1821.] and Medicinal Virtues of the Common Hop. 199^f> 



appear to have noticed this substance particularly. By some of-^ 

 the former, it is regarded as useless. When at one brewery \;\ 

 asked for some of the yellow powder that was found at the bot*.- 

 tom of the hop bags ; 1 was told that I could find but little there, 

 as but a few days ago they had swept half a bushel of it from th©ivj 

 store. ■ 



I was now resolved to ascertain, if possible, the proportion ofif 

 lupulin in the merchantable hop, and also whether it could be..; 

 completely and readily separated from the leaves. Accordingly^jf ^ 

 six pounds of pressed hops were taken from the centre of a bag,,^ 

 containing some hundred pounds, and exposed to heat till per-t ^ 

 fectly dry. They were then put into a light bag, and by thresh-i* 

 ing, rubbing, and sifting, 14 ounces of the pure powder were^":^ 

 separated in a short time, and with very little labour. j 



Though the quantity thus obtained was surprisingly great,;^ 

 there was obviously a considerable proportion remaining which 

 could not easily be separated from the chaff. If, therefore, the. 

 hops were gathered when the lupulin existed in the greatest j 

 abundance, and, instead of being pressed and packed, were.j. 

 exposed to the sun till perfectly dry, there is little doubt but six ., 

 pounds would yield a pound of the powder in question.* 



The foregoing experiments were not completed till late in the | 

 spring, when the best season for brewing was passed, but with.* 

 the advice, and by the direction of Robert Barnes, Esq. (an ! 

 experienced and scientific brewer, zealous for the improvement .. 

 of his art) two barrels of beer were made in which nine ounces ■ 

 of the lupulin were substituted for five pounds (the ordinary;- 

 quantity) of hops. The result confirmed, the most sanguine 

 expectation. Though the quantity of lupulin w^as less than what . 

 (according to the foregoing statement) usually enters into the < 

 same quantity of wort ; and though the weather during the ■ 

 month of June was unusually warm, and, therefore, unfavourable ; 

 to its preservation, still the beer, which is now five weeks old, > 

 is very fine. It is pleasantly aromatic and bitter, and in a per- ^ 

 feet state of preservation. 



To ascertain the preservative property of the lupulin by a more 

 direct experiment, equal quantities of the beer w^ere put into ; 

 separate vials and exposed, unstopped to the sun. To the beer-; 

 in one vial was added a scruple of lupulin. The beer, to which 

 none was added, became mouldy and sour in 10 days ; the other • 

 was unchanged at the expiration of 15 days. 



Having, as I conceive, demonstrated that the lupulin r 

 alone contains the bitter principle and the aromatic flavour of-! 

 the hop, which aie essential to the excellence and preservation ^ 

 of malt liquor, and having shown also the feasibility of separating;'! 

 it from the leaves to which it is attached; I shall proceed to - 



♦ Nothing conjectural would here have been introduced, but with a view to show, as 

 accurately as possible, the proportion of lupulin, that the requisitequantity n^ay be known 

 in case it should be substituted for the leaves of hops in brewing. 



