duces a complete fermentation, even in the dog-days.
7. In cold or ftosty weather, if the tun and backs should lose the first heat, intended to be conducted through the process by the foregoing method, a supply of warm or boiling water may be conveyed by the tube, which passes through the body of the backs or tun, communicating its heat, which rises to any degree the working brewer shall think proper: by pursuing this method, in the coldest season, a fermentation may always be procured.
In February 1798, Dr. Richard Shannon obtained a patent for his method of improving the processes of brewing, distilling, boiling, evaporating, raising, applying and condensing steam or vapour from aqueous, spirituous, saccharine, saline and other fluids. The principle of his invention consists chiefly in the following arrangement: By covering and making the mash-tun air-tight, and casing it round, under and over, with a steam-tight casing, so that, during the mashing and soaking of the malt and grain used, the heat may be preserved, or raised and regulated to any pitch, by the application of steam, both in and between the casing of the mash-tun; by which contrivance, the whole of the farina and substance of the grain may be as effectually extracted in one, or at most in two mashings, as is now done in three or four. The steam, conducted by a proper tube or pipe, is to be also employed for sweetening and cleansing all the brewing, distilling, and vinegar-making utensils, and casks employed in each, &c. so as in future to prevent furring, foxing, &c. even in the inmost crevices.
In June 1798, the same patentee, in partnership with Mr. Robert Burnett, of Vauxhall, procured another patent, for the discovery of a principle and invention of a method of improving the process of fermentation, by which porter, beer, ale, malt and molasses wash, wine, cyder and all other saccharine and fermentable fluids, may be conducted with certainty through the vinous process of fermentation in mild, warm, hot, and cold weather, without being materially injured as heretofore, by the different changes of the atmosphere, &c.—But as these improvements depend on the application of an expensive pneumatic apparatus, which does not appear to us adapted to the use of families, we refer the reader to the tenth and fourteenth volumes of the "Repertory of Arts and Manufactures," where he will find a detailed specification of both patents.
The last patent we shall mention, is that of Mr. Thornton, of East Smithfield; which, being dated April 15, 1778, is earlier than either of the preceding, and does not strictly relate to the process of brewing, as his invention consists in a new method of reducing malt and hops to an essence or extract, from which beer may be made either at sea or in distant countries. The whole is managed by the transmitted heat of compressed vapour of boiling water, and a proper apparatus for that purpose. This apparatus may be made of iron, tin, or copper: it consists of a boiler of any dimensions, a double vessel, and conducting tubes. The double vessel consists of one vessel placed within another, and fitted tight at their rims. The upper vessel forms the upper part of the
