40 On Madame Gevvais' New Method of 'Fermentation. 



kept so long; at the same time admitting, he never would 

 himself use yeast of such an age. However, another expe- 

 riment was made, in order to ascertain if that was the real 

 cause; it was tried at Messrs. Gray and Dacre's brewery, 

 and found to be perfectly correct ; for yeast from table beer, 

 which had been fermenting under the apparatus eight days, 

 even after it was kept three daysj produced a perfectly good 

 fermentation. 



Some brewers have objected to tlie length of time it requires 

 to ferment in close vessels ; but although the process ajipears 

 to proceed slower in tliem than in open ones, jet the beer is 

 brought much earlier to perfection ; lor with respect to strong 

 beers, as porter or ale, they are as far attenuated, and as fit 

 to drink, six weelis after they are brewed, as any fermented 

 ill the general way after three months. 



With respect to table beer, from fifteen to twenty days are 

 ihouglit requisite to bring it into perfect condition ; but it is 

 said tiie table beer brewers will exclaim agahist a three weeks' 

 fermentation, since forty-eight hours is a sufficient time by 

 the present mode, their object being a quick return : still it 

 can hardly be suj)posed they are serious in their exclamations, 

 from the known impossibility of accomplishing any fermenta- 

 tion in that period. 



The operations of nature are neither violent nor precipitate, 

 but gentle and slow: if urged hy too great a desire to obtain 

 quick returns, imperfect and l;ad results will be produced, and 

 ihey ai*e to be obtained much more easily without than with 

 the apparatus. A boiled solution of hops in unfermented wort 

 does not constitute beer; the one produces drowsiness, and 

 disorders the stomach, whilst the other, on the contrary, ex- 

 hilai'ates the spirits, and promotes digestion. 



Having so tiu" endeavoured to point out the use and advan- 

 tages of the new system to the brewers, we shall venture to 

 explain to the distillers and vhiegar-makers the benefits they 

 may derive from the same process. 



The chief object of these mamillicturers, during the vinous 

 lermentation, is to arrive in the shortest time at as complete a 

 decomposition of the saccharine matter and production of the 

 alcohol as possible, since upon these depend the strength and 

 quality of the product. The way to effect this is by high 

 FiCRMENTATiONs; but if there is access for atmospheric air 

 wlien the wash is in that high state of dilatation, it will rush 

 in and funiish the batch with fresh oxygen, and thereby ac- 

 celerate one portion of the wasli into the acid fermentation 

 before the v.hole of the alcoliol has had time to combine ; so 



that 



