts. that are formed being soluble, are easily washed away previously to a subse- 6 UTENSILS. quent brewing, and will leave the uten- sils perfectly sweet and clean. The brewer cannot be too much on his guard against acidity, in every shape. A guage will be found very useful, by which the contents of the under- back, coolers, and copper, may be as- certained. This will perhaps be best effected, by having the depth of the underback and coolers marked in inches on a narrow white board, attached to one of the sides of these vessels, and ascertaining either by calculation, or by actual trial, how many gallons are con- tained in every inch of depth. Both a saccharometer and thermo- _ meter may be had of Mr. Carey, mathe- matical instrument maker, 181, in the Strand, for a guinea, which will answer every purpose of the private brewer. Nevertheless, a second thermometer, with a tin guard, to use in the boiler, will be a desirable acquisition :-—it may be bought for about five shillings. WATER. qT WATER. Tuere have been various opinions res- pecting the choice of water for brew- ing, and it is‘by no means improbable, that some kinds of water may be more favourable than others for extracting from malt and hops their full powers and qualities. It is equally clear how- ever, that a great deal of unfounded prejudice has existed upon this subject. For a long time it was supposed that the London porter owed its superiority to the use of Thames water, whereas London porter is now, I believe, all brewed from spring water, drawn from deep wells, which penetrate through the clay stratum that lies beneath the plain of London. Every one is aware, that much bet- ter tea is made with spring water than with soft water. Quassia, gentian, and other bitters, yield their qualities ex ceedingly well to spring water. And, although there are some soils in which 10 MALT. acrospire, which pushes in an opposite direction to the rootlet, should not extend more than three-fourths of the length of the grain. In choosing malt, the following di- rections may implicitly be relied on. Its grains should be large, clean, plump, and unshrivelled, yet specifically lighter than water. They should have a thin skin, should easily break, and shew a full, floury, mellow kernel, which, if drawn across a board, leaves a chalky trace. No part of the kernel should be hard, or horny, which it sometimes is at the end opposite the rootlet. The taste should be sweet and mellow, and partake of that flavour that is so well known to persons who have passed a brewhouse at the time of mashing, and at the same time should leave no im- pression of rawness on the palate. Its specific gravity being lighter than water, it floats upon it. Henee a good method is to take a small handful of MALT. ll grains, and throw them into a bason of water. If they all swim on the surface, and on their sides, the grain is well malted; if they swim endways, it shews that part of the grain is not malted; and those that sink are per- haps little altered from their original state of barley. The colour of good malt is pale and bright. A bushel of good malt should weigh 40lbs. and upwards, which is about equivalent to the weight of three quarters of a bushel of the raw grain. The cause of shrivelling in malt is twofold. It sometimes arises from the barley being cut down while not yet ripe, in which case, there being a su- perfiuous quantity of juices in propor- tion to the mealy matter, the kernel contracts. At other times it arises from the heat of the kiln being applied too suddenly to the malt in drying. The results will be similar. Good malt, when first removed from the kiln,. is 12 MALT. hard and crisp under the teeth, but on cooling, it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, sufficient to mellow it. . There is a kind of hardness, called flintiness, to be guarded against in se- lecting malt. It is caused by the bar- ley not having been long enough in steep to effect a thorough penetration or soaking ; or from the barley consist- ing of mixed samples; the grains being unequal in size, the smaller grains are moistened, and begin to grow before the larger ones, and the batch when dried on the kiln will consist partly of malt, and partly of grains that are little altered, which latter will be hard and gritty when chewed. When this flinty . malt is exposed to the air, it does not absorb moisture, does not mellow, but remains as hard asever. Malt of this kind, even if mixed with some good malt, produces beer of a raw and ill flavour, and does not keep sound; therefore, with these plain facts kept MALT. 13 in view regarding the qualities that the best malt should possess, and the op- posite which the bad will present, the reader can scarcely fail in making a right selection. ' Coxour being an object with the con- sumers of malt liquor, it may not be amiss to point out the effect of colour produced from high dried malt. The more slowly the malt has been dried, and the lower the heat at which the drying has been effected, the paler its colour will be, and the greater quan- tity of saccharine matter it will contain. On the other hand, a quick heat will parch and brown the malt, and will replace the saccharine taste by one that is austere and sub-acid, deep in propor- tion to the degree of heat, and of its continuance, and the worts will be weak in proportion as they are brown. These positions once understood, it is easy to appreciate the effect of colour on the flavour and value of malt liquors. 16 , HOPS. est opponents of the acetous fermenta- tion. The fine flavoured and light coloured hops are pressed into sacks of compa- ratively fine cloth, called pockets, which weigh about 14 cwt. each, and are sold chiefly to the ale brewers. The strong flavoured ones are put into coarse bags that contain double the weight of the pockets; these are used principally by the porter and small beer brewers. The ale brewer seeks for peculiarity of flavour in his hops ; but his judgment must vary with the taste of the consumers. With respect to taste there is no criterion; other- wise we should find few that could have a pleasure in either taking snuff, or using tobacco, in its various forms. The difference of soil, together with climate, has undoubtedly a considerable -influence in producing the difference of flavour perceivable in hops. Those grown on the stiff clays in Notting- HOPS. 17 hamshire, and thence termed North Clay Hops, are ranker, and in some markets bear a higher price than Kent Hops, though not so high as Farnham Hops. The rankness of the North Clay Hops generally remains a considerable time ; hence, they seem better adapted to strong keeping beers, than other kind of malt liquors. The flavour of the Worcestershire Hops has a grateful mildness, not to be met with in the other sorts. . The active qualities of the hops do not reside in the leaves themselves, but in a very fine yellow powder, which may be separated by beating and sift- ing. Dealers in the article value the hops in proportion to the quantity of this powder, which they call condition. If hops are very green, they have been gathered too young, and before the aroma has been fully matured; on the other hand, when they are brown, the defect arises from over-drying, or from 18 MASHING. being too much ripened on the poles ; whereby their aroma and bitterness are weakened. The odour of good hops, especially when rubbed between the fingers, is very fragrant; and the hands are left clammy by the rubbing. When a quantity of hops are kept in store, care should be taken to preserve them in adry place, closely packed, and excluded from the air, as the aroma, from being very volatile, would, by exposure, soon evaporate. MASHING. Tue chief art in mashing, is to produce from the malt the greatest quantity of matter which is capable of adding to the flavour and strength of the beer; and this depends principally on the MASHING. 19 temperature of the liquor employed in making the first mash; liquor being the technical word used by brewers to de- note water. The old rule used to be, to let the liquor cool until you could see your face reflected from the surface; this, however, is a very uncertain guide. The thermometer removes all doubt. It is an instrument so constructed, that when the lower part, including the bulb, is immersed in the liquor, the mercury in the.stem rises up to a cer- tain height, and there remains stati- onary, indicating the degree of heat of the liquor. If the liquor is used too hot, the surface of each particle of malt will be converted into a paste, which will ef- fectually prevent the water from pene- trating to the interior, and dissolving the mucilage, and what is called the seccharine part of the malt, which means neither more nor less than the sugar, or sweet part, upon which the strength and weight of the wort, as 20 MASHING. well as the future quality of the beer, in a great measure, depends. The heavier and the sweeter the wort, the better and stronger will be the beer. Ifthe liquor be too cold, it will not dissolve so much of the saccharine matter; and in’ both these cases, great part of the virtue of the malt will remain unextracted in the grains, which will be found heavy, sweet to the taste, and slimy or pasty to the feel. In the first case, the malt, sometimes termed by the brewers the goods, will be what is called set, and very little wort will be obtained, the liquor remaining combined with the malt in the mash-tun, and what little does run will be thick and muddy. This is an error which admits of no re- medy, and the brewing is spoilt. To avoid this, let the liquor be run into the mash-tun at a temperature of 174°, as- certained by the thermometer, which I have found by experience to be the very best temperature at which to make MASHING. 21 the first mash, being hot enough to extract the goodness from the malt, and never endangering its being set. It may be run into the mash-tun a few degrees above that heat, so as to allow for the cooling it will receive from the mash-tun itself. When cooled to 174°, let the malt which has been previously ground or bruised, be emptied into the liquor; and let it be well mixed and agitated as it is emptied out from the bushel or sack, so as to form a stiff mash; and let the agitation be continued until every portion of the malt is well saturated. The proper quantity of li- quor at the same temperature is then to . be added, and the mashing or agitation continued for 20 or 30 minutes, accord- ing to the quantity of malt used; after which, to prevent its cooling, the mash-tun must be covered with sacks, or other coarse covering, and left to repose for an hour-and-a-half. The malt should not be ground too fine, as 22 MASHING. the powder thereby produced is more apt to set, and at all events, to clog and prevent the running off of the worts. Indeed, it is generally believed that the bruising of the malt is better than the grinding, and is the practice now uni- versally adopted by all the professional brewers. In grinding the malt, I should say, that if the malt-mill be so set, that no grain passes through unbroken, it is quite sufficient for brewing, and will allow the worts to run off more trans- parent than it can be from more finely ground malt, which is a very desirable object. The quantity of liquor to be used in mashing will be regulated by the quality and quantity of beer to be brewed; but as a guide in this respect, it will be necessary to state, that of malt newly dried from the kiln, and fresh ground or bruised, every imperial bushel will absorb and retain 6# gallons of liquor; whilst malt, which has been MASHING. 23 allowed to mellow before grinding, by being exposed to the atmosphere,(which it always should be,) absorbs about 6 gallons. Supposing that one quarter of malt, or 8 bushels, be the quantity employed, 48 gallons of liquor more than is wanted for the wort must be allowed for, as wasted by this absorption; and in ad- dition to this waste, an extra quantity must be allowed for evaporation in boiling, cooling, and in fermenting, which will not be less than one-fifth of the whole; that is to say, if the quan- tity of beer, or as it is called by the brewers, the length, to be drawn from 8 bushels of malt, is intended to be two hogsheads, or 108 gallons, there must be about 22 gallons more liquor em- ployed over and above the 48 gal- lons, which will necessarily remain in the grains; or in other words, 178 gal- lons of liquor will be required to pro- duce 2 hogsheads of beer from 8 bushels 24 MASHING. of malt. I prefer putting the malt into the liquor rather than adding the liquor to the malt; as the first plan ad- mits of a more complete mixture of the malt and the liquor by agitation, so as to ensure the whole of the malt being wetted and saturated. In brewing from one quarter of malt as described above, I use 80 or 85 gal- lons of liquor for the first mash, which yields about 32 or 37 gallons of wort. At the end of the hour-and-a-half, the cock or spigot may be opened, called technically setting the tap, that is, allowing the wort to run off from the mash-tun into the underback, taking care to let it run with a small stream at first, and to return the first gallon or two gently back again into the mash- tun, so as not to disturb the malt. As soon as the wort runs clear, the cock may be opened wider. It is a good proof that the mashing has been made at a proper temperature, when the wort MASHING. 25 comes away transparent like sherry, and forms a white frothy head in the underback. If the froth is brown or red, it shews that the heat has been too high. The wort when it comes away, should: be at a temperature from 146° to 150° by the thermometer. In the second mash the liquor should be laid on at a temperature of 184°, and the third mash at 194°; nothing is gained by a higher temperature, but the ex- traction of an ill flavour, arising from the solution of a bitter resinous prin- ciple in the malt. It may be observed here, that the malt being thoroughly saturated by the liquor of the first mash, you obtain worts from the subsequent mashes, very nearly equivalent to the liquor laid on, and this will enable the brewer to judge precisely of the quan- tity required. In Edinburgh the brew- ers make but one mash, and obtain all the remaining quantity of wort required, according to the length they mean to c 26 MASHING. draw, by sparges, or as we should term it, by sprinklings of water, successively spread over the top of the mash-tub, in such a way as not to disturb the malt. The liquor is poured on to a horizontal board, perforated with small holes, having a ledge round it, and being swung by a string from a point over the centre of the mash-tub, it can be carried successively over every part of the malt, which is sprinkled as if from the rose of a watering-pot. This is a very good method of obtaining the wort that has been left in the grains; for the cock being left running below, the liquor that is sprinkled over the top, by degrees, drives the wort out from the grains, and leaves them saturated with plain water, instead of wort, which, if left in the grains, would in private brewing be wholly lost. In public breweries, where the brew- ing goes on from day to day, the grains, after all the worts have been drawn off, MASHING. 27 are again washed with water, which takes up all that remains in the grains, and is made use of for the first mash of the next brewing, and called a return. In all cases it is desirable to get the worts from the underback without loss of time, as the longer they remain there, the more danger there is of incipient fermentation and acidity, more espe- cially in the latter or weaker worta; and in order to prevent this tendency to acidity, it is an excellent plan to put into the underback a part of the hops intended to be used: they may be con-~ tained in a bag, to prevent their mixing with the wort; and afterwards, when all the worts have been conveyed from the underback, the hops thus partly ex- hausted, may be boiled along with the last worts, and thus nothing is lost. As soon as each wort is obtained, its weight, or strength, should be ascer- tained by the saccharometer. This is an instrument constructed like the c2 28 MASHING. hydrometers used by excisemen for ascertaining the specific gravity of spirits. When used by the brewers, it is called a saccharometer, which means a measure of sweetness, and it is supposed - to indicate the quantity of sweet or sac- charine matter contained in the wort. This is not strictly true; because, not only the sugar, but the mucilage also of the malt, dissolved in the water, adds to the weight. Be this however as it may, it is found that the strength of the beer depends upon the specific gra- vity, or weight of the wort; and for all practical purposes, this point is ascer- tained with sufficent accuracy by the saccharometer. It consists of a bulb and stem, arranged so as to float per- pendicularly in a fluid, and is so ad- justed, by means of an equipoise, that more or less of the stem of the instru- ment projects above the surface, in exact proportion to the density of the fluid in which it swims. In common MASHING. 29 water, ata temperature of 55°, the in- strument sinks so that very little of the stem projects above the surface, and in this case the part where the sur- face of the fluid cuts the stem, is marked as Zero, or nought. It is the point from which the other distances on the stem are measured. A barrel of water of 36 gallons, is said to weigh 360 pounds avoirdupois, and if a barrel of wort weighs 370 pounds, it is 10 pounds heavier. The saccha- rometer floating in this wort, would swim so that the surface of the fluid would cut the stem of the instrument at the part marked 10, and the brewers would call it a 10 pounds wort, and so of the other numbers. ' The mode of ascertaining the average strength of the whole of the worts, is _ to multiply the quantity of.each wort into its gravity, as shewn by the sac- charometer ; and then adding all these products together, and dividing by the 30 MASHING. -whole quantity, you obtain the average strength of the whole mixture. Thus, suppose the wort from the first mashing be 54 gallons, or 14 barrels, and its strength to be 30 pounds; and the next wort to be 72 gallons, or 2 barrels, at 20 -pounds gravity ; and the third to be 90 gallons, or 23 barrels, at.6 pounds gra- vity :— Thus 1 x 30 = 45 2 x 2 = 40 2 x 6 = 15 6 barrels. 6) 100 16.6 or the average of the whole will be 16 and six tenths pounds per barrel, writ- ten decimally 16.6. In the course of boiling, the worts will become stronger; because the water boils away, but not the sugar or sweet part of the wort. For this rea- son it will be well to try the strength BOILING. 31 of the worts, both before and after boiling, as you will by that means know what increase of gravity is usually acquired during the boiling. The saccharometer will thus inform you what strength of beer you may expect from your malt, and will enable you in brewing to make two sorts of beer, of different strengths, by mixing the worts of different gravities according to the taste or fancy. BOILING. As soon as the wort from the first and second mash has done running, and a third mash is required, the liquor which had been heated ready in the boiler for - this purpose, is run into the mash-tub. The boiler will then be ready fo receive the first and second worts, in order that they may be boiled together with the hops: The worts are now to be pump- 32 BOILING. ed up, or conveyed, from the under- back into the boiler, and the hops are to be added; the quantity of hops being regulated by the fancy of the brewer; and in some degree, by the length of time the beer is intended to be kept. In summer time, or warm weather, more hops are required, as they certainly tend to preserve the beer from becoming hard or acid, taking care not to use so large a quantity as to make the beer unpleasantly bitter. About 3 Ib. for every bushel of malt, will be found enough in cool weather ; and in warmer weather, 1 lb. to 17 lbs. may be required. Care should be taken in boiling, to keep the temperature equal and moderate; for by violent boiling, a great portion of the aroma and volatile oil of the hops is lost along with the steam. I have found it an excellent plan, not to put in all the hops at the time of boiling, but to reserve nearly half the quantity intended for the brewing, un- ‘BOILING. 383 til the beer is in the casks, and just be- fore atopping down the casks. This plan not only prevents any after-fret taking place, but assists in clearing the beer; and the spirit already generated in the beer by fermentation, extracts from the hop the volatile and aromatic oils, which are often lost in boiling. In every case, it is advisable to infuse the hops in a sufficient quantity of boil- ing water, preparatory to their being boiled with the worts; for the water wets and saturates the hops better than the more viscid worts; and thus the flavour and essential parts of the hop are more effectually extracted, than if the hops are added to the worts in a dry state. Too much heat iri the copper is apt to decompose some of the sacche- rine matter and starch of the malt, and is the cause of the burnt taste some-. times perceivable in beer. It is neces- sary too, occasionally, to keep stirring the worts while boiling, so as to pre- cé 34 BOILING. vent them sticking to the bottom and burning. One of the mashing oars will effect this purpose. In large public breweries, they have a rod called a rouser, attached. to the machinery of the brewery, which con- tinues in motion the whole time the worts are boiling; and is useful, more- over, in preventing the hops: from plugging. the cock while the worts are drawing off. The boiling must be con- tinued until a flocculent matter begins to separate, and is seen swimming in the boiling wort. This matter is not discernible in the first part of the boil- ing, owing to its more intimate mixture; but in the process of boiling, it coagu- lates, and leaves the rest of the liquor perfectly transparent. This is called, technically, by the brewers, the break- ing of the worts. The length of time requisite for pro- ducing this change, varies with the strength of the wort, and no certain BOILING. 35 rule can be given, but the boiling must be continued till this effect takes place: it is an indispensable criterion, and without it good beer cannot be brewed. Strong worts require from about half an hour to three quarters; and weaker ones from two hours to two and a half. During the boiling, samples should be taken out occasionally in a wooden bowl, or other convenient vessel, and left to repose for a few moments, when it will be seen whether the flocks sub- side, and leave the supernatant liquor quite transparent, which is the true eriterion that the worts have been boiled enough. No good purpose is answered by suffering them to boil longer after this breaking or separation has completely taken effect, unless, indeed, it may be required to obtain a stronger wort; for as has been already observed, the longer the boiling is con- tinued, the more the watery part eva- porates, and the denser and ‘heavier the 36 BOILING. wort becomes; remembering, how- ever, that this additional strength is only acquired by a diminution in the quantity of the beer. It is much better to produce the requisite strength, by not adding more than the due quantity of liquor in the first instance, rather than to remedy the mistake by long boiling. When the worts have been sufficiently boiled, they are to be run off into the coolers, taking care previously to damp the fire, by opening the fire-place door, which admits a current of air over the top of the fire; or if the fire be fierce, either take it out entirely, or cover it with fresh coal or cinders,so that the bot- tom of the copper may take no injury. Before turning the cock to let the wort into the coolers, a birch broom is frequently thrust down into the boiler, and fixed before the opening, in order to stop the hops running into the coolers slong with the worts. To make this Nn BOILING. 37 separation more effectual, a bag of horse- hair is placed at the end of the trough next the coolers, which allows the wort to run, but retains the hops. The bag being afterwards suspended over the - eoolers, all the retained wort drains through the hop-leaves, and thus no loss is sustained. ; The saccharometer will now come into use again, to ascertain the density of the worts-after. boiling, and after the infusion of the hops. If only one kind — of beer is to be brewed, the worts may be mixed, so as to form an average strength, which will be indicated by the degree at which the saccharometer floats. If two kinds of beer are in- tended to be brewed, the worts of dif- ferent strengths must be kept separate, and the quantity and strength of each ascertained, mixing the stronger and weaker worts together in such propor- tions as may suit the intention of the brewer. 38 BOILING. As some guide in this matter, I would observe, that the worts used for the strongest ale that is brewed, seldom exceed 40 lbs. per barrel. The worts for Edinburgh and Burton ales, of the best quality, are generally about 36 lbs. per barrel. An excellent ale is made from 30 and 28 lbs. per barrel. London Porter is made from worts of about 22 lbs. per barrel. Brown stout from 24 lbs; and good family table beer from worts of 18 lbs. per barrel. The London table beer is from worts of about 15 lbs. per barrel; and small beer for work-houses, is sometimes brewed from worts of not more than 6 Ibs. per barrel. ‘I subjoin a table, stating the density of worts usually employed for different kinds of beer. BOILING. 39 Density of ; Dentity of Worts in Ibs. Worts in lbs- per barrels vor barrel, Burton Ale .. 40 London Small} 1b. Edinburgh Ale. 36 Beer... Brown Stout. . 24 Work- House 6 London Porter. 22 Small Beer Table Beer... 18 - These are the extremes; and the brewer will so proportion the strength of his worts, according as economy or his palate may direct. Before quitting this part of the sub- ject, I must advert to another calcula- tion which may be effected by means of the saccharometer, and which will be found exceedingly useful in determining the quality and goodness of the malt that has been used, and it is one I never omit to make, and to record. Thus, suppose the whole quantity of ferment- able wort obtained be 44 barrels, at 20 Ibs. gravity; 44 multiplied by 20 is equal to.90. This sum may. be con- sidered as the amount of quantity and 40 BOILING. strength produced ; and if this sum be divided by the number of quarters of malt used, it affords a basis by which the excellence of the malt used in dif- ferent brewings may be compared. Thus, suppose this 90 be obtained from 10 bushels of malt, or 14 quarters ; then 90 divided by 13 gives 72, which ac- cording to the results usually obtained, would indicate that the malt was of inferior quality. Qrs. 1,25) 90,00 (72 87,5 ——! 2,50 I say of inferior quality, because I have obtained by this calculation as high a number as 87, and seldom less than 74. Generally, good malt weigh- ing 40 lbs. per bushel, and well made, should yield from 80 to 82 lbs. per quarter, of fermentable matter. In the extracts from my brewing book, in- COOLING. 41 stances will be seen of the mode of making this calculation, when worts of different qualities and quantity are used; and it is a calculation which enables you at all times to discover in what manner you have been treated by your maltster, and will be a guide for the future selection of malt. This mode of calculating the comparative merit of the malt, is adopted by most, if not all the public brewers, and gives a result, which, although quite arbitrary and technical, is a language generally understood in the trade. COOLING. Wuen the wort is decidedly broken, and the liquor become quite transpa- rent, it is to be run off from the boiler, into coolers, and the more rapidly it 42 COOLING. can be cooled the better. It is here, that the public brewer has the great advantage over the private practitioner. He not only possesses extensive floors over which he can thinly spread his wort, so as to expose a great quantity of surface, but he generally also has a command of cold spring water, that he can convey through pipes, so contrived to branch in various directions amongst the worts, that they are cooled down to the required temperature in a very short time. The stratum of worts in the coolers should be as thin as your apparatus will admit. In brewhouses they seldom allow the worts to be deeper than from two to three inches whilst cooling, but the private brewer has seldom such conve- nience of apparatus. The time of cooling should not ex- ceed twelve hours, for there is always danger of the worts running into acid fermentation whilst at a high tempe- COOLING. 43 rature, and therefore the thinner they can be spread, and the sooner they can be cooled, the better. The worts are liable also, if cooled slowly, to another kind of souring, called foxing, which sometimes takes place in the coolers, and is accompanied by a disagreeable flavour and smell, with mouldy spots interspersed. . Hence, in hot weather, brewing is a critical operation, and private families should refrain from brewing in summer if possible. The object however is, that the worts be cooled down to a tempe- rature which will ensure a healthy fermentation, neither too tumultous and rapid, nor too languid. When the temperature of the atmos- phere is at about 50°, which is perhaps the best heat for brewing, worts of ordinary strength should not be cooled lower than 68° or 70°. If the weather is warm, they may be cooled still lower ; and in hot weather, as low as possible ; A4 FERMENTATION. the coolest time of the twenty-four hours, being an hour before sunrise; but no prudent person would willingly brew when the temperature of the air is as high as 60°. It should also be no- ted, that weak worts will more easily ferment than stronger ones, and large masses of wort are more apt to run into violent fermentation, than smaller quan- tities. FERMENTATION. As soon as the worts are cooled down to the proper degree of temperature, they are to be run off from the coolers, into the fermenting tuns, usually called the gyle-tuns. If only one kind of beer is brewed, one vessel or gyle-tun, if it be large enough to contain all the worts, will be better than dividing it into two gyle-tuns; always remember- FERMENTATION. 45 ing that there must be plenty of room in the tun over and above what is ne- cessary merely to hold the liquor, for the expansion that takes place during the fermentation, and for the head of yeast that rises on the top of the fluid. Where two kinds of beer are brewed, as ale and table beer, two fermenting vats are of course indispensable. Worts when left at these temperatures, will soon begin to ferment without any addi- ’ tion of yeast ; and it has been the prac- tice lately in some families, to run the worts at even a higher temperature at once into the casks in the cellar. I understand that in this way, very good beer has been produced, but I cannot speak of it from my own expe- rience. My method isin all cases to add yeast sufficient to produce a vigor- ous and healthy fermentation. This adding of the yeast, and setting the wort to work, is called in the technical language of the brewer, pitching. Now 46 FERMENTATION. the best temperature at which to pitch the wort, will in some measure depend upon the quantity or volume to be fer- mented. For where large masses of wort are undergoing fermentation, the temperature rises as much as from 10° to 15° during the process; and it is de- sirable that in no case the heat of the fermenting wort should exceed 80°, nor should it, if possible, fall short of 74°. Quantities varying from 100 to 150 gallons, will not rise during the opera- tion more than five or six degrees; and as the mass usually contained in the fermenting vats of private families, sel- dom exceeds this quantity, I consider that pitching at 70°, will generally en- sure the fermenting worts rising to 74°. In hot weather, the temperature will rise higher, because the fermentation will be more violent, and the wort must be pitched at a proportionally lower heat to avoid this evil. The flavour as well as soundness of FERMENTATION. 4% the beer is promoted, by bringing it to a heat from 74° to 80°. If it rises higher than 80°, there is danger of vinegar forming along with the spirit ; and on the other hand, if the wort is pitched at too low a heat, there is risk of the yeast not taking readily nor sufficiently, the fermentation languishes, and the beer afterwards has a heavy taste, and does not become fine, which always endangers its eventually turning sour. The quantity of yeast should be pro- portionate to the gravity of the wort. It should be so thick as barely to retain the liquid state. It is best to add the yeast by weight; from 13 to 2 lbs. is sufficient for every barrel of wort of great strength; and from 14 to 13 lbs, for worts of less gravity. The selection of yeast in brewing must not be slighted; and care should be taken that it be free from all un- pleasant flavour. After the yeast has been put to the 48 FERMENTATION. wort, there will be seen in about from 7 to 10 hours, .a frothy ring leaving the sides of the tun, and proceeding towards the centre: this is succeeded by more, till the whole surface is covered with a thin creaming froth: at this time a hissing noise is heard, owing to the breaking of air bubbles on the surface, and there is a small increase of volume caused by the extrication of carbonic acid gas. The froth continues rising, till at length it forms uneven elevations resembling rocks. When the head of yeast seems dis- posed to fall back into the liquor, it should be skimmed off, and the skim- ming repeated every 8 or 12 hours. After the first skimming, a small quan- tity of salf and wheaten flour, (to be first well mixed with a little of the wort,) say 2 lbs. of flour and 4 lb. of salt may be added for every four bar- rels of beer; these will improve the flavour, give energy to the fermenta- FERMENTATION. 49 tion, and by the action of the salt upon the mucilaginous matter of the malt, will assist its early spontaneous fining, so much to be desired in beer that is intend- ed to be kept for any length of time. At this period the saccharometer will be found a most essential instrument. Its use has been already shewn in ascer- taining the gravity of the different worts. It will now be applied to determine the degree in which the worts become lighter during the progress of fermenta- tion. It is by fermentation that the worts are converted into a spirituous liquor; and as the spirit forms, the liquid becomes lighter, or is attenuated, and the attenuation will be greater in proportion to the quantity of spirit produced, which quantity will in like manner depend upon the amount of saccharine matter dissolved and dif- fused through the wort. The saccha- rometer determines all these points, and js‘therefore an instrument of the first D 50 FERMENTATION. -importance to the brewer, enabling him to conduct his operations with a