STOCK BEER.
Of the proper Season for Brewing.
An opinion has long generally prevailed that October is the best month for brewing. Fermentation, however, is often found to go on as irregularly in that month, as at any other period of the year. It, perhaps, proceeds even more irregularly in this favourite month. This can only arise, as before stated, from unsoundness in the worts, which may proceed from the various causes already mentioned.
Where stagnant or running water is used in brewing, the fall of leaves and other parts of vegetables, either into the ponds or rivers, will, with the feculent matter already deposited therein, cause putridity, which must in a certain degree extend to the worts, causing unsoundness, and of course fretful fermentations. This will sufliciently account for any failure. After a good hard frost has taken place, the stagnant or running water may be used more safely, although good spring-water is always preferable.
In the families of noblemen or gentlemen who brew their own beer, October is often still preferred for that purpose. This, however, can be no proof of its superiority, as they generally brew with spring-water; and their mode of brewing would not answer in a public brewery. They are in the first place very indifferent as to the quantity of malt used in brewing, and the worts are consequently of very high gravities. Their brewers being generally but imperfectly acquainted with the use of a saccharometer, and often even of a thermometer, must trust every thing to chance. The fermentations are, therefore, carried no further in the first instance, than to produce an unattenuated sweetwort, which has to undergo a second fermentation before it becomes ale or beer. On the management of this second fermentation depends the quality of the said beer.
The worts being originally very strong, retain a sufficient quantity of saccharine matter to prevent the occurrence of acidification, unless exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and in temperatures which are too high, or to the action of galvanism or common electricity. When the second fermentation appears, the skill of the butler is required to give the necessary vent, and to rack the beer into other casks to stop the fermentation, when he thinks it has proceeded far enough.
It will thus appear, that, however fine we may occasionally see the beer which is brewed by private families, the whole process is a matter of mere chance, and could not be adopted with success in any public establishment.
From what has been said, it would appear that October is by no means the best season for brewing stock beer, and when stagnant water is used, must be decidedly the worst. The season which we recommend for the purpose, is fine open frosty weather whenever that may occur, or when the temperature of the air is about 40° F. and clear, with N. E. winds and high barometer. The worts are then much less liable to become tainted than in rainy or hazy weather, and the fermentation will be more healthy and vigorous, and thus produce a sounder and better beer than can be obtained under different circumstances. Frosty weather may be expected from December till nearly the end of March: these four months, therefore, are the proper months for brewing stock beer.
All stock beer should undergo a vigorous fermentation: this cannot be accomplished with any certainty, by a slow process, as is sufficiently exemplified by the fact, that no brewer pursuing the slow process of fermentation, will guarantee his beer above a certain limited period, and even before the end of that period, it is often returned by the purchaser on account of unsoundness. Stock beer, therefore, of whatever strength, should never be more than from 50 to 70 hours in going through its regular process of fermentation in the gyle-tun. Skimming in this case is quite superfluous, as the beer, when cleansed at the proper time, will throw off the yeast in the cleansing cask, quite as well and perhaps much better for its preservation, than by any other process.
Slack Malt hurtful.
We may also observe that the malt generally used for brewing in Autumn, is that which has been kept over the season; and in many cases will be found to have got slack or moist from exposure to the atmosphere. Malt of this description, as already stated, always produces unsound worts, and consequently, unsound beer. Malt in this state should, therefore, always be re-dried on the kiln before being used in brewing.