Of The Art Of Brewing
The art of brewing consists:
1st. In the sprouting of a proportion of grain, chiefly barley. This
operation converts into a saccharine matter, the elements of that same
substance already existing in grains.
2dly. In preparing the wort. For that operation, the grain, having
been previously ground, is put into a vat, which is half filled up with
water; the rest is filled up at three different
imes with hot
water--the first at 100 deg., the second at 150 deg., and the third at 212 deg.,
which is boiling water. The mixture is strongly stirred each time that
it is immersed. By this infusion, the water lays hold of the sweet
principles contained in the grain.
3dly. The wort thus prepared, the liquor is filtrated, in order to
separate it from the grain, and then boiled until reduced to one half,
in order to concentrate it to the degree of strength desired. In that
state, 40 gallons of wort contain the saccharine principles of 200 wt.
of grain.
4thly. The wort, thus concentrated, is drawn off in barrels, which are
kept in a temperature of 80 deg. or 85 deg.. The yeast is thrown into it to
establish the fermentation, and in a short time beer is made, more or
less strong, according to the degree of concentration, and more or less
bitter, according to the greater or lesser proportion of hops put into
it.
Such are, in a concise view, the proceedings of the brewer. Let us
proceed to those of the distiller of whiskey.