862. Cleansing

862.    Cleansing. In cleansing ale or beer, the yeast should be skimmed from the top, and the liquor drawn off gently, so as not to disturb the bottoms. The casks should be plugged a little on one side, that the yeast may work and discharge itself at the bung-hole. A tub or pan must be placed underneath to receive the yeast as it works over. The greatest attention should be paid to the filling up of the casks with the wort that is left, which should be done every half hour at first, and as the working becomes more slow, every 3 or 4 hours, that the yeast may continue to discharge itself, otherwise it will fall to the bottom, and render the beer harsh and unpleasant, and liable to be excited on every change of the weather; but by attending to these precautions, this will be avoided, and the working of the beer will be sooner over. When the yeast has ceased to discharge itself, plug the casks upright, mix a pound of the best hops with some old ale or beer, and scald them in it over the fire. If the ale or beer is required to be drunk soon, this mixture should be added warm, otherwise add it when cold. Mix it well into the cask by means of a long stick, and bung the cask close; make a spile-hole near the bung, and put in a spile rather loosely at first, and after two or three days knock it in firmly.

863. Important Hints on Brewing

863. Important Hints on Brewing. Small beer will require rather more yeast to work it than strong beer or ale. A portion of the wort at the temperature of 85 degrees should be mixed at first with the yeast. "When the fermentation has commenced, the rest of the wort may be run into the tun at the heat of 75 degrees. It will not work so long nor so strongly as ale, and may be casked the next day. Attend to the filling of the cask as directed for ale. In about two days the fermentation will have subsided, and the cask should then be bunged close. The fermentation will always show whether the degrees of heat have been well taken, and the extract well made. If too high, the air-bladders on the head will be about as large as a dollar piece. If too low, there will be few or no bladders, or very small ones; but when well taken they will be in size about that of a 2 cent piece. The proportions of hops used for beer should be in accordance with the time it is to be kept. If for immediate use, 3 pounds will be sufficient for a coomb of malt (4 bushels). From 1 to 2 years, 4 pounds; old beer, 5 or 6 pounds. The same if the wort is very rich; or in proportion to its gravity use more hops, because beer or ale made from rich wort is always intended for long keeping. In general, 4 or 5 pounds of hops per coomb (4 bushels) is used for ales; but for porter, 5 or 6 pounds, and for bitter ale, about 8 or 10 pounds; but in all cases care should be taken that the hops are of the best quality. The private brewer will find about 1/4 pound of raspings of quassia equivalent to 6 pounds of hops for preserving ale and imparting a pleasant bitter. Beer brewed for immediate use may be made from all pale malt, as it is more readily fermented than that from the browner sorts. It will not keep so well, and may be brewed almost in the hottest weather, as it need not be cooled below 70 or 75 degrees. A mixture of pale and amber malt should always be used for keeping beer, and the wort cooled down to 60 or 70 degrees before it is put into a state of fermentation ; hence, from Autumn to Spring, or the months of October to March, have ever been deemed the most favorable months for brewing the best malt liquor, the former being considered the most fitted, as the beer has so many cold months immediately succeeding, for it to ripen and grow fine in; besides, it does not want such watching and tending as the March beer does, in putting in and taking out the spile or peg on every change of the weather. The proportion of wort to be obtained from every bushel of malt will depend entirely on the proposed strength of the liquor required. For ale or beer of a superior kind, the produce of the first mashing only should be used; but if the ordinary or usual driking ale is wanted, take the produce of the first and second mashings, and use the third for table beer.