A Practical Treatise on Brewing/Appendix/Bavarian Beer
BAVARIAN BEER.
The art of brewing has been long practised in Bavaria, and it is also said that it was first introduced into this country by the Germans.
In some parts of that empire premiums are awarded by the Government for the production of the best beer. That brewed in Bavaria has lately got into great repute, which is chiefly owing to its having been noticed in the writings of Professor Liebig, who there states that its superiority is in consequence of the adoption of, or perhaps the adhering to, a different mode of fermentation to that now practised in this country.
We know, however, that the same mode of culture will not suit every soil, neither will the same process of brewing answer in every climate or even district, nor will the same description of beer please every palate. Our tastes are principally acquired from custom, and vary according to the way in which we have been brought up. The rank fish-oil so highly relished by the Laplanders would not be tasted in this country unless from necessity, which will reconcile us to almost anything. I do not, however, by this remark, mean in any way to disparage the Bavarian beer, but I believe it may be as good as, but certainly not (as Professor Liebig asserts it to be,) better than the best brewed in this country. I have a very high respect for that eminent chemist, but I cannot think that the arts and sciences are better known in Germany than they are here.
The samples of Bavarian beer which have been examined in England by competent judges, have not been considered in any way superior to that of the best of the same description of beer brewed in this country, but rather the reverse. The Bavarians, however, have one advantage, as Professor Liebig says, which we do not possess in this country; which is, that they are not restrained from making use of any harmless bouquets to flavour their beer, as is done in wines, which the excise laws here do not permit.
Although the Bavarian beer, therefore, may please very well at home, it does not appear to be adapted for exportation, and its mode of manufacture may not perhaps suit it for that purpose. Liebig’s predilection in favour of the Bavarian mode of fermentation may proceed from a misconception of that adopted in this country, or possibly from his never having had it in his power fully to compare the two processes together. My friend, Mr. Maugham, the analytical chemist, who has lately travelled over most parts of Germany, assures me, that without doubt there is much less free acid in their beer than in ours; but this excess of acidity in our beer may not proceed so much from any superiority in their mode of brewing, as from the new mode of constructing and arranging the utensils employed in the process, recently introduced into this country. These have a decided tendency to produce acidity, and also to prevent all in the fermentation of the beer. This has been fully explained in former parts of this work, and will be adverted to.
Bavarian beer seldom exceeds in the specific gravity of the worts 1060, water being 1000; this is about the same as that of our Indian beer, which should be attenuated when the fermentation is fully completed, down to 1006 or 1008 specific gravity by the excise instrument, or from 3 to 4 by Long’s. This degree of attenuation may, no doubt, be obtained by the Bavarian method; but it may be very doubtful whether worts of twice that gravity or more, which are much used in this country, could be sufficiently attenuated by that process, at least in any reasonable time. As Liebig, however, does not give us any information either respecting gravities or attenuations, we have no data to go by. He merely states that the beer is better, contains more alcohol, and is invariably superior in quality and stability to any other whatever, thus leaving the process merely a matter of conjecture.
With regard to the quantity of alcohol contained in any fermented liquor, it can only be ascertained by distillation, or some similar process, and the amount of it is invariably in proportion to the original specific gravity of the worts or must, and the degree to which it has been attenuated.
We are thus left entirely in the dark, and from thence can only infer that the Bavarian brewers have not yet got beyond the good old system so long acted upon in this country, and perhaps still in some parts—viz., rules founded on practical experience alone.
We shall now proceed to mention some of the points on which the two processes differ. In the first place, their tedious mode of making the extract must be very objectionable, particularly in warm weather, as in so great a length of time as they occupy in that process, the worts, at least in this country, would very often get tainted, and thus injure the beer. In the next place, according to Liebig, their process of fermentation occupies from four to six weeks, and is carried on in very shallow vessels, possibly not more than two feet in depth. This alone would be an insuperable objection to its being adopted in this country, even were it in any way more beneficial, which, from all that we as yet know on the subject, is very doubtful. It appears to be nearly the old system as it has been carried on from time immemorial, being an adherence to the good old usages of our ancestors, which is not in accordance with Liebig’s general doctrines. Another reason why this process could not be profitably introduced into this country, is the multiplicity of the fermenting tuns requisite, and the time employed in the fermentation, which utensils would require the expenditure of a fortune for that department alone, and would also occupy many acres of ground, which, in one of our great establishments, would be a rather serious consideration. Liebig says that the Bavarian fermentation, from its being carried on under ground, and at much lower temperatures than ours, is on that account much less liable to get acidified, and he gives several reasons for that being the case; but I confess I am not chemist enough to understand the great advantages by which their practice is rendered superior to our own. It appears to me that the processes are similar in both countries, although differently conducted; and, to judge from the only statements laid before us, it does not appear that any advantage can be gained by so tedious and expensive an operation as the Bavarian. It is said by persons who have travelled in that country, that the beer in the common public-houses is generally very cloudy, and is also laxative, and consequently would not suit our coal-heavers or other hard workers.
Professor Liebig also says somewhere, that the excess of gluten left in beer is one great cause of its decay. We find by chemical analysis that there is but three per cent. of gluten in barley, and two per cent. of that disappears in the process of malting, so that only one per cent. of that substance is left in the malt; now, whence can that excess of gluten proceed? but were it even so, such excess could very easily be got rid of. But we shall not at present pursue this subject further: it is no doubt presumption in me to differ in opinion from so high an authority as that of Liebig, but still, as a practical man, I am anxious to proceed according to ascertained facts.
We shall now describe the process of fermentation as carried on in this country, in order, if possible, to discover in what the Bavarian mode excels it. The great object of both is to avoid acidity, and before the introduction of what I call the galvanic apparatus into our breweries, we were as little liable to acidity as our neighbours: now, however, it may be different. Our process of mashing or making the extract, if properly conducted, need not exceed at the utmost six hours, by which time everything that is of any value in the malt will be obtained, and thus the risk of harm, which is likely to occur to the worts when the longer process is employed, may be avoided.
The whole of the worts should by this time be in the copper, even if two boilings be necessary: more than two boilings are now but seldom used.
In moderately cold weather, an experienced brewer can always conduct his fermentations at temperatures of from 50° to 75°, or, at events, 80°. I mean when the process is carried to the desired extent, and I think Liebig admits these heats to be free from any of that danger which he dreads from higher temperatures.
The time occupied in the fermentation need not exceed from forty to sixty, or at most eighty, hours, varying according to the strength and quality of the beer. The beer is thus much less liable to be injured by atmospheric electrical fluctuations than by longer processes, which often prove detrimental to it.
During the fermentation, when well conducted, there should be such an accumulation and constant discharge of carbonic acid gas, as to preclude any communication with the atmosphere, at least under common circumstances. When the fermentation has been carried to the desired extent, the beer (I do not now speak of the process called skimming) is discharged from the fermenting-tun into smaller vessels or casks, for the purpose of throwing off the yeast. During this time, also, the vessel is frequently filled up, in order to assist the discharge of the yeast; neither can it in this stage of the process have any connection with the atmosphere, unless from electrical interference, which as yet we have no means of entirely avoiding. This operation may again occupy about two or three days, according to circumstances, to allow the beer to get steady and cool. It is then stowed away in the same casks, or racked into others, or, perhaps, into large isolated vats, which may be in a manner hermetically sealed, excepting a small vent-peg, to allow the escape of any accumulation of gas, which might otherwise burst the vat.
The beer thus stowed away in well ventilated storehouses may, by proper means, be at all times, even in the heat of summer, kept at a temperature not higher than from 54° to 60°; and thus, when sent out for sale, its temperature will not be much higher than that from the underground Bavarian cellars. How, then, can this beer labour under any disadvantage when compared with that brewed in Bavaria? or what can prevent it (if not originally contaminated), under proper treatment and good management, from rivalling or even surpassing the best in that country? We have, in every respect, better materials of all descriptions. We have seen beer brewed here which has stood on ullage only half full for eighteen months still quite sound, and with but very little perceptible change.
Liebig admits, page 192., second series, that the quality of the Bavarian beer depends very much upon the skill and experience of the brewer, and that the finest beer, even in that country, can only be attained in rare and extremely happy instances; thus admitting a similar uncertainty with regard to its quality as must be experienced in every country, until the nature and laws of fermentation can be more scientifically explained than as yet we can pretend to do.
I have only to remark further, that the most able chemist, unless practically acquainted with the business, must labour under very great difficulties in forming practical conclusions respecting the fermentation of beer, as, in many cases, he can only be guided by the opinions of uneducated men, who can adduce no scientific reasons for the information they may give, but merely that they have found it to answer in their own practice and locality, whereas place them in different localities or situations they might totally fail, as has happened in innumerable instances.
No certain or invariable rules, therefore, can be laid down for any one particular system of brewing, as applicable in all cases. We must, in a great measure, be guided by circumstances and locality, combined with the scientific knowledge and experience of the brewer.