must be injurious to all constitutions, but particularly to delicate females and sedentary people. It produces acidity on the stomach, consequently heartburn, and a stupifying effect without exhilarating.

Yeast-bitten beer often appears bright enough to the eye, and from this circumstance many people are induced to think it must be good, wholesome drink. The harsh disagreeable bitter, however, which hangs, for a length of time, on the palate, is at once perceptible to any good judge, and warns him against its continued use.

On the Acetous Fermentation.

As the fermentation of malt worts for making vinegar is generally carried on at a much higher temperature, than that commonly used for beer, it has been thought that this high temperature is absolutely necessary for their after acidification; and it probably in some way facilitates that change. This mode of working being peculiar to the manufacture of vinegar, has procured for the process the name of the Acetous Fermentation; but we know, that no more acidity is generated in the gyle-tun during the fermentation for vinegar than in that for beer, unless it proceeds from other causes. It is so far, therefore, only the vinous fermentation of a malt wort, to be converted into vinegar by an after process.

It is even doubtful, however, whether the after process can be properly called a fermentation; for

at the time the greatest acidification may be going on, there is often very little appearance of effervescence or fermentation. The fermented wort is converted into vinegar by its being exposed in open vessels, to imbibe oxygen from the atmosphere, and the acidification appears to be accelerated by heat, which is obtained by exposure to the sun in summer, or from stoves in cold weather. But from exposure alone acidity would take place in time without any artificial heat being applied.

We are now treating of vinegar made from malt without reference to that made on the Continent from grapes or wine; but heat we believe is also had recourse to there to accelerate the same process. The vinous fermentation, in vinegar made from every vegetable matter, must, to a certain extent, precede what is called the acetous, as it is alcohol only which imbibes oxygen, and becomes acetic acid.

ment.

Chemists inform us that the acetous fermentation may set in during the fermentation of beer, after it exceeds a certain temperature in the gyle-tun; but they cannot afford any chemical proof of this stateWe have seen beer, the fermentation of which was begun at 80° F., and carried to upwards of 90°, and which beer at the end of twelve months bore the test of litmus paper as well as any Bavarian beer that has been met with by us, and this notwithstanding that the latter beer had never

exceeded perhaps little more than half that temperature in its fermentation. It is proper, however, to add, that the former beer, as well as all the Bavarian beer which I have seen, wanted vinosity, and had a mawkishness in flavour which would not generally please in this country.

It is well known, and can easily be shown, that positive electricity excites acidity in worts or beer, while negative electricity prevents it. This accounts for the tendency to acidity in all beer which has been subjected to positive electro-chemical action in any part of the process of brewing, but particularly in the gyle-tuns during fermentation.

From what has been said, it would appear that there must be some doubt as to whether what is called the acetous fermentation has ever as yet been properly defined; and, with all due deference to much higher authority, it seems at least very doubtful whether the term acetous fermentation is scientifically applicable to any stage of the process of converting beer into vinegar. At all events, no undue acidity takes place in the prior vinous fermentation, unless produced by galvanic action or other accidental causes.

Distillers' Wash.

In confirmation of the above, it may be stated, that distillers in the fermentation of their wash wish to avoid all acidity as much as brewers. It de

creases the quantity of spirits from the still in proportion to the extent of acidification which may have been generated. Their fermentations, however, generally speaking, are carried on at as high temperatures, or nearly so, as those used by the vinegar-makers; but when successfully conducted, their fully attenuated wash will bear the litmus test as well as sound beer. When fully attenuated, however, they always find that the sooner they can be brought to the still, the better will be the produce in spirits. It sometimes happens, from accidents or other causes, that their wash cannot be distilled at the proper time, and thus by their being kept too long in the fermenting backs, although kept as much secluded from the atmosphere as possible, acidification begins to supervene, which is indicated immediately by an increase of specific gravity, and the produce in spirits will then be proportionally less and less, according to the time the wash may be thus exposed to atmospheric fluctuations. These few observations are only made in confirmation of what has been above-stated; but as this is merely a treatise on brewing, we shall not at present enter further upon the subject, although distillers, from similar causes, are just as likely to be unsuccessful in their fermentations as brewers.

Further Remarks on Fermentation.

It happens sometimes in long fermentations, that although the heads on the worts assume in certain stages very unhealthy appearances, they afterwards, even spontaneously, become more vigorous and healthy; and this the inexperienced brewer assumes as a certain indication that all is right. He may rest assured, however, that if an unhealthy appearance takes place in any part of the process, it denotes either more than the common acidity in the worts, or acidity produced in the process of fermentation by electro-chemical action, or other causes. And, however healthy to appearance the fermentation may become, the beer, instead of being what is denominated "sound old," will fly off to an acid. This in a great measure accounts for the difficulty of procuring any really sound beer after it has attained a certain age. We have very often, on pointing out some very irregular appearances in certain stages of fermentation, been met by the remark,—“Oh! that is nothing; it will all be quite right before cleansing." The beer, however, notwithstanding its healthy appearance, will always retain a mawkish, subacid flavour, very disagreeable to those who have accurate palates, and also highly prejudicial to the health of those who drink it.

Many brewers, however, rather than allow their own knowledge of their business to be called in