222 ROPINESS IN MILK, WINE, BEER, ETC. 



secondary fermentation that this avidity for oxygen can be satisfied and the 

 development of the organism proceed. 



When no gas is liberated, and the pediococci consequently remain at the 

 bottom of the liquid, then no turbidity or unsatisfactory alteration of the flavour 

 or smell will occur. If, however, an infected beer be artificially brought into a 

 state of active secondary fermentation by priming (aufkrtiusen) with fermenting 

 wort, then sarcina turbidity will not be long in making its appearance. This 

 fact, determined by Reichard, indicates the necessity for caution in the employ- 

 ment of fermenting wort for priming beer. This practice, as is well known is 

 specially resorted to for livening up sluggish lager beers in the storage cask, 

 and is of itself unobjectionable. Care should, however, be taken to previously 

 ascertain that no large amount of sarcina is present in the cask. According to 

 the researches of REICHARD and RIEHL (I.) hops are very useful in combating 

 sarcina sickness. To prevent the appearance of the malady 30-40 grams of 

 hops per hectolitre of beer (or at the rate of 5 to 6 oz. per 100 galls.) should be 

 placed in the storage cask, and the latter then closed (bunged). 



The injurious organisms in question either find their way into the wort in 

 the cooler, or as stated by Balcke may be transferred to the malt store on the 

 boots of a workman (floor-sweeper) who has previously been working on the 

 malting floor, where these organisms abound. It is, therefore, no wonder that 

 the thick worb is also rich in these organisms, and may consequently become the 

 source of acute troubles. The evil reputation of the thick wort and thick beer 

 is also easy to understand from a bacteriological standpoint. When such an 

 infected wort is fermented, then, of course, the yeast crop will be contaminated 

 with these injurious organisms and the malady will thus be perpetuated. To 

 purify such contaminated yeasts, S. VON HUTU (I.), in 1888, proposed an addition 

 of 5-7 grams of salicylic acid per hectolitre of beer (about i oz. per 100 galls.). 

 A second recipe of his, which was also approved by P. LINDNER (IV.) in 1895, 

 reads as follows: To each kilo. (2.2 Ibs.) of pulpy or liquid yeast take 6 grams 

 of tartaric acid dissolved in' water. After stirring them thoroughly together, 

 leave to stand for six to twelve hours, and then add the mixture to the wort in 

 the tun. The results of this treatment are said to be satisfactory. 



It must, however, be expressly mentioned that this tartaric acid cure should 

 not be employed unless the yeast under treatment is either almost or entirely 

 free from wild yeasts, and is contaminated by sarcina alone. Otherwise it is best 

 to throw the batch away, since the tartaric acid treatment, by favouring the 

 development of the wild yeasts, would only make it worse than ever. This will 

 be referred to again in a subsequent section of vol. ii. 



