On Matting. 49 



Sifets 5f little hard knobs or ends in the grain, which are 

 insoluble, and so far impoverish the malt. Its natural cause, 

 I am well convinced, resides in the heat improperly given 

 to young floors, more especially of watered malt. This 

 heat Occasions the glutinous mucilage of the barley to run 

 into a clammy substance, somewhat like birdlime, envelop- 

 ing part of the farina, and inspissating first on the working 

 floors, and afterwards on the kiln, hardening into that sub- 

 stance called in the trade flint ', and as heating the young 

 floors is a common practice with the watering party, and can 

 only happen in Hertfordshire from the neglect of the work- 

 men, it is surely reasonable to conclude that the watering 

 system, amongst its other evils, will be the principal source 

 of flinty malt. 



Flavour of Mali. 



A great deal is said by the agents for watering, on the sub- 

 ject of their being enabled to make their malt of a superior 

 flavour by sprinkling ; but the question of flavour, when 

 applied to pale or common malt, resolves itself into this 

 simple fact, that that malt which is worked in the most pure, 

 clean, and natural manner, will be the most free from all 

 adventitious and improper flavour. 



While pale malt is working on the floors, all that can be 

 done is not to give, but to guard it from any peculiar flavour. 

 Oft the kiln the case is widely drtferent ; there, just in pro- 

 portion as the fire is urged, slowly or rapidly, less or more 

 of flavour and colour will be given to the malt : it is in this 

 way only that all malt, expressly intended for the brewing 

 of porter, has its peculiar flavour and colour given to it: 

 but the flavour of ale, generally speaking, is derived from a 

 different source ; this latter arises from the union of a pe- 

 culiar oil of a greenish colour, naturally abounding in hops, 

 with a portion of the unfermented wort, and the mucilage 

 and alcohol of the fermented part ; these, judiciously blended 

 toge'.her in a due proportion, give to ale all its agreeable 

 taste ; but the palate being an arbitrary organ, and differing 

 widely indiff"erent places, no established rule can belaid dowu 

 for adjusting the flavouring of ale : in some places the sweet 

 taste of the malt is required to be pretty full in the mouth. 



Vol. 31. No. l'2l. June iSOii. D by 



