The Theory and Practice of BrewingCombrune, Michael
Science
The Theory and Practice of Brewing
Combrune, Michael
Brewing
7. The native spirits of vegetables, says Boerhaave, are separated by
heats between 94 degrees, and 212. To obtain the whole of these, the
fire must be gradually increased; for a superior heat dissipates the
spirits raised by an inferior one. Such parts as might be obtained
by 100 degrees, are lost if the heat applied be much greater. It is
true, the parts of vegetables immersed in water, cannot so easily be
dissipated as if they were in open air, yet, by the rarefaction of the
liquid, a proportional evaporation, however small, must ensue, or the
oils raised by a greater heat may so effectually envelope the finer
ones, as to make them hardly perceptible either to our smell or taste.
Thus, though heated water is able to extract all the virtues residing
in the vegetables, the different application of the fire will alter not
only their proportions, but their properties also, when we consider
that pure spirit of wine boils at so low a heat as 175 degrees. If the
above principles be true, that surely must be the cleanest spirit which
is brought over in the slowest and coolest manner; and it is more than
probable, if the rules here laid down be put in practice, the grain of
England will be found to yield spirits that may vie with the brandies
of France, be more pure than those of the Indies, and excel those of
Holland.
8. The vinegar maker is equally concerned with the distiller in the
brewing process. Vinegar is produced in the last stage of fermentation,
when a gross, tartareous, unctous matter, consisting of the coarser
oils extracted either from the grain or the grapes, generally falls
to the bottom of the liquor, and no longer prevents its acidity, or
affects its flavor. Though the best vinegar proceeds either from the
strongest wines or beers, this strength consists in the quantity of
fermentable principles, and not in that of mere oleaginous parts. By
properly adapting the extracting waters, this hurtful impediment may be
removed, and the vinegar from malt liquors become as neat and as strong
as that which is made from wine.
9. As the acid taste of vinegar is the effect of a continued
fermentation, many people have thought it immaterial how speedily the
first parts of the operation were carried on. But violent fermentations
not only dissipate some of the fine oils, which should be retained in
the vinegar, but also cause the must to tend towards putrefaction.
Boerhaave, after he has directed a frequent transvasion of the liquor,
observes that, whenever the weather or the workhouse is very hot, it
is often necessary to fill the half emptied vessels every twelve hours,
not only to procure a supply of acids from the air, but also to cool
the wine, and check the too violent fermentation, which arising in the
half full casks, might dissipate the volatile spirits, before they are
properly secured and entangled by the acid. Hence the liquor might be
sour indeed, but at the same time flat, and would never become a sharp
and strong vinegar.
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