FERMENTATION INGREDIENTS USED. 381 



are particular to put the yeast into a hand bowl, 

 which they set afloat on the beer. In three or four 

 hours, the yeast will work over the bowl into the 

 beer, when the bowl is to be turned bottom upwards, 

 and a fermentation communicated to the whole mass, 

 or the bowl of yeast and wort mixed is placed at the 

 bottom of the empty tub, and the worts laded upon 

 it. Some say the first, or common method, merely 

 spreading the yeast on the surface, has the speediest 

 effect. Too rapid and speedy fermentation, however, 

 is not desirable, lest by excess it exhausts the spirit 

 of the beer ; indeed, slow working, provided in the 

 end it be thorough and effective, and not carried to 

 the other extreme, need not be regretted ; but in 

 FILLING up the beer, when in the casks, the remain- 

 ing yeast should be well worked out, yeast being a 

 narcotic and unwholesome matter. 



In cold weather, when it is difficult to raise a fer- 

 ment, it is an old practice to fill a gallon or two gal- 

 lon stone bottle with boiling water, well corked, and 

 put into the beer, in order to infuse and spread a 

 heat: also, to quicken the fermentation, salt, flour, 

 and the whites of eggs are used; but I apprehend 

 when good yeast fails, those are not likely to succeed, 

 and that time is the real remedy. As to the stock of 

 beer brewed, according to the old maxim, better to 

 have rather too much than too little, as the casks 

 must be filled ; since if there be not ale enough, they 

 they must be filled up with small beer, or, perhaps, 

 with a decoction of malt and hops, put in blood warm 

 or cold. In case of a surplus, two and a half gallon 

 cags, or stone bottles, are the proper vessels. 



