Page:A Practical Treatise on Brewing (4th ed.).djvu/250

234 after the thunder begins, the fermentation will resume its activity, and with a very little additional yeast, will get on, perhaps, more vigorously than before, and should any acidity be produced, it will be at this time, and not during the state of inactivity I have already mentioned as occurring before the commencement of the storm. I have observed these anomalies to take place more than once during the progress of the same fermentation, and could, if necessary, mention day and date for them. We at present know no means of totally preventing the influence of electricity on fermentation, but its occurrence may be often ameliorated, and sometimes even averted, by a judicious arrangement of the fermenting tuns, but not by the admixture of metals already adverted to, which at all times prevents either regularity or uniformity in the process. The fermenting vessels should be in every way as perfectly insulated as possible, and not in any way exposed to the steam arising from other parts of the brewery, the influence of which will immediately destroy the fermentation by throwing down the head. They should be placed upon brick pillars, and if supported by baked wooden bearers, so much the better, and each one should be placed separately by itself. These precautions will at all times be found serviceable. Other means may be afterwards discovered which may be more effectual, but these would require careful investigation. It cannot now