On Madame Gervais' New Method of Termenlation. 39 



The first objection raised against the system was in conse- 

 quence of the whole process being performed in the same ves- 

 seJ, as fears were entertained of the beer being yeast-bitten : 

 but tlie first experiment soon dispelled all doubts respecting 

 that event, as the beer was tasted by at least fifty of the best 

 judges in London, and pronounced not to be in the least af- 

 fected by the yeast, which has been fully proved by every suc- 

 ceeding experiment: and if we examine that question more 

 attentively, we shall find beer is never kept in any vessel, 

 whether working- tun, cleansing-casks, or keeping- vats, with- 

 out being in contact with yeast : therefore, if it were to commu- 

 nicate any unpleasant or bittei taste by long contact, it would 

 do the same equally on the old system as on the new. But 

 yeast does not impart a bad flavour, unless it has contracted 

 it by long exposure to the atmospheric air ; which can never 

 be the case with the apparatus, since, as there are no drawings 

 OFF, neither the yeast nor beer comes in contact with the at- 

 mosphere. 



Another objection was, that the yeast, by so protracted a 

 fermentation, must be spent, and incapable of producing a se- 

 cond fermentation. If such were the case, brewers, by adopt- 

 ing die new system, would be left in a most awkward situation, 

 since eight or ten days would be the longest period they could 

 continue their operations. But Lavoisier, in an experiment 

 on fermentation, found that only one seventy-second part of a 

 pound of yeast had been destroyed in fermenting five hundred 

 pounds of wort. Besides, experience teaciies us that yeast 

 does not lose its power by remaining long in the beer ; for 

 when a barrel of beer is moved, that has remained stationary 

 six months or a year, a fresh fermentation takes place, and 

 more jiarticularly if the temperature is at a certain deorec of 

 heat. I lowever, as the objection was made by one of tlie o-reat 

 brewers in London, it became incumbent to refiite it by immc- 

 iliate experiment. Tlie yeast made use of on that occasion pro- 

 ceeded from pale ale, fermented under the ap})aratus fifteen 

 days, and was kejjt eight days ; it had not, indeed, so quick 

 an effect as the other yeast had, tried at the same time, which 

 was only kept one day, and proceeded from porter brewed ac- 

 cording to the old plan, as tiie latter began to move about two 

 hours after it was set, and the f()riner did not act until ten 

 hours later ; but they both protluced an equally good fermen- 

 tation. 



The brewer who attended this experiment, a man of great 

 experience, attributed die slowness of its action to its pro- 

 ceeding fi-om pale ale, and more particularly to having been 



kejjt 



