Page:A Practical Treatise on Brewing (4th ed.).djvu/147

Rh answer in a public brewery. They are in the first place very indifferent as to the quantity of malt used in brewing, and the worts are consequently of very high gravities. Their brewers being generally but imperfectly acquainted with the use of a saccharometer, and often even of a thermometer, must trust every thing to chance. The fermentations are, therefore, carried no further in the first instance, than to produce an unattenuated sweetwort, which has to undergo a second fermentation before it becomes ale or beer. On the management of this second fermentation depends the quality of the said beer.

The worts being originally very strong, retain a sufficient quantity of saccharine matter to prevent the occurrence of acidification, unless exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and in temperatures which are too high, or to the action of galvanism or common electricity. When the second fermentation appears, the skill of the butler is required to give the necessary vent, and to rack the beer into other casks to stop the fermentation, when he thinks it has proceeded far enough.

It will thus appear, that, however fine we may occasionally see the beer which is brewed by private families, the whole process is a matter of mere chance, and could not be adopted with success in any public establishment.

From what has been said, it would appear that