said worts. For instance, if 50 lbs. specific gravity by Bates's or Allan's instruments were held in solution by the worts, thirty pounds of water would be displaced. Hence Bates's or Allan's instruments would shew 50 lbs. per barrel, while Richardson's would shew about 18.3; the difference being as 1 to 2.78.

Long has invented an instrument with only one weight; one side of the stem without any weight, indicating to the extent of 25 or 26 lbs. gravity; the other with the weight, going to the extent of 50 or 52 lbs. gravity. We would, however, recommend the instruments made by him on the late Mr. Richardson's principle, as being much less liable to error than those having so many pounds indicated on one stem. The indications, however, of any Saccharometer, if accurate, may be easily compared and reduced to the scale of others by recollecting that the saccharometer indicating specific gravity per barrel, is founded on the fact that a barrel of water at 62° F. weighs 360 lbs., while the saccharometer of Allan or Bates, indicating specific gravity, has 1000 for its unit. Dividing 1000 by 360, we obtain the factor 2.78, near enough at least for practical purposes. The rule, therefore, in comparing the indications of instruments marking specific gravity to lbs. per barrel, is simply to divide the gravity shewn by 2.78, and the lbs. gravity by Long's saccharometer; or to convert Long's gravity to the

specific gravity of Allan or Bates, multiply by 2.78. Richardson's instrument, as made by Long and other accurate makers, is sufficiently delicate for all ordinary purposes; although some may prefer an instrument indicating specific gravity, as Allan's of Edinburgh, the invention of Professor Thomson of Glasgow College, and which is generally used by the Scotch ale brewers. The range of Allan's or Bates's, being 2.5 times at least, that of a saccharometer where minute attention in noting the progress of the attenuation is required, the specific gravity scale may be adopted. (See in Appendix some further remarks on an erroneous mode of taking gravities in Ireland.)

MASHING.

When the liquor for the first mash is turned on the malt at too high a temperature, instead of producing an extract, it occasions a coagulation, forming a sort of thin paste, like thin batter, or starch when preparing for stiffening linen. This we call setting the goods, and little or no worts will be discharged.

This evil, although it never can be thoroughly cured, may sometimes be partially rectified, by

sprinkling over the mash a quantity of colder, or even of cold liquor, so as to reduce the temperature. Since thermometers have been so generally introduced, setting the goods has not occurred so frequently. It is, however, of the utmost importance to take the first liquors at the proper temperatures, and for that purpose the following process will be found infallible.

Further Remarks on Mashing.

Since our first writing on this subject, a different, and, we are inclined to think, a more certain mode has been adopted to secure the proper temperature for making the best extract in the first mash; after which, as before stated, particular temperatures may be considered of very little importance.

Best Temperatures.

We now find that at the temperature of about 168° to 170° Fahrenheit, the diastase of the malt acts most powerfully in saccharizing the starch contained in the malted or unmalted corn. If, therefore, we do not go above that temperature, we run no risk of setting the goods, let the temperature of the malt in the tun be what it may. What we have, therefore, to do, is to make in the first place, as stiff a mash as possible, with liquor at that temperature, that is, of 168° or 170°; we are thus certain that some part of the diastase must be acting

upon the starch, thus preparing the whole mash for the extract being speedily formed by the after process. With powerful machinery, about one barrel and a half of liquor per quarter will be found sufficient for this first part of the process. Where oars, however, must be used, we would recommend that the liquor should, in the first place, be put into the tun, and brought to its proper temperature, of about 170° or some degrees lower. The malt should then be added, sack by sack, as quickly as possible, but at the same time taking care that the previous sack of malt be thoroughly mixed and wetted by the oars and rakes before any addition is made. If the mash becomes too thick for working, a little liquor may be added at any time, so as to make the mash manageable.

Having thus prepared the malt in the tun in the best manner for the extract being speedily performed, we must now turn on, from below the goods, liquor at a temperature of 185° to 195°, gradually increasing in temperature; letting it run, however, at first very slowly, so as to bring up the heat gradually, at the same time mashing during the whole process. In a very short time a complete change will be observed in the appearance of the mash. The extract, which before had a milky white appearance, will almost instantaneously become more transparent, and a fine thick frothy head will appear all over the tun. The extract is then thoroughly

formed, and the quantity of liquor may be then proportioned to the quality of the intended beer: say for beer of very high gravities, not more in the whole than two barrels and a-half per quarter, but for beer of lower gravities, perhaps, even three barrels per quarter may be found most advantageous.

Having thus made sure of a proper extract, there can be no advantage in allowing the mash to stand very long before running off the worts. An hour and a-half at the utmost is quite enough. In imperfectly made malts, that is, malt not sufficiently grown on the floors, as shown by the spires not being well up the backs, it may be advisable to grind such lower or finer. It may be better also to commence mashing at a lower temperature of not less than 10°, say 160°, taking care, however, to bring up the heat before leaving off mashing, so as that the tap or worts may run off the tun at a heat of from 148° to 152° as usual.

No Time to be lost.

The great desideratum now is, to get through the remainder of the process as quickly as possible, so as to prevent the possibility of any unsoundness being acquired, by the worts lying too long anywhere before being got into the copper.

Having, we trust, sufficiently explained what we consider a correct mode of making the extract, we do not intend here to go on further with the process,