THE BAVARIAN PROCESS. 295 



most beautiful problems of the theory of fermen- 

 tation. 



Wort is proportionally richer in gluten than in 

 sugar, so that during its fermentation in the com- 

 mon way, a great quantity of yeast is formed as a 

 thick scum. The carbonic acid evolved during the 

 process attaches itself to the particles of the yeast, 

 by which they become specifically lighter than the 

 liquid in which they are formed, and rise to its sur- 

 face. Gluten in the act of oxidation comes in con- 

 tact with the particles -of the decomposing sugar in 

 the interior of the liquid. The carbonic acid from 

 the sugar and insoluble ferment from the gluten 

 are disengaged simultaneously, and cohere together. 



A great quantity of gluten remains dissolved in 

 the fermented liquid, even after the transformation 

 of the sugar is completed, and this gluten causes 

 the conversion of the alcohol into acetic acid, on 

 account of its strong disposition to attract oxygen, 

 and to undergo decay. Now, it is plain, that with 

 its separation, and that of all substances capable of 

 attracting oxygen, the beer would lose the property 

 of becoming acid. This end is completely attained 

 in the process of fermentation adopted in Bavaria. 



The wort, after having been treated with hops in 

 the usual manner, is thrown into very wide flat 

 vessels, in which a large surface of the liquid is ex- 

 posed to the air. The fermentation is then allowed 

 to proceed while the temperature of the chambers 



