236 ON THE PRESENCE OF FUSEL OIL IN BEER. 



The origin of the enquiry which forms the subject-title of this 

 paper, arose during the ordinary routine work in the Government 

 laboratory. For several years, the examination of beers was 

 somewhat a rare occurrence, but in the year 1881 a Mr. Waters 

 from Melbourne created no small excitement by stating that the 

 beers made in Sydney contained vitriol, aloes, bluestone and 

 infusion of tobacco juice. The result of this alarming statement 

 induced Mr. Barney, Chief Inspector of Distilleries to send a 

 number of spirituous liquors to my predecessor — Mr. Charles 

 Watt — for analysis. It appears from the enquiry then made that 

 the chief interest centered in the quality of the rum, whisky, and 

 brandy, however later on, in the following year some eleven- 

 samples of Sydney beer were examined. 



During the four years from 1882 to the end of 1886 a very 

 large number of samples were examined in the Government 

 laboratory. The general results showed that the statement of Mr. 

 Waters were without foundation. The methods of analysis usually 

 included the estimation of the percentage of alcohol, ash and 

 extract together with some statement to the effect that none of 

 the articles mentioned in the Licensing Act had been found. In 

 fine, the worst that could be said of the beers was that sometimes 

 traces of lead or copper were found. 



Early in the present year the question of artificial bitters and 

 hop substitutes engaged the attention of analysts in England, 

 amongst whom my friends Dr. Muter and Mr. Otto Hehner were 

 much interested in the subject. At the same time statements 

 were frequently heard in Sydney to the effect that the brewers 

 were in the habit of putting poisonous bitters into the beers instead 

 of hops, and inasmuch as the police were constantly sending 

 samples of beers and spirits for analysis, I wished to seek further 

 satisfaction in the matter by carrying out a fuller and more 

 extended investigation as to the nature of the bitter principle 

 used in the manufacture of the local beer, with this object in view 

 I requested that larger samples should be submitted for analysis. 

 These were all specially examined for strychnine, picric acid, 

 cocculus indicus, and tobacco, as well as lor quassia, gentian, 

 chiretta, &c. In the case of all the brewers, it should be said to 

 their credit that no poisonous bitter of any kind could be discovered 

 not even after a most laborious and lengthy research. 



During the course of analysis it was observed that the proportioi 

 of dextrin was unusually large, while the amount of maltose and 

 albumenoids were extremely small. This might of course be 

 attributed to great attenuation in the process of fermentation. Ii 

 the course of mashing with malt, the proportion of dextrin t( 

 maltose goes on in very nearly a fixed ratio up to 140° Fah., when 

 the maltose diminishes rapidly and the dextrin increases very 



