STUDIES ON BEER. 169 



industry in which Germany is superior to France. He 

 hoped by means of scientific principles, by which com- 

 merce would largely profit, to succeed in making for 

 French beer a reputation equal, if not superior, to 

 that of Germany. 



Beer is much more liable to contract diseases than 

 wine. It may be said that while old wine is often to be 

 found, there is no such thing as old beer. It is con- 

 sumed as fast as it is made. Less acid and less 

 alcoholic than wine, beer is more laden with gummy 

 and saccharine matters, which expose it to rapid 

 changes. Thus the trade in this beverage is constantly 

 struggling with the difficulties of its preservation. 



The manufacture of beer is simple. It is extracted 

 from germinated barley, or malt, an infusion of which 

 is made and gradually heated to the boiling point. 

 It is then flavoured by hops. When the infusion of 

 malt and hops, which is called ' wort,' is completed, 

 it is subjected to a cooling process, and drawn off into 

 tuns and barrels. It is then that alcoholic fermenta- 

 tion sets in. The cooling ought to be performed 

 rapidly. While the wort is at a high temperature 

 there is nothing to fear, it remains sound ; but under 

 70 Centigrade, and particularly between 25 and 35, 

 it is easily attacked by injurious ferments acetic, 

 lactic, or butyric. After the wort is cooled, a little 

 of the yeast proceeding from a former fermentation 



