OCR Text |
Show 72 BARLEY, BARLEY. they may remain an hour or two; but it would be imprudent to let them remain longer, as the air would be getting warmer, and the worts in such weather are liable to a putrefactive fermentation. The quantity of yeast that is necessary to excite the fermentation, is in the proportion of one quart of that which is fresh and steady, to abont forty gallons of strong beer or ale; and one pint and a half to the same number of gallons of small beer. Should the weather prove extremely cold, rather more than the quantity here mentioned may be applied; and in yery hot weather, it will be expedient to diminish the quantity. Immediately that the yeast is applied to the wort, it should bestirred for the space of two or three minutes, thoroughly to incorporate the whole, and thereby to cause, in some degree, an immediate fermentation. The yeast which is intended to be used should be put at one time into the tun, unless the tun should be so situated as to be affected by a sudden change of the weather, such as from rather mild to extreme cold: it may then perhaps be necessary to add more yeast, which must be stirred into the tun in the same man- ner as when first set to work. Indeed, after this it may be found proper repeatedly to beat in the head, and stir it for two or three minutes together, which is a measure of necessity, to revive the fermentation, after having been checked by the coldness of the weather, as to be in danger of never working pro- perly in the casks after being tunned. Observe that, wherever the tun may be placed, it will be proper to keep it always covered close, and thereby to prevent, as much as possible, the escape of the fixed air which is generated by the fermentation. The number of hours which the strong beer fermentation will continue, depends on the weather, and other circumstances : sometimes it will be complete in forty or fifty hours, and at other times: exceed sixty hours. The greatest reliance that can be placed with regard to the period of cleansing, is to pay ataeease guile’ and it will be observed, after Sainibemoneer casorereer 5 10st vigorous state, to begin to turn ra- fickekits baigicaie ae dense and discolouredtill its appearing§ of a thick yeasty reas : a a eee consistence, and ee just ready, PY as it were, to fall backinto the beer: it then ought to be tunned 73 immediately, as it is better to tun a few hours too soon, than one too late. Tunning.—Strong beer that is brewedin small quantities, and ale, whatever the quantity maybe, should be tunned the second day after brewing ; 4nd small beer should be tunned as soon as it has fairly taken the yeast, which will be seen by the creamy appearance on its surface. ‘The bung-hole in the casks for cleansing should be boredin the centre of a stave at the bilge part of the cask; as it is from thence that it is to work and purge itself clean from the yeast, which cannot beeffected in a proper manner if the bung-hole be made in any other part. ‘The best method of working beer, after cleansing, is by a stilling, an utensil which is in the form of a long trough. For a private family, this may be made about ten or twelve inches deep, and twelve or fourteen inches wide in the clear ; and the length according to the number of casks which there may be occasion to work on it at one time. If the stilling be of any con- siderable length, it will be adviseable to fix two or three iron braces across, to render it steady and to prevent its spreading : these should be rather concave, in order that the casks may roll pleasantly along. Great attention must be paid to the closing the joints of the stilling, which would be the better for being lined with lead. It should have a cork-hole bored through the bottom near one end, and be placed just high enough to draw from under it with a bow]-dish or something of that nature. The casks having been placed uponthe stilling, they must be set sufficiently inclining for the yeast to work downone side of them. If the beer work briskly, it should befilled up once an hour at least, for the first six or eight hoursafter being tunned; and care must be taken to keepthe casks filledtill the fermenta~ tion shall entirely cease, which, if well conducted, will be in a few days. If the beer in the stilling should be getting very thick, it will be proper, in the evening, to drawit all out, and turn it into a tub, or one of the coolers, to pitch; in ten or twelve hours, if not laid too thick, it will becometolerably fine ; and by keeping a succession of it, settled, or pitched in this manner, the beer on thestilling maybe filled up with it till completely worked off Where it may-not be thought worth while to providea stilling, the best way to proceed will be to place a tub ona stand, |