UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 493 





Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry 

 CARL L. ALSBERG, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



March 21, 1917 



A STUDY OF AMERICAN BEERS AND ALES. 



By L. M. Tolman, Chief, Central Inspection District, and J. Garfield Riley, Assistant 

 Chemist, Food and Drug Inspection Laboratory, New York, N. Y. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



Method of undertaking the investigation 2 



Methods of analysis 3 



Results of analysis 3 



Page. 

 Effect of raw materials used upon composi- 

 tion of the finished brew 11 



Conclusions 23 



INTRODUCTION. 



The investigation, the results of which are reported in this bulletin, 

 was undertaken for the purpose of securing information in regard to 

 the composition of brewery products made in this country. The 

 main object of this investigation was to find, if possible, a means of 

 distinguishing beers and ales made entirely from malt from those 

 made from malt together with other cereal products, such as rice, 

 corn, and cerealin. 



It was concluded, after looking into the literature, that in order to 

 accomplish this purpose it would be necessary to collect a series of 

 samples made from the various raw materials ordinarily used and 

 make a study of the effect of these raw materials upon the composi- 

 tion of the finished product. 



The investigation seemed desirable for the reason that practically 

 all of the existing data related to foreign beers, in the preparation of 

 which a type of malt was used entirely different from that ordinarily 

 used in the production of American beers. Furthermore, very few 

 of the existing data relating either to foreign or domestic beers were 

 based upon samples concerning which exact information was avail- 

 able in regard to the raw materials used in the wort. 



65991°— Bull. 493—17 1 



