The New Student's Reference Work/Brewing

Brew′ing, the art of making fermented drinks without distilling, is divided into two processes: first malting and, second, brewing properly so-called. In malting, the barley is first steeped in cold water for two or three days, so that it may absorb water, swell and soften. The barley is now spread on the floor of the malt-house to the depth of a foot or rather more. There it is left until it begins to throw out shoots and rootlets. The grain is frequently turned and carefully watched, and removed by degrees as it comes to the right stage. When this occurs, as it usually does in about twelve days, the grain is dried in a heated room called a kiln, and germination is of course checked. The barley has now become malt. A temperature of about 100° in the kiln gives pale malt; of 150°, brown malt, such as is used for porter and stout. What has been so far gained is that the substance of malt will dissolve, while barley will not. The next step is the brewing properly so-called. The malt is crushed between iron rollers. It is then called grist, and the grist has next to be mixed with hot water and set in mash-tubs to stand. Starch and glucose are sometimes added to adulterate the brew, so as to eke out the malt. The liquor is then carefully drawn off from that part of the grist which has not been dissolved. This liquor, now called wort, is allowed to stand for a few hours, and is then drawn off and boiled with hops in copper boilers. The hops give flavor to the beer and act as a mild stimulant or tonic. The boiled wort is fermented in large vessels or vats. The process of fermentation is started by adding to the wort about one per cent. of yeast, saved from a previous brew of the same kind of beer. The temperature rises, and after about a week the brew is put into cleansing vessels where the ferment is very slow. The yeast is drawn off; and the beer is left for some time in barrels to mature before use.