On the tendency of Worts to get tainted in the Coolers; its Causes and Preventives.
Worts are much more liable to get tainted in the coolers, when the weather is thick and hazy, than when it is clear and windy. The cause of this, however, so far as we know, has not as yet been scientifically accounted for. There can be no doubt, however, that it proceeds from the steam, which, instead of rising and being dissipated as in windy weather, becomes condensed in hazy weather, and by then falling on the worts in a liquid state, it produces acidity, or foxyness, as it is technically called.
It has been already stated, that condensed steam is injurious, in every stage of the process of brewing, and particularly so in the cooling of the worts. Steam, as has been lately discovered under certain circumstances, is perhaps the most powerful positive electric yet known, and therefore by falling on the worts on the coolers in a condensed state, may produce acidity.
Our opinion is, that little good can be effected by cooling the worts much below the temperature of the atmosphere at the time, (in winter we must, of course, watch to prevent their getting too low,) unless, as in Bavaria, the tun-rooms can also be kept at an equally low temperature. The reason of this is obvious; if the temperature of the tun-room be the same as the atmosphere, the worts will also rise to that temperature, without gaining a regular progressive attenuation, unless checked by regulators, which we would rather dispense with at all times if possible.—See article on Regulators.
Now, as it is the steam hanging on the worts which prevents their cooling, if that can be blown away or dissipated, they will soon arrive at a sufficiently low temperature, perhaps a degree or two below that of the atmosphere. Fans or blowers will do this effectually, and also keep the worts in a state of constant motion, which is also a great preservative; and if a portion of the hop dreg has been allowed to pass over along with them into the coolers, there will then be but little danger of their becoming tainted in cooling at any time.—See article on Hop Dreg.
It was believed by many brewers, that worts ought never to be stirred on the coolers at all; but as this old and erroneous opinion appears now to be pretty nearly abandoned, it is needless to say any thing more on the subject.
We are told that some brewers have now acquired such faith in refrigerators, as to think that they may dispense with coolers almost entirely. We strongly fear, however, that before the end of the first summer, they will have reason to repent of this over confidence, and lose more by the deterioration of their beer than the first cost of new coolers.—See article on Refrigerators.
A great deal of attention has lately been bestowed in the brewery, upon various mechanical arrangements, for the purpose of saving labour, &c.; but many of these changes seem to have been adopted, without any regard to their probable consequences.
Were our brewers, however, as has been already observed, to devote a little more attention to chemistry, they would soon discover, that, notwithstanding these so-called improvements may facilitate labour, and be otherwise desirable in some respects, they do not in any way tend to improve the quality of the beer. It is now stated, that when beer shipped for India is placed upon or near sulphur it causes it to get acid, and that the same effect is produced when the casks are stowed upon iron. May not, however, the electro-chemical action, during the fermentation be, in some measure, the cause of this change in the character of the beer; at all events, beer brewed in this manner has seldom or ever been found to stand the climate, or to bear a remunerating price in that market.
In former times, there was always a cessation from brewing during the heat of summer, in consequence of the uncertainty of the process, arising from various causes. Now, however, little or no alteration is made on that account, and various mechanical means have been adopted to counteract the heat of the weather during that season. First fanners, or fans on the coolers were tried, which were found to answer very well, as they cooled the worts sufficiently without otherwise injuring the beer, as will be afterwards explained.
Fanners gave place to refrigerators, which were first constructed in such a manner as to allow the worts to run through different pipes employed for the purpose, while currents of cold water were continually passing over their outer surfaces; these, however, for various reasons unnecessary to mention in this place, were not found to answer, and were consequently soon relinquished.
The currents of cold water were then run through the interior of the pipes, and the worts brought into contact with their exterior surfaces.
These refrigerators are now constructed in various modes, and are still very commonly employed, and the pipes are formed of mixtures of metals of different kinds.
In addition to these, regulators are used in the fermenting tuns, for the purpose of cooling down the worts, or preventing their attaining too high temperatures during the fermentation. Both of these contrivances have been found to produce the desired effect, in as far as regards the regulation of temperature; but it is now beginning to be discovered, as might have been expected, that they have an injurious effect upon the worts, by causing acidity to a certain extent and consequent decay, and often foulness in the beer; the causes of which have been fully explained in the former part of this work, as also the bad tendency of other apparatus of the same description.
We have already adverted to fanners, or blowers, as being the safest and best mode of cooling down the worts in the coolers, and these will at all seasons be found fully adequate to that purpose.
It is but in very few seasons in this country, and even then but for a very short period, that the temperature of the atmosphere in summer will not be at least as low as 65° during the night. Let brewers, then, commence their operations at such a time of day as to allow them to get their worts out of the coppers in the cool of the evening; and if they have but one boiling at this season, so much the better. Good fanners will then soon cool down the worts to the lowest temperature of the air during the night, if so required, and at the same time will keep them in motion in the coolers, which is also beneficial in keeping them sound. No benefit can result from cooling the worts below the lowest temperature of the atmosphere at this season, as the heat of the next day will again raise them, without the fermentation and attenuation going on progressively, unless the tun rooms are cooler than the air, or regulators are employed, which last, unless differently constructed from what they now are, do more harm than good. The fermentations, if properly carried on, and in suitable tun rooms, may by these means be conducted so as never to exceed 80° during their progress, and may often be considerably lower, that is, under ordinary circumstances, it being understood that ale of very great gravity should never be brewed at this season if it can be avoided.
What, then, is the use of all these unnecessary and expensive appendages of refrigerators, regulators, &c., which do injury to the beer, by their electro-chemical action, instead of benefiting it? Other more simple and less injurious means may be easily adopted when requisite for attaining the same purposes. These may also prevent. the necessity, which appears now to exist, of making the porter so exceedingly black in the colour as it now is; and, possibly, when the colour of the beer can be again ascertained in the pewter pots, should there happen to be anything amiss in the beer, the whole odium may not, as it now is (sometimes very unjustly), be thrown upon the publicans alone, but the brewers also be allowed to come in for their share of the blame.