Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/804

 BREW • Of Foxing or Fainting Malt-Liquors. Foxing,is a misfortune, or rather a difeafe, in maltdrinks, occafioned by divers means, as the naftinefs of the utenfils, putting the worts too thick together in the backs or coolers, brewing too- often and foon one after another, and fometimes by bad malts and waters, and the liquors taken in wrong heats, being of fuch pernicious confequence to the great brewer in particular, that he fometimes cannot recover and bring his matters into a right order again in lefs than a week or two, and is fo hateful to him in its very name, that it is a general law among them to make all fervants that name the word Fox or Foxing in the brew-houfe to pay fix-pence, which obliges them to call it Reynard; for, when once the drink is tainted, it may be fmelt at Ibme difiance fomewhat like a Fox: It chiefly happens in hot weather, and caufes the beer and ale fo tainted to acquire a fulfome fickilh tafie, that will, if it is received in a great degree, become ropy like treacle, and in Tome fliort time turn four. i d here we ihall mention the great value of the hop in preventing and curing the fox in malt-liquors. When the wort is run into the tub out of the maihing-vat, it is a very good way to throw feme hops diredliy into it before it is put into the copper, and they will fecure it againft fournefs and ropinels, that are the two effedts of foxed worts or dfinks, and are of fuch power in this refpedt, that raw worts may be Icept fome time, even in hot weather, before they are boiled, and which is neceflary where there is a large quantity of malt ufed to a little copper; but it is certain that the ftronger worts will keep longer with hops than the fmaller forts: So likewife, if a perfon has fewer tubs than are wanted, and he is apprehenfive his worts will be foxed by too thick lying in the coolers or working tubs, then it will be a fafe way to put fome frefh hops into fuch tubs, and work them with the yeafi, or, in cafe the drink is already foxed in the vat or tun, new hops fhould be put in and worked with it, and they will greatly fetch it again into a right order; but then fuch drink fliould be carefully taken clear off from its grofs nafty lee, which being moftly tainted, would otherwife lie in the barrel, corrupt, and make it worfe. Some lift quick-lime into foxed drinks while they are working in the tun or vat, that its fire and fait may break the cohefions of the beer or ale, and burn away the ftench that the corruption would always caufe; but then fuch drink fhould by a peg at the bottom of the vat be drawn off as fine as poflible, and the dregs left behind. Offermenting and ■working of Beers and Ales. Though a frnall quantity of yeafi be neceffary to ferment and fine the wort; yet it is in itfelf of a poifonT ous nature, and if beat into the wort too often or in too large a quantity, by its ftupifying and narcotic quality, it makes the liquor fo heady, that five bufhels of malt may be equal in ftrength to fix. But liquor made in this manner is extremely unwholfome. 672

I N G. It is alledged indeed, that beating the yeafi into worl gives it a fine relifh, or it makes the ale bite of theyeaft J but the true reafon is, to further its fale, on account of its intoxicating quality. But fome people are fo fond of white thick ale, that they often kill themfejves by drinking it; nor is their humour much different as to the com-i mon brewers brown ale, who, when the cuftomer wants a hogfhead, they put in immediately a handful of fait, and another of flour, and fo bring it up ; this is no foon^ er on the Hilling than it is tapped, that it may carry a froth on the top of the pot, otherwife they defpife it. See Chemistry, Offermentalion. Of working and fermenting London Stout Beer and Ale. The yeaft is at once put into the tun to work the fiout-beer and ale with ; by this means, and the fhortnefs of time we have to ferment our firong drinks, we cannot make referves of cold worts to mix with and check the too forward working of thofe liquors. The ftrong beer brewed for keeping is fuffered to be blood-warm in the winter, when the yeaft is put into it, that it may gradually work two nights and a day at leaft, for this will not admit of fuch a hafiy operation .as the common brown ale, becaufe, if it is worked too warm and baity, fuch beer will not ke«p near fo long as that fermented cooler. The brown ale has, indeed, its yeaft put into it in the evening very warm, becaufe it is often carried away the vety next morning. The pale or amber ales are often kept near it, not quite a week under fermentation, for the better incorporating the yeafi with the wort. Offorwarding and retarding the Fermentation of Maltliquors. In cafe beer or ale is backward in working, it is cuftomary to call fome flour out of the dufting-box, of with the hand, over the top of the drink, which will become a fort of cruft or cover to help to keep the cold out: Others put in one or two ounces of powdered ginger, which heats the wort and brings it forward : Others take a gallon ftone-bottle and fill it with boiling water, which, being well corked, is put into the working tub, where it communicates a gradual 'heat for fome time, and forwards the fermentation: Others referve fome raw wort, which they heat and mix with the reft; but then care muft be taken, that the pot in which it is heated has no manner of greafe about it, left it fhould impede; inftead of promoting the working; but, for retarding and keeping back any drink that is too much heated in working, the cold raw wort is the moft proper of any thing to check it; though fome are known to put one or more pewter diihes into it for that purpofe; or, it maybe broke into feveral other tubs, where, by its ftiallow lying, its fury will be abated. Others again, to make drink work that is backward, will take the whites of two eggs, and beat them up with half a quartern of good brandy, and put it either into the working-vat, or into the calk, which will quickly bring it forward, if a warm cloth is put over the bung. Others tie up bran in a coarfe thin cloth, and put it into the vat, where, by its fpongy nature, it abforbs a quantity of the drink, and breeds a heat to forward its working. Some