OCR Text |
Show BARLEY. BARLEY. If the whole be intended for present drinking, and in cold weather, there need not be more than about six ounces of hops to a bushel of malt; but in warm weather it will be necessary to apply about half a pound to a bushel. The first proportions mentioned, are proper when thebest beer is intended to be kept ten or twelve months; but if the beer is to be kept sixteen or eighteen months, there should be a poundof hops to every bushel of malt. Circumstances, however, will occasionally render it necessary to vary the proportions ; as, if the hops are old, a greater quantity of them must be allowed. Oneofthefirst things to be observed in the process of brewing, is to obtain a heat proper for extracting the virtue of the malt. The heat of the water, or liquor, as it is technically termed, should be regulated in the mash-vat so as to prevent any injury to the delicate and more soluble parts of the malt, and yet to obtain every necessary property. The frequent errors committed in this first stage, are a principal cause why the beer, in private families, so frequently proves contrary to their expectation: either too high or too low a heat is prejudicial; the formeris of the utmost consequence ; but the latter, as far as regards extracting the contents of the malt, may be remedied in the succeeding mashings. Should the infusion be made at too high a heat, the consequence will be that of setting the goods, or mash; that is, from its violence the sweet of the malt will be in a great measurelocked up, and retain with it a considerable portion of the wort; therefore, besides falling short of the intended quantity, the extract will be deprived of that strength and quality which it ought to possess, in consideration of the quantity of malt allowed for the purpose; and it will be matter of great dif- ficulty to obtain by the succeeding mashings the whole virtue of the malt. Should the operation be performed whenthe water is belowits proper heat, the extract will be imperfect, and consequentlydeficient in strength, &c., but by the second andthird mashing, the whole of the rich and most esteemed properties of the malt may be completely drawn off. In this instance it will be judicious to mix the three worts together, as the first wort alone cannot prove good. The water having been emptied from the copper, it has been usual to let it remain in the mash-yvat till the steam is so far eva- porated that you can see yourface in it. This mode holds good, 69 and will be a pretty near guide in cold clear weather; but it is even then subject to the following objection: the steam will sometimes fly off before the water is sufficiently cold; in which case, particularly if the wind be brisk, and the brewery open, it will be prudent to let it remain some time after the reflection can be discovered in the water. In close, thick, and rather warm weather, this rule is extremely liable to error; for then, especially if the brewhouse be confined, the steam will not go off sufficiently to judge with any degree of certainty of the heat; and before the water would become clear, &c., agreeably to the above maxim, it would be too cold to operate properly on the malt. The most certain method to obtain a proper heatfor mashing, is to mix a quantity of cold with a given quantity of boiling water. In mild weather, rather more than one gallon of cold to twelve gallons of boiling water, will be found to be a good proportion. Should the air be inclined to cold, one gallon of cold to about fourteen gallons of boiling water; and, if very cold, one to sixteen gallons, will perhaps answer the purpose. A brewing thermometer, however, which maybe hadfor about twenty shillings, and frequently much less, is still more correct ; and as correctness is of the greatest advantage, in point of ceconomy, as it insures a complete extract of all the essential properties of the malt, it will be worth while, in most families, to purchase one, taking care to obtain a table with it, for its mode of application. If possessed of a thermometer, observe the following rules: Immediately that the water is turned from the copperinto the mash-vat, immerge the instrument for about the space of one minute: the state of the quicksilver in the tube will then be easily discerned; if found to be too hot, apply cold waterin small quantities till reduced to a proper heat. In some instances it may be proper to vary the extracting heat; such as when very new malt is brought into the mash-vat, the water in that instance should be applied from four to six degrees colder; and very old, or slack malt, will require it as many degrees warmer. When hard water is used, it should be applied four degrees warmer, and soft water four degrees colder. At all events, as soon as the boiling water is emptied into the mash-vat, the cold water must be immediately mixed with it, and the mashing perfor med as expeditiously as possible; taking care to saturate, or wet, “very part of the malt. Should the copper not belarge enough |