We present a diagram, on exposition at the last Brewers' Convention in
Detroit, of the racking device, devised by J. E. Siebel in 1872, and
used at that time in the brewery of Messrs. Bartholomae & Roesing, in
Chicago. The object of the apparatus is to retain as much carbonic acid
in the beer as possible while racking the same off into smaller packages
from the storage vats. The importance of this measure is apparent to
every one who knows what pains are taken to preserve the presence of
this constituent in all the former stages of the brewing process. In the
method of racking off which is in present use in most breweries, the
beer is forced through a rubber hose from the cask in the store vault to
the barrels, kegs, and smaller packages in the fill room. Owing to the
excess of pressure in the beer as it enters the keg, it is evident that
a large amount of the carbonic acid gas must escape. The escape of
carbonic acid during the process of racking off is indeed so large that
even a small difference in the pressure of the atmosphere causes a
remarkable difference in this respect. It is, therefore, evident that if
a larger pressure can be maintained while racking off, a larger amount
of carbonic acid gas will remain in the beer. It is true that the
racking off will take a little longer time if done under pressure, but
this inconvenience is certainly insignificantly small, when compared
with the other labors and troubles daily undergone in a brewery, for the
sole purpose to preserve in the beer the carbonic acid in that form in
which it has been formed during the fermentation, and in which form it
has far more refreshing and other valuable properties than in any
other form in which it may be subsequently introduced into the beer by
artificial means. The apparatus designed in the accompanying cut is
calculated to artificially produce a higher pressure of the atmosphere,
at least within the keg which is to be filled with beer. For this
purpose, the beer from the store cask running through the pipe, B,
enters the keg through a hollow copper bung, fitting light into the bung
hole by means of a rubber washer. The air contained in the keg, being
replaced by the beer, is forced out by means of the hollow copper bung,
taking its course through the pipe, inscribed "Glass Gauge," until it is
allowed to escape in the standpipe, C, containing a column of water,
the height of which designates the pressure within the keg, and a
consequently increased retention of carbonic acid gas. If the keg or
barrel is filled with beer, the same becomes apparent from the beer
showing itself in the glass gauge; then the faucet, B, is closed, the
copper bung is lifted out of the bung hole, and the beer contained in
the pipe is just sufficient to completely fill the keg, which is then
bunged up, while the apparatus is transferred to the next keg. Should
the attendant carelessly neglect to close the faucet in proper time, the
surplus beer will not necessarily be wasted, but will be collected in
the vessel, D, whence it can be drawn off through e.--_Chemical Review_.
[Illustration]
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