_OF EXTRACTION._
Fire impressed on malt, either through air or water, it is true, has
similar effects as to preservation, but the fact is not the same as
to taste: the sweet, the burnt flavor, or the proportion of both, the
malt originally had, sensibly appear in the extracts; but water heated
to excess will not, in extracting pale malt, communicate to the worts
an empyreumatic taste; whether this proceeds from some acid parts,
still residing in the heated waters, which might help the attenuated
oils to tend towards a sweet, or from other reasons, is not easily
determinable; certain it is, the foundation of taste in malt liquors is
in the malt itself.
The basis of all wines is a sweet: this circumstance for brewing beers
agreeable to the palate must always be attended to. Next to this, it
is required that the liquor should possess all the strength, it can
fittingly be made susceptible of. Pale malt, as it retains the whole
virtue of the grain, yields the strongest beers. The finest oils being
fittest for fermentation, malt dried by fierce heats, in a great
measure loses these, and what remains are not only coarser oils, less
miscible with water, but such as bring with them the impressed taste of
fire.
To answer the purposes of taste, strength, and preservation, from what
has been said it appears, that the extracting water must be of a heat
superior to that which dried the malt; no other rule appears to direct
in this, than to make choice of malt of such dryness, the delicacy of
which has not been removed by fire, and such as will, at the same time,
admit of a sufficient number of superior degrees of heat, to extract
all its fermentable parts; that is (see page 124) malt whose dryness is
nearly 19 degrees less than the mean of the drying and extracting heats
applicable to the purpose intended.
As 119 degrees, the first heat forming pale malt, and at which it
possesses the whole of its sweetness and virtues, may be said to be
the lowest degree of dryness in the grain to form keeping beers with,
so 138 degrees, above which the native whiteness of the grain is so
subdued, as to remain but in a very small proportion, is the highest
dried malt fit to be used for any purpose; from these premises the
following table is formed, to shew the degree of dryness of malt, where
taste and strength are equally consulted, to brew drinks capable of
keeping themselves sound a long time, at any medium required.
The proper choice of malt I thought necessary to point out, previous
to entering more at large on the subject of extraction. This table,
it must be observed, is in no wise directive for brewing common small
beer, soon to be expended, that liquor depending on many other
circumstances, of which notice will be taken immediately under that
head.
A TABLE, _shewing the proper dryness of Malt, applicable
to the mean of the drying and extracting heats under
which keeping malt liquors should be formed_.
Mean degrees of dryness of malt Color of malt expressed
and heat of extracts. in degrees.
138 119
140 121
142 123
144 125
146 127
148 130
150 132
152 134
155 136
157 138
The subject to be resolved having been examined as to its dryness, we
now come to the immediate matter for which this section was intended.
Extraction is a solution of part, or the whole, of a body, made by
means of a menstruum. In brewing, it is chiefly the mealy substance
of the grain that is required to be resolved; fire and water combined
are sufficient to perform this act. Water properly is the receptacle
of the parts dissolved, and fire the power, which conveys into it a
greater or less proportion of them.
When all the parts necessary to form a vinous liquor are not employed,
or when more than are required for this purpose are extracted, the
liquors must vary in their constituent parts, and consequently be
different in their effects. This difference arises either from heat
alone, or from the manner of applying it; and the properties of
beers and ales will admit of as many varieties as may be supposed in
the quantity of the heat, and in its application. But as the useful
differences are alone necessary to the brewer, they may be reduced to
the four following modes of extraction.
First, that which is most perfect, and for which malt is chose of
such dryness, in which it with certainty possesses the whole of its
constituent parts, and the extracts are made with such heats, as to
give the beer an opportunity to be improved by time, and to become of
itself fine and transparent.
Secondly, that from which, in order to obtain every advantage of time,
strength, and flavor, such extracts are produced as cannot become
pellucid of themselves, but require precipitation.
Thirdly, that which is intended soon to become intense, where soundness
and transparency are for some short time expected, but not always
obtained, because brewed in every season of the year, and deprived of
the advantages which age and better managements procure to the first.
Fourthly, that where the advantages of strength and pellucidity are to
be procured in a very short space.
These four modes of resolving the grain, being the fundamental elements
on which almost every specie of drink is brewed, I must observe, the
two first may be said to be an exact imitation of natural wines, in
forming which, the principles we have laid down may fully be applied.
The third is the effect of necessity, by which we are deprived of that
time nature directs for properly producing fermented liquors, and
where we are subjected to many disadvantageous circumstances; to guard
against the consequences of which, we must rely, in some measure, upon
opinion formed from observation alone; and the fourth may be said to be
art too precipitately carried on. Before I treat of them separately, it
is requisite to mention a few general rules applicable to all.
In the enquiry we made of the means which nature employs to form the
juices of grapes, we found two remarkable circumstances: the first, a
necessary lesser heat for the production of the fruit, and the second,
a much greater for its maturation; the former useful to incline the
must to fermentation, the latter to raise therein such oils as should
maintain it for some time in a sound state. But in all wines, an
evenness of taste is requisite to affect the palate with an elegant
sensation; and it may be observed, the autumn and spring heats being
nearly equal; so the first juices of grapes are formed by almost,
uniform impressions; the summer heats, though stronger, act upon the
same principle; for though the grapes remain upon the vine some part
of the autumn, perhaps in this space they gain little more than the
juices prepared by the summer’s sun: from whence the tastes of wine are
more simple than otherwise they would be. Thus are we directed, that
a first wort shall have the least share of heat of the whole brewing,
and the last wort the greatest; intermediate worts; if any; must be
proportioned to both, and if several mashes of extracts are made to
compose a wort, these must be equal as to their heat, being careful at
the same time to preserve to the process the medium heat which is to
govern the whole. By this means, we shall obtain our intended purpose;
and place into the drink one and the same smooth taste.
In the table[12] shewing the different effects produced in the grain
by the different degrees of heat, the numbers, with respect to beers,
express, not only the mean of the degrees of dryness the malt had, with
those also of heat in the extracting liquors, but also is implied the
power communicated by the hops, that is, it imparts to us, the idea of
the whole combination.
As malt liquors are made with different views, so must the principles
on which they are formed be varied. Beers intended long to be kept,
require more heat in their extracts, in order to produce such oils, or
so many in quantity from the grain, as shall retard and delay the quick
effects of fermentation; and malt liquors, which are soon to be brought
into use, claim an opposite management. This is imitating nature,
for we have before observed[13], the hotter the autumnal, the vernal
and maturating heats are, with more power do the wines resist the
impressions of time and the air; and we traced the rule which governed
this variety, by an enquiry into the number of degrees required to form
the juices of grapes, and applied their number to discover the first
and last heats they were impressed with. In calculations to find out
the heat to be given to water properly to resolve the malt, the same
method must be followed, it being equally necessary here to employ only
such a proportion of the number of degrees which constitute the whole
of the fermentable principles in malt that are needful to the purpose
we would answer. We have said malts continue in possession of all their
constituent parts from their first degree of dryness, 119 to 129. By
age alone beers obtain spontaneous pellucidity, when urged in the whole
of their process with a heat so great as 138 degrees, precipitation or
art extends it to near 157 degrees, after which neither the acid parts
furnished by the air, nor art avails: an obstinate foulness is the
result; from whence it may be concluded, that at or beyond this heat,
so great a part of the fermentable principles is dispersed, as what
remains in the grain has not power sufficient to produce transparency.
The following table, founded on these principles, will hereafter be
found directive to fix the first and last heats to be given to the
extracts of malt.
A TABLE, _shewing the quantity of fermentable principles
residing in malts at their several degrees of dryness,
or, the number of constituent parts which form beers in
proportion to their properties[14], specified in degrees,
and to be used in calculations, made to ascertain the
proper heats to be given to the first and last extracts
of malt_.
Mean degrees of heat Constituent
affecting malt. parts.
119 10
124 9
129 8
134 7
138 7
143 6
148 5
152 5
157 4
162 3
167 2
171 1
175 0
Though beers and ales are divided into strong and small, this division
regards only the proportion of the vehicle, and not that of the
constituent parts. The same means, as to the heat of the extracts, must
be employed, to form small beers, capable of preserving themselves
sound for some time, as are used to make strong drinks: for though a
small liquor possesses more aqueous parts, the oils and salts of the
malt are only more diluted, not altered in their proportions, and this
causes but a very small difference in the duration of the liquor.
It now remains to apply these rules, deduced from the theory, to the
several sorts of malt liquors, which answer to the four modes of
extraction, just before laid down.
The first and most perfect is, when the malt is chosen of such
dryness, and the extracts made with such heats, as give the beers an
opportunity of being improved by time, and slow fermentations, to
become spontaneously bright and transparent. Under this head, may be
comprehended all _pale keeping strong_, and all _pale keeping small_
beers.
From its name, regard must be had to the color of the malt, and such
only used, as is dried the least, or by 119[15] degrees of heat.
The hops should likewise be pale, and their quantity used in proportion
to the time the drink is intended to be kept; suppose, in this case, it
is 10 months, 10lb. of fine hops, for every quarter of malt, will be
required.
The highest degree of heat, or rather the medium of the highest dryness
in malt, with the mean heat of the several extractions, to admit of
spontaneous pellucidity, we have seen in the foregoing table (page 124)
to be 138 degrees, and this medium is chosen, as it answers not only
the intent of long keeping, but of brightness also.
From the medium degree of the malt’s dryness, and of the heat of the
extracts, to determine the heat of the first and the last extract, and
the value in degrees of the quantity of hops to be used, for brewing
pale strong and pale small beers, intended to be kept about ten months
before they are used, and expected to become self-transparent.
119 Malt’s dryness.
—---
138 Mean of malt’s dryness, heat of extracts, and
value of hops.
3 Degrees, value of 10 lb. of hops.
-----
135 Mean of malt’s dryness and heat of extracts.
For the first liquor.
135 As before.
3-1/2 Half the number of the constituent degrees, answerable
to 138 degrees, the mean heat of
the whole process, to be subtracted[16].
-------
131-1/2 Degrees governing the first extracts.
-------
119 Malt’s dryness.
144 First rule to discover the heat of the first extract.
-------
263
-------
131-1/2 As above.
-------
For the last liquor.
135 As before.
3-1/2 Half the number of the constituent degrees, to be
------- added, to find
138-1/2 The degrees governing the last extract.
-------
119 Malt’s dryness.
158 First rule to discover the heat of last mash.
-------
277
-------
138-1/2 As above.
-------
The elements for forming pale strong and pale small beers, intended to
be kept, are therefore as follows:
Malt’s Value of Whole First Last
dryness. hops. medium. heat. heat.
119 3 138 144 158
2 2 heat lost at
the time the extract separates from the grist.
The proof of this is as follows:
144 Heat of the first extract.
158 Heat of last extract.
-------
302
-------
151 Mean heat of extracts.
119 Malt’s dryness.
-------
270
-------
135 Mean heat of Malt’s dryness, and of heat of extracts.
3 Value of hops.
-------
138 Whole mean given as above.
-------
It is necessary to add 2 degrees to the heat of every mash, such being
the mean of 4 degrees, constantly lost in every extract, at the time
they are separated from the grist, and exposed to the impressions of
the air.
The second mode of extraction is, that, in which every advantage which
can be procured from the corn, from art, and from time is expected;
this produces such drinks, as cannot become spontaneously pellucid, but
require the help of precipitation.
The improvement, which every fermented liquor gains by long standing,
is very considerable; the parts of the grain, which give spirit to the
wine, being, by repeated fermentations, constantly attenuated, not only
become more light and pungent, but more wholesome. If, in order to give
to beers more of the preservative quality, greater quantities of oils
are extracted, in proportion to the salts, transparency cannot take
place; but, when the heat employed for this purpose does not exceed
certain limits, this defect may easily be remedied, and the drink be
fined by precipitation; as time enables it to take up part of the very
oils, which at first prevented its transparency, it will, by long
standing, and by precipitation, become both brighter and stronger.
Where the demand for a liquor is constant and considerable, but the
quantity required not absolutely certain, it ought to be brewed in such
manner that time may increase its merit, and precipitation render it
almost immediately ready for use. These circumstances distinguish this
class of extraction, and justify the preference given to _porter_ or
_brown_ beer, which comes under the mode we are now treating of.
Though transparency in beers is a sure sign of the salts and oils being
in an exact proportion, it is in no wise a proof of the justness of
taste: for strong salts acting on strong oils may produce pellucidity,
but the delicacy and pungency of taste, depend on the finer oils and
the choicest salts being wholly preserved, these best admitting of
fermentation, and most perfectly becoming miscible with the liquor,
the more volatile oils and salts of the grain if excluded, by the malt
being too high dried, the consequence in the beer must be, an heavy and
rancid taste. The less dried the malts are, which are brewed for beers
to be long kept, the hotter are the extracts required to be, but this
greater heat being communicated to the grain through water, an element
eight hundred times more dense than air, the finer parts of the corn,
though acted upon by an heat which in air would disperse them, by this
means are retained.
It appears, by the table (page 124) that drinks brewed from malts,
affected by heats, whose medium is 148 degrees, and with twelve pounds
of hops to every quarter of malt, require from 6 to 12 months with
precipitation to become bright; this is the age generally appointed for
brown beers to be drank at, and by the table, page 133, we find the
proper malts where the medium heat of the whole process is 148 degrees,
must be such as have been dried with 130 degrees to form this liquor,
whose color as yet is expected to be full or brown, without being
deprived of more valuable qualifications.
In the drink before examined, the number of degrees which constitute
the properties of malt, affected by a mean heat of 138 or 7 degrees,
were employed, they being intended to become, in time, spontaneously
bright; but, as this quality in the present case is required only
with the assistance of precipitation, the number 5, in the table,
shewing the constituent parts remaining in the grain at every degree
of dryness, (page 168) as this corresponds to the medium 148, is
undoubtedly that which must answer our purpose, both as to the nature
and to the time this liquor is in general made use of. These conditions
being premised, the proper degrees of the first and last extract for
porter will be found by the same rules as were used before.
130 Degrees, malt’s dryness.
-------
148 Degrees, whole medium intended.
-------
4 Degrees, value of hops, fractions omitted.
-------
144 Mean of malt’s dryness and heat of extracts.
-------
For the first extract.
144 As before.
2-1/2 Half the number of the constituent degrees to be deducted.
-------
141-1/2 Mean of malt’s dryness, and of the heat of the
first extract.
-------
130 Malt’s Dryness.
153 Rule to discover the first heat.
-------
283
-------
141-1/2 As above.
For the last extract.
144 As before.
2-1/2 Half the number of the constituent degrees to be
added.
-------
146-1/2 Mean of malt’s dryness, and of the heat of the
last extract.
-------
130 Malt’s dryness.
163 Rule to discover the last heat.
-------
293
-------
146-1/2 As above.
The elements for brewing brown strong beers, with two degrees added to
the first and last extracts, for what is lost at their parting from the
malt, independent of its farther division into the respective mashes.
Malt’s Value of Medium heat of the First Last
dryness. hops. extracts, malt’s heat. heat. heat.
dryness, and value of
hops.
130 4 148 155 165
Brown beers, brewed with malt so low dried as 130 degrees, twenty years
since, would have appeared very extraordinary, and most likely, at that
time, when a heaviness and blackness in the drink formed its principal
merit, would have been a sufficient reason to condemn the practice; but
strength and elegance being now more attended to, have justified the
brewer, in making porter, to employ malt of such degree of dryness, as
he shall think will best answer these purposes.
As high liquors used to extract low dried malt will form a must capable
to preserve itself equally a long time, as an adequate liquor used to
high dried malt doth; and the first of these methods having greatly the
advantage of the other in point of taste, as 130 degrees of dryness
in malt is one, from its change of color, where part of its finer
principles may be supposed to be evaporated. It may not be amiss to
enquire if there be not reasons why malt, less affected by fire, should
be used for manufacturing this commodity.
The medium of the malt’s dryness, and of the heat of the extracts,
together with the value of the hops which are to make porter, is 148
degrees. This, because precipitation has been found convenient and
necessary for this drink, yet, when at the proper age, it has undergone
this last operation, it is supposed to shew itself in its best form;
bright, well-tasted, and strong; that is, in such state as drink
should be, which becomes spontaneously transparent, and is capable of
preserving itself a long time, if from
148 degrees.
The value of the oils yielded by the hops
(See page 180) is deducted, 4 degrees.
---
Will remain, 144
And by table (page 162) we find a must under the mean of 144 degrees
should be formed with malt dried to 125 degrees, with this circumstance
the elements of brewing porter will be as follows.
125 Malt’s dryness.
----
148 Degrees, whole medium intended.
4 Value of hops.
----
144 Mean of malt’s dryness, and heat of extracts.
For the first extract.
144 As before.
-------
2-1/2 Half the number of constituent parts, to be deducted.
-------
141-1/2 Mean of malt’s dryness, and of the heat of the
first extract.
-------
125 Malt’s dryness.
158 Rule to discover the first heat.
-------
283
-------
141-1/2 As above.
For the last extract.
144 As before.
2-1/2 Half the number of constituent parts, to be added.
-------
146-1/2 Mean of malt’s dryness, and of the heat of the last
extract.
-------
125 Malt’s dryness.
168 Rule to discover the last heat.
-------
293
-------
146-1/2 As above.
Elements for brewing porter with malt dried to 125 degrees, and two
degrees added to the first and to the last extracts, for what heat is
lost at their parting from the malt, but this, independent of a farther
allotment of this heat to the respective mashes.
Malt’s Value Medium of the heat of First Last
dryness. of hops. the extracts, malt’s mash. mash.
dryness, and value of
hops.
125 4 148 160 170
Whether any attempt to improve this liquor, by using malt of less
dryness than 125 degrees, may ever be put in practice, is very
uncertain; porter, if brewed with malts so low as 119 degrees, probably
would succeed; for, in this case, the last mash, according to the
foregoing rules, would be at the 174th degree, at which the spirit of
the grain could not be dispersed, and probably the result would be, a
more delicate, more strong, and more vinous liquor.
It may be observed, that 4 degrees are charged for the quantity of hops
used; as this number corresponds to the quantity proper to form beer of
this denomination. A greater or a less proportion of hops is sometimes
allowed to this drink, on account of its better, or inferior quality,
of the necessity there may be to render it fit for use in a shorter
time than that which is commonly allowed—from nine to twelve months,
and, lastly, of old, stale, or otherwise defective drinks, blended,
with new guiles. In these cases, which cannot be too rare, the errors
should be corrected only by the addition of hops, and no alteration
be made, either in the dryness of the malts, or in the heat of the
extracts.
The third mode of extraction is that which intends spontaneous
transparency, but not a durable liquor. Under this head is comprehended
_common small beer_, soon to be drank.
Common small beer is supposed to be ready for use, in winter, from two
to six weeks, and in the heat of summer, from one week to three. Its
strength is regulated by the different prices of malt and of hops; its
chief intent is to quench thirst, and its most essential properties
are, that in the winter it should be fine, and in the summer sound.
This liquor is chiefly used in and about great trading cities, such as
London, where, for want of a sufficient quantity of cellar room, drinks
cannot be stowed, which, by long and slow fermentations, would come to
a greater degree of perfection. The duration of this kind of liquor
being short, and there being a necessity of brewing it in every season
of the year, dividing it into very small quantities, easily affected in
its conveyance by the external heat: generally neglected, and placed in
repositories influenced by every change of air, the incidents attending
it, and the methods for carrying on the process must be more uncertain,
various, and complicated, than those of any other liquor made from
malt.
The incidents attending this specie of malt liquor are so many, so
short of existence, so contrary to one another, and often so different
from what should be expected in the different periods of the year,
that an attempt to guard, in a just proportion, against every one of
them, and against what _may_ happen, and oftentimes does not, must be
fruitless. After many endeavours of this sort, which terminated in a
doubtful success, we have found it most eligible to form these drinks
in proportion to the principal circumstances constantly attending them,
and the result was more fortunate, as, in general, the drink was able
to maintain itself against that variety of temperature it met with in
the places allotted to it.
In proportion as it is brewed, in a hot or in a cold season, we must
employ every means, either to repel or to attract the acids circulating
in the air; for this purpose, the degree of dryness in the malt,
the quantity of hops, the heat of the extracts, and the degree of
temperature the wort is suffered to ferment with, must vary as such
seasons do. The success, in brewing common small beer, greatly depends
on its fermentation being retarded or accelerated, in proportion to the
heat of the air, and expansion being the principal effect of heat, was
a wort of this sort suffered, in winter, to be so cold as 40 degrees,
the air would, with difficulty, if at all, penetrate the must, or put
it in action. This slow fermentation would not permit the beer to be
ready at the time required.—For these reasons, brewers let down their
worts, in that season, at 60 degrees, whereas, in summer, the air of
the night is made use of to get them as cold as possible, by which
means a part of them may be 12 degrees colder than the medium of the
heat of the day, and the whole of the worts nearly 5 degrees, in the
space of 24 hours.
The choice of the malt, as to its dryness and color, for brewing this
liquor, should be varied in proportion to the several seasons, but
custom requires it should be kept nearly to an uniform color. For this
reason, when the air is so cold as the lowest fermentable degree, a
greater dryness than 119 degrees is required; but the dryness of malt
forming only one part of the process, the proper medium directing the
whole must be brought to its true degree, by the heat given to the
extracts. In the height of summer, malt dried to 130 degrees seems
to be the best, as it unites the properties of speedy readiness,
preservation, and transparency, and these several characters are, at
that time, requisite in this liquor.
To come as near as possible to the inclination of the consumers, or to
maintain as near as may be an uniform color, if in the hottest season
malt dried to 130 is best for this purpose, the mean between this and
119, the first degree that constitutes malt, must answer nearest every
intent, when the heat of the air is at 40 degrees. Upon this footing,
the following table will, from the proportion of these two extremes,
shew the color of the grain for every season of the year.
Heat in the Malt’s Value of hops
air. dryness. in degrees.
35 122 1
40 124 1
45 125 1
50 127 1
55 129 1-1/2
60 130 2
If common small beer was immediately to be used after being brewed and
fermented, and it was free from the incidents, most of which we have
just now enumerated, no hops would be required, and the medium degree
of the whole process would be that of the lowest dried malt, 119, to
be employed when the heat of the air was at its first fermentable
degree, or 40, as, with adequate malts, this would make the liquor that
would be ready in the least space, and, at the same time, yield its
constituent parts; but if small beer was intended to be kept some short
time, brewed without hops, and not liable to any accidents, and the
process to be carried through, in a heat of air equal to the highest
fermentable degree, or 80, in this case the governing medium for the
whole process must be the utmost heat the grain is able to endure,
where malt charrs, or 175 degrees. As malt liquors are principally
affected by heat, we will first proportion the medium heat, directive
of each process, for every fermentable degree, without any regard had
to any incident whatever,
Fermentable Mean heats to govern
degrees. the processes.
40 119
45 126
50 133
55 140
60 147
65 154
70 161
75 168
80 175
Now the principal heats affecting common small beer, with regard to
its duration, are the degree of heat under which the beer is at first
fermented, that of the air when brewed, and when conveyed from place to
place, and that of the cellar where it is deposited; let us, in regard
to these heats, take the mean of the circumstances this drink is liable
to, at the time when the air is at the first fermentable degree, and
at the time when the season is hottest (taking for this the medium
heat of the whole 24 hours.) Having these two extremes, and making a
fit allowance for the hops employed, we shall be able, from the above
table, to fix the medium heat that should govern the several processes
for making common small beer in every season of the year.
I observed, in page 183, that when the heat of the air is
40 degrees, brewers set the worts of common small beer
to be fermented, at a heat of 60; add to this 10 degrees
more heat, excited by the fermentable action, makes 70°
The heat of the air we fixed for the first extreme,
was the first fermentable heat, 40
In page 156, we said cellars in winter were generally
ten degrees hotter than the air, but we
observed, those employed for this use, were the
worst of the kind, subjected to exterior impressions,
or perhaps other defects, for which reason
we here set this heat only at 46
----
Divided by the number of circumstances 3 ) 156
----
52°
is the mean of the principal incidents affecting small beer in this
season, and, by the foregoing table, this degree indicates a medium to
govern the whole process 136, to which must be added, for preservative
effect bestowed by the hops used, 1 degree more, which makes it at this
heat in the air 137 degrees.
When the mean heat of the whole 24 hours is 60 degrees, (see page 150)
if, as in page 183, by the advantage of the evening and night to cool
the wort, an abatement of 5 degrees is obtained, the whole of the heat
is 55 degrees, add to this only 8 degrees more, because at this time
the beer is divided, and put in casks long before the first fermentable
act is compleated, and their real heat will be
The medium heat of the air in the hottest
season (page 150) 60
In page 156 we say, the heat of the cellars in
summer time is generally 5 degrees colder than
the exterior air, but these being the worst of
the kind, may certainly be thought somewhat
more exposed, though not so much affected in
summer as in winter, when there are fewer culinary
fires, for this reason we fix their heat at 56
---
Divided by the number of observations 3 ) 179
---
59°
is the mean of these incidents affecting the small beer at this season,
and by the foregoing table it indicates a medium heat to govern the
whole process 146 degrees, to which, if two degrees more be added, for
the effect of the hops, (as experience teaches us six pounds of hops in
summer scarcely are so powerful as three pounds in winter) it will give
us for the mean of the heats drying the malt, those impressed in the
extracts, together with the allowance made for the hops 148 degrees.
Spontaneous pellucidity is always expected in this drink, although the
time allotted to gain this in general is much too short; to forward
this intent as far as possible, without hazarding the soundness of the
drink, in the computations to determine the heats of the first and last
extracts, the whole number of constituent parts of malt or 10 degrees
are employed.
Having premised these rules, the heats for the first and last extracts
are to be found by like operations before made use of, an example of
which we shall state; and knowing the mean heats required for two
distinct distant processes, in proportion to these I shall form a
table, for brewing this drink in every season of the year.
When the air is at 40, the degree of dryness fixed for malts to be
used for common small beer is 124, the quantity of hops three pounds
per quarter, the medium of their dryness and the heat of the extracts,
together with the value of the hops added thereto, is 137 degrees.
124° Malt’s dryness.
137 Medium intended.
137
1 Value of hops.
----
136 Mean of Malt’s dryness, and heat of extracts.
----
For the first extract.
136 As before.
5 Half the number of the whole constituent degrees,
to be deducted. (See p. 168.)
----
131
----
124 Malt’s dryness.
138 Rule to discover the first heat.
---
262
---
131 As above.
For the last extract.
136 As before.
5 Half the number of the whole constituent degrees,
to be added. (See p. 168.)
---
141
---
124 Malt’s dryness.
158 Rule to discover the last heat.
---
282
---
141 As above.
---
The proof.
138 Heat of the first extract.
158 Heat of the last extract.
----
296
----
148 Mean heat of extracts.
124 Malt’s dryness.
----
272
----
136 Mean of Malt’s dryness and heat of extracts.
1 Value of hops.
----
137 Medium intended, as above.
----
The elements for forming common small beer, when the heat of the air
is at 40 degrees, independent of the proper division of this heat,
adequate to each Mash.
Malt’s Value of Whole First Last
dryness. hops. medium. heat. heat.
124 1 137 138 158
2 2
The medium of the heat lost in the mash ton, amounting to two degrees,
is added to the heat of the first and last mash, in the following
table.
A TABLE _of the elements for forming common small beer, at every degree
of heat in the air, with the allowance of two degrees of heat, in the
first and last extractions_.
Heat Malt’s Value of Medium heat First Last
of air. dryness. hops. of the heat. heat.
processes.
35 122 1 135 138 158
40 124 1 137 140 160
45 125 1 140 145 165
50 127 1 143 149 169
55 129 1-1/2 146 152 172
60 130 2 148 154 174
From due observation of this table, it appears, how necessary it is for
brewers to be acquainted, not only with the daily temperature of the
air, but also with the medium heat of such spaces of time, wherein a
drink like this is expected to preserve itself. This I have estimated
for every 14 days; (page 150) but as the event may not always exactly
correspond with our expectations, an absolute perfection in this drink,
as to its transparency and soundness, is not to be expected. It greatly
depends on the care and attention given to it, and on the temperature
and quiescent state of the cellars it is placed in. The first of these
circumstances is often neglected, and the other hardly ever obtained,
as the places, where common small beer is kept, are generally the
worst of the kind.
In keeping beers, every circumstance is assistant to form them so
as to obtain elegance in taste, strength, and pellucidity, either
spontaneously or by precipitation, but in common small beer; from the
shortness of its duration; and from the many complicated incidents
that occur; only the medium of the effect of these can be attended to;
which governing medium, in general, differs so much from those which
form more exact fermentable proportions, that in these extracts, there
cannot be expected that near resemblance to natural wines, which, under
more favorable management, it is capable of.
The fourth mode of extraction is that, which, by conveying a heat,
equal to what is practised for keeping pale strong, and keeping pale
small beers, to the liquors commonly known by the names of _pale
ale_, _amber_, or _twopenny_, the softest and richest taste malt can
possibly yield, and which makes them resemble wines formed from grapes
ripened by the hottest sun, though by artfully exciting periodical
fermentations, they are, in a very short time, made to become
transparent.
As wines have, in general, been named from the town or city, in the
neighbourhood of which the grapes, from which they are made, are found
growing, this has, though with less reason, been the case, with our
numerous class of soft beers and ales. These topical denominations can
indeed constitute no real, at least no considerable difference, since
the birth-place of any drink is the least of all distinctions, where
the method of practice, the materials employed, and the heat of the
climate, are nearly the same.
Ales are not required to keep a long time; so the hops bestowed on
them, though they should always be of the finest color, and best
quality, are proportionably fewer in the winter than in the summer. The
reason is, that the consumption made of this liquor in cold weather, is
generally for purl[17], whereas, in summer, as it is longer on draught,
it requires a more preservative quality.
The properties of this liquor are, that it should be pale; its strength
and taste principally depend on the malt, and its transparency should
be the effect of fermentation, accelerated by every means, which will
not be hurtful to it. Malt capable of yielding the strongest extracts,
is such whose dryness does not exceed 120 degrees; and 138 we have seen
to be the highest mean of the extracts, and of the dryness of the malt
to admit of pellucidity, without precipitation; the hops used, being
only so many as are necessary to resist the heat of the seasons the ale
is brewed in, may in general be estimated in value, one degree; from
these premises, the elements for brewing this drink, will be found by
the same rules as before, where 10 degrees are supposed to be equal to
the whole of the constituent parts, and the whole of these are employed
to accelerate its coming to perfection.
120 Degrees of malt’s dryness.
----
138 Degrees, whole medium intended.
1 Value of hops.
----
137 Mean of malt’s dryness, and heat of extracts.
For the first extract.
137 As before.
5 Half the number of the whole constituent degrees to be deducted.
----
132 Mean of malt’s dryness, and of the heat of first extract.
----
120 Malt’s dryness.
144 Rule to discover the first heat.
----
264
----
132 As above.
For the last extract.
137 As before.
5 Half the number of the whole constituent degrees to be added.
----
142 Mean of malt’s dryness and of the heat of last extract.
----
120 Malt’s dryness.
164 Rule to discover the last heat of last extract.
----
284
----
142 As above.
The elements for brewing pale ale or amber, with the allowance of 2
degrees for the heats lost in the extracts.
Malt’s Value of Medium of Heat of Heat of
dryness. hops. the whole. first mash. last mash.
120 1 138 146 166
The time this liquor is intended to be kept, should entirely be
governed by the quantity of hops used therein; for this ale being
required to become spontaneously fine, the medium of the whole, or 138
degrees, cannot be exceeded. In and about London, and in some counties
in England, these ales, by periodical fermentations, are made to become
fine, sooner than naturally they would do, and often, in a shorter
time than one week. The means of doing this, by beating the yeast
into the drink, as it is termed, has by some been greatly blamed, and
thought to be an ill practice. An opinion that the yeast dissolved
in the drink, and thereby made it unwholesome, prevailed; and some
brewers, erroneously led by this, and yet willing that their commodity
should appear of equal strength with such as had undergone repeated
fermentations, have been induced to add ingredients to their worts,
if not of the most destructive nature, at least very unwholesome. The
plain truth is, that, by returning the elastic air in the fermenting
ale, the effects of long keeping are greatly imitated, though with less
advantage as to flavor and to strength; but as this case relates to
fermentation, we shall have hereafter an opportunity of explaining it
more at large.
It is under this class, that the famous _Burton ale_ may be ranked,
and, if I do not mistake, it will be found, that its qualities and
intrinsic value will be the same, when judiciously brewed in London,
or elsewhere, from whence it may be exported at much cheaper rates to
Russia and other parts, than when it is increased in price by a long
and chargeable land-carriage.
When drinks are made so strong as these generally are, only two
mashes can take place, by which the whole virtue of the malt not
being expended, small beer is made after these ales. The purest and
most essential parts of the grain being extracted, it is not to be
expected, from an impoverished grist, that beers can be made to
possess all their necessary constituent parts, or to keep so long, as
where fresh malt is used; but the sort of small beer, which answers
best to the brewer, and is most salubrious for the consumer, must
be, by the addition of fresh hops, to form the remaining strength
into keeping small beer, the greater quantity of hops necessary to be
allowed, beside those boiled in the ale, is 2-1/4 pounds for every
barrel intended to be made. As much more water must be employed, for
this small beer, besides its length, as will steam away in two hours
boiling, and 1/8 of a barrel per quarter of malt, for waste. The heat
regulating the extract of small, will be found by the following rule.
138 Medium heat intended for keeping small beer.
2 Value of hops.
----
136 Mean of malt’s dryness and heat of extract.
----
120 Malt’s dryness.
152[18]Heat of the mash for keeping small after amber,
one mash, and one wort.
----
272
----
136 As above.
All the hops after these two brewings, as those added for the keeping
small beer have been boiled but in one wort, are in value, for the next
guile of beer, equal to 1/10 of fresh hops.
We should now put an end to this section, but, as other drinks are
brewed besides those here particularly treated of, we shall just
mention them, to shew how their different processes are reducible to
the rules just laid down.
_Brown_ ale is a liquor, whose length is generally two barrels from
one quarter of malt, and which is not intended for preservation. It
is heavy, thick, foggy, and therefore justly grown in disuse. The
hops used in this, differ in proportion to the heats of the season it
is brewed in, but are generally nearly half the quantity of what is
employed, at the same times, for common small beer. The system it ought
to be brewed upon is not different from that of this last liquor; the
medium of the malt’s dryness, and heat of the extracts, are the same
for each degree of heat in the air, and it requires the same management
when under fermentation. But though common pale small beer and brown
ale are so much alike in their theory, yet, from the difference of the
dryness of the malt, which, for brown ale, is constantly so high as
130 degrees, the practice will appear greatly different. Small beer
is made after this ale, by the same rules as that made after pale ale
or amber; the malt must, in that case, be valued according to its
original dryness, and the medium governing the process be the same as
for small beer, and as if no extract had been taken from the grain. No
small beer brewed after ales can ever be equal in goodness to such as
are brewed from entire grists; but that which is made after brown ale,
from the grain being so highly dried, and nearly exhausted, is neither
nourishing or fit to quench thirst.
_Brown stout_ is brewed with brown malt, as amber is with pale;
the system for brewing these liquors is the same, allowing for the
difference in the dryness of the malt. The overstrength of this drink
has been the reason of its being discontinued, especially since porter
or brown beer has been brought to a greater perfection.—That which
is brewed with an intent of being long kept, should be hopped in
proportion to the time proposed, or the climate it is to be conveyed to.
_Old hock_ requires the same proportion of hops as are used in keeping
pale strong, or keeping pale small beer; but more or less, according
to the time it is intended to be kept before it becomes fit for use.
The length is about two barrels, from a quarter of the palest and best
malt. As spontaneous pellucidity is required, its whole medium must not
exceed 138 degrees, for the drying and extracting heat. The management
of it, when fermenting, is under the same rules with keeping small
beer, or those which are allowed a due time to become of themselves
pellucid.
_Dorchester beers_, both strong and small, range under the same
head. They are brewed from barleys well germinated, but not dried to
the denomination of malt. The rule of the whole 138 degrees for the
governing medium, must, even with this grain, be observed to form these
drinks; but, from the slackness of the malt, and the quantities of
salt and wheaten flour mixed with the liquor, when under fermentation,
proceed its peculiar taste, its mantling, and its frothy property.