BEE& 311 



' By mere infusion in hot beer or water, without boiling, the hop loses very little of 

 its soluble principles. Tho tannin of the hop combines, as wo have said, with the 

 vegetable albumen of the barley, and helps to clarify the liquor. 



If the hops be boiled in the wort for a longer period than five or six hours, they 

 lose a portion of their fine flavour ; but if their natural flavour be rank, a little extra 

 boiling improves it. Many brewers throw the hops in upon the surface of the boiling 

 wort, and allow them to swim there for some time, that the steam may penetrate 

 them, and open their pores for a complete solution of their principles when they are 

 pushed down into the liquor. 



The quantity of hop to be added to the wort varies according to the strength of the 

 beer, the length of time it is to be kept, or the heat of the climate where it is intended 

 to be sent. 



For weak beer 4 Ibs. of hops are required to a quarter of malt ; but when it is 

 intended to be highly aromatic and remarkably clear, and for the stronger kinds of 

 ale and porter, the rule, in England, is to take 1 Ib. of hops for every bushel of malt, 

 or 8 Ibs. to a quarter. Common beer has seldom more than ^ Ib. of hops to a bushel 

 of malt. 



The form, size, and setting, the extent of fire-bed and dimensions of the flues, as 

 also the power of draught procurable of a wort copper, are each and all of such 

 importance that none but men of experience should bo entrusted with the work of 

 placing it. 



With respect to the first of these qualifications, the rapid evaporation required 

 will suggest an open shallow basin, turned in at the top, so as to roll violent 

 ebullition into the pan ; the flue should not expose the lower part of the pan higher 

 than can be covered by the first charge run off from the mash-tun, or the thin edge 

 of its contents are liable to burn and thereby colour and perhaps flavour the 

 brewing. 



It should be set so that the whole bottom is freely exposed to the fire, and the 

 bridge so placed as to direct the flame straight up against it, midway between the 

 centre and edge in front. In size it should be capable of boiling away one-fourth of 

 the brewing ; a pan, say of 60 barrels contents, would turn oiit, after boiling, 45 

 barrels. 



In estimating for a copper of any size, it is usual to reckon thus : suppose you 

 desire a copper to boil for a 60-barrel brewing, the contents of the copper should be 

 80 barrels, and this will only just allow for expansion of bulk and the violent 

 ebullition. 



The extent of fire-bed and power of draught should be such as would enable 

 the boiling to be finished within two hours from the time the pan was fully charged. 

 All beers should be boiled at least two hours, or much more of the value of the hops 

 will be thrown away than is necessary : it will not endanger either the colour 

 or the flavour of the palest ales, and it is time sufficient to ensure much of the 

 benefit arising from the depuration of the flocks by the coagulation consequent on 

 boiling. 



The colour desired should also partially regulate the time required for boiling ; 

 for pale ales about two hours is sufficient, but not too much : for deep amber, two and 

 a half to three hours ; for rich brown ales from three to four hours will not be found 

 too long ; but in deciding this, the colour of the malt-extract, of the hops, and the 

 gravity of the wort must each be considered. 



The following considerations are submitted for the guidance of the brewer in this 

 operation. 



In the first place, except in steam-tight boilers, you cannot raise the heat above 

 212, however hard you boil; by increasing the fire, therefore, you gain rapidity of 

 concentration, and colour is obtained not by hard, but by long boiling. 



Secondly, if wort, boiled either with or without hops, be examined by any of the 

 simple tests for the albumenoids at different times in the process of boiling, it will be 

 found that the longest boiled will be the most free from the albuminous constituents, 

 and that it is almost impossible to boil wort long enough to free it entirely from them ; 

 in this, again, a good boiling proves of value, for it enhances the keeping power of 

 the boor by ejecting from it those constituents -which are so troublesome to the 

 brewer. 



Again, the more concentration that can be permitted in the pan, the more of the 

 valuable properties that most deep-spring waters contain are utilised, and these assist 

 greatly the clarifying and soundness of the ultimate product. 



Thirdly, with regard to the boiling with hops, the same, almost precisely, may bo 

 said, for the lupulino and tannin of the hop are very difficult to draw from their 

 covert, but as this is being accomplished, it does its work of depuration, separating 

 with its load of albuminous flocks, as tannatc of albumen. 



