The Theory and Practice of BrewingCombrune, Michael
Science
The Theory and Practice of Brewing
Combrune, Michael
Brewing
All bodies in a passive state, remaining a sufficient time in the same
place, become of the same degree of heat with the air itself. On this
account the water, lying in the backs used by brewers, is nearly of
the same degree of heat as the thermometer shews the open air in the
shade to be. When this instrument indicates a cold below the freezing
point, or 32 degrees, if the water does not then become ice, the reason
is, because it has not been exposed long enough to be thoroughly
affected by such a cold. For water does not immediately assume the
same degree of temperature with the air, principally on account of its
density, also from its being pumped out of deep and hot wells, from
its being kept in motion, and from many other incidents. Under these
circumstances, no great error can arise to estimate its heat equal to
35 degrees.
Air is not easily expelled from bodies, either solid or fluid. Water
requires two hours boiling to be discharged of the greatest part of its
air. That it may be thus expelled by heat appears from hence; water, if
boiled the space abovementioned, instead of having any air bubbles when
it is froze, as ice commonly has, becomes a solid mass like crystal.
Worts or musts, as they contain great quantities of salts and oils,
require a greater degree of heat to make them boil: consequently more
air is expelled from boiling worts, than from boiling water in the same
time; and as air doth not instantaneously re-enter those bodies,[5]
when cold, they would never ferment of themselves. Were it not for the
substitute of yeast, to supply the deficiency of air lost by boiling,
they would fox or putrify, for want of that internal elastic air, which
is absolutely necessary to fermentation.
As air joined to water contributes so powerfully to render that fluid
more active, that water which has endured fire the least time, provided
it be hot enough, will make the strongest extracts.
Though there is air in every fluid, it differs in quantity in different
fluids; so that no rule can be laid down for the quantity of air, which
worts should contain.—Probably the quantity, sufficient to saturate one
sort, will not be an adequate proportion for another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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