Greyness undoubtedly at all times denotes an imperfection either in the materials used, or in some part of the brewing process, for which no after remedy has, as far as we know, been yet discovered, at least without destroying the beer. There can be little doubt, however, but that it proceeds from a portion of imperfect starch, or rather perhaps hordein, remaining undissolved in the beer, for the chemical tests which have been applied confirm this opinion. Another confirmatory proof is, that distillers’ wash (which is brewed principally from raw grain, with only a small portion of malt) is invariably of a greyish or whey colour after undergoing the process of fermentation. This arises no doubt from the imperfect action of the small quantity of diastase contained in the malt, on the excess of hordein contained in the raw grain. This being the case, there can be no doubt that ill-made malt, or the admixture of raw corn, will produce Grey Beer. An erroneous mode of making the extract will have the same effect.
If in the first mashing the temperature be not sufficiently brought up, so as to act properly upon the diastase, the extract must be imperfect. Should, on the contrary, the temperature be taken too high, the first tap will hang, that is, it will not drain clean off from the mash-tun. If taken much too high, the goods will set, as already explained. Many brewers think, that by using very high temperatures
