THE BAVARIAN PROCESS. TO 



version of gluten into ferment, and not in the formation of alcohol. 

 But in the fermentation of Bavarian beer, all the sugar is ex- 

 pended in the production of alcohol ; and this is especially the 

 case whenever the transformation of the sugar is not accom- 

 panied by the formation of yeast. 



It is quite certain that in the distilleries of brandy from potatoes., 

 where no yeast is formed, or only a quantity corresponding to the 

 malt which has been added, the proportion of alcohol and car- 

 bonic acid obtained during the fermentation of the mash cor- 

 responds exactly to that of the carbon contained in the starch. 

 It is also known that the volume of carbonic acid evolved during 

 the fermentation of beet-roots gives no exact indication of the 

 proportion of sugar contained in them, for less carbonic acid is 

 obtained than the same quantity of pure sugar would yield. 



Beer obtained by the mode of fermentation adopted in Bavaria 

 contains more alcohol, and possesses more intoxicating properties, 

 than that made by the ordinary method of fermentation, when 

 the quantities of malt used are the same. The strong taste of 

 the former beer is generally ascribed to its containing carbonic 

 acid in larger quantity, and in a state of more intimate combina- 

 tion ; but this opinion is erroneous. Both kinds of beer are, at 

 the conclusion of the fermentation, completely saturated with 

 carbonic acid, the one as much as the other. Like all other 

 liquids, they both must retain such a portion of the carbonic acid 

 evolved as corresponds to their temperature and power of solu- 

 tion, that is, to their volumes. 



The temperature of the fluid during fermentation has a very 

 important influence on the quantity of alcohol generated. It ha3 

 been mentioned, that the juice of beet- roots allowed to ferment at 

 from 86° to 95° (30° to 35° C.) does not yield alcohol ; and that 

 afterwards, in the place of the sugar, mannite, a substance inca- 

 pable of fermentation, and containing less oxygen than sugar, is 

 found, together with lactic acid and mucilage. The formation 

 of these products diminishes in proportion as the temperature is 

 lower. But in vegetable juices, containing nitrogen, it is impos- 

 sible to fix a limit, where the transformation of the sugar is un- 

 disturbed by a different process of decomposition. 



It is known that in the fermentation of Bavarian beer the 



