Page:A Practical Treatise on Brewing (4th ed.).djvu/157

Rh generally, by neglect or ignorance, will seldom be required.

best and most proper mode of storing and keeping beer is well worthy of the greatest attention. There are, however, many contradictory opinions upon this subject. Some think that all beer, but particularly ale, should be flattened, as it is called, before being stored in vats or casks. For this purpose, where slow fermentation and skimming are practised, large open vessels or tanks are provided, into which the beer is run, after having been a sufficient time, as it is considered, in the gyle or fermenting tun. The ale or beer is allowed to remain in these vessels for a longer or shorter time according to the fancy of the brewer or storehouse-man. It is during this period imbibing oxygen from the atmosphere, and sometimes is allowed to remain there until acidification has distinctly commenced, as indicated by white spots appearing on the surface, and by an increase of temperature. The brewer who adopts this practice, thinks the beer is so much flattened as to prevent its fretting in the vat. It will be found, however, that although the beer, from some little decrease in temperature