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Rh these so-called improvements may facilitate labour, and be otherwise desirable in some respects, they do not in any way tend to improve the quality of the beer. It is now stated, that when beer shipped for India is placed upon or near sulphur it causes it to get acid, and that the same effect is produced when the casks are stowed upon iron. May not, however, the electro-chemical action, during the fermentation be, in some measure, the cause of this change in the character of the beer; at all events, beer brewed in this manner has seldom or ever been found to stand the climate, or to bear a remunerating price in that market.

In former times, there was always a cessation from brewing during the heat of summer, in consequence of the uncertainty of the process, arising from various causes. Now, however, little or no alteration is made on that account, and various mechanical means have been adopted to counteract the heat of the weather during that season. First fanners, or fans on the coolers were tried, which were found to answer very well, as they cooled the worts sufficiently without otherwise injuring the beer, as will be afterwards explained.

Fanners gave place to refrigerators, which were first constructed in such a manner as to allow the worts to run through different pipes employed for the purpose, while currents of cold water were continually passing over their outer surfaces; these,