Page:A Practical Treatise on Brewing (4th ed.).djvu/260

244 more scientifically explained than as yet we can pretend to do.

I have only to remark further, that the most able chemist, unless practically acquainted with the business, must labour under very great difficulties in forming practical conclusions respecting the fermentation of beer, as, in many cases, he can only be guided by the opinions of uneducated men, who can adduce no scientific reasons for the information they may give, but merely that they have found it to answer in their own practice and locality, whereas place them in different localities or situations they might totally fail, as has happened in innumerable instances.

No certain or invariable rules, therefore, can be laid down for any one particular system of brewing, as applicable in all cases. We must, in a great measure, be guided by circumstances and locality, combined with the scientific knowledge and experience of the brewer.



is a common practice with many brewers, after having made a certain proportion of ale, to make small beer from the same malt. To assist the