434 STORING AND CELLARING. 



With respect to the storing of either wine or beer, 

 dry cellaring, upon a light, and above all, a chalky 

 soil, claims the preference, as well for preserving, 

 maturing, and perfecting the liquor, as for the long 

 endurance of the casks, which will extend to double 

 or upwards of that to which the same casks would re- 

 main sound, in a damp soil with its moist exhalations. 

 Under those disadvantages of position and exposure, 

 the hoops of the casks will crack and burst, in a com- 

 paratively short period ; and if iron hoops are chosen 

 for greater security, those exposed to moisture will 

 rust and give way in less than half the time they 

 would endure under more favourable circumstances. 

 Thus a well-stored cellar requires constant inspection 

 at short periods, not only on account of the casks, 

 but materially in regard to their contents, to watch 

 their state and to detect any unexpected fermentation, 

 more especially during the summer season, and on 

 the approach of thunder-storms, when every known 

 means should be used to obviate that agitation and 

 ferment, which may either burst the cask or convert 

 the wine to vinegar. 



The analogy or similarity of process and manage- 

 ment between beer and wine brewing, being nearly 

 complete, to save my readers the trouble of reference, 

 I have in the foregoing pages made various repeti- 

 tions from the Brewing Section. 



FERMENTATION, whether in vats or tubs, is gene- 

 rally suffered to proceed uncovered, excepting the 

 case of apprehension that a chilly state of the atmo- 

 sphere might check and retard it, when it is usual to 

 throw a cloth over the vat, to remain as long as may 



