NOTES UPON BEER.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 711, 9 August 1870, Page 4

NOTES UPON BEER.

LONDON CORRESPONDENT OF AUSTRALASIAN. If there is one taste above all others which colonists have in common with those who stop at home in the old country, it is a liking for their beer. Whether he is an Indian in an up-country station, an Australian squatter, or n Canadian backwoodsman, beer is an article which will always keep its hold on the Anglo-Saxon race. I have not by me at this moment any dependable statement of the amount of beer sent out from England, but as it is estimated that between 50 and 60 millions of bushels of malt are annually used, I may say in round numbers that at least 25 millions of barrels are brewed, allowing two and a half bushels to the barrel. I do not think that the cheap wines of France have to any great degree interfered with the consumption of English beer ; but Ido know that a cftnsiderable competition h«s taken place in this country by the importation of German beers, which have obtained a rather high position in public favor. Indeed German beers nave increased very much in reputation within the last few years, mainly owing to the chemical knowledge and care that is bestowed upon them. So much is this knowledge appreciated here, that a German chemist is not an unfrequent member of the staff of our largest breweries. One great pecularity of the German (say Vienna) beer is, that it is not liable to turn sour, and this arises from the fact that the fermentation of the wort is conducted very slowly at a low temperature, and that the yeast falls to the bottom instead of to the top as froth. The advantage of this sedimentary fermentation i 3 the facility which it affords for the oxidation and separation of the soluble gluten of the wort by atmospheric air. In the frothing fermentation this is prevented by the thick layer of yeast at the top, so that after the fermentation is finished there is always some unaltered gluten, which causes the conversion of the alcohol into acetic acid. The desidpratum of low temperature has been obtained in Mesrs Truman and Hanbury's brewery by an ice-making machine, invented by M. Siebe, in which ether is evaporated in a vacuum. But notwithstanding the great competition between German and English beers, our national beverage is scarcely, if at all, reduced in. price ; and it is a still more serious matter to colonists and Indians I resident a considerable distance up country, who have to pay so high, indeed almost a prohibitory price for-, their beer. This partly arises from the coat of the freight of the beer in bulk, from losses by dryage or ullage, from turning sour, and from that most objectionable of all evils, monopoly. For some reason or other, Colonial and Indian brewed beers do not meet with the same approbation as English beers. Whether this arises from prejudice, inferiority of hops, or the high temperature, it is difficult to say, but there is the grievance, and a very considerable one it is. But a German invention for concentrating the wort and making the beer from what is stupidly called " grainstone," has been transplanted to England by Mr Mertens, and so. far as a complete inspection of the process goes, there appears to us to be no earthly reason why colonists in future should not order their beer in the lump. The process (as far as regards the speciality) is ludicrously simple, but none the worse for that, since it simplifies the work of brewing to such an extent, that with a couple of tubs and a cooler a man may brew his beer or stout in his study, .if he likes, and can have a 9gal or 48gal cask, or as much more as he pleases. The works for concentrating the wort are at Margate, which hitherto has not borne a high place in English manufacturing circles, but is generally considered as cslebrated only for cockney tourists, shrimps, and , bathing machines. But Margate has evidently turned over a new loaf in its history, and haa renounced its former frivolities. The first pai-t of the process is as practised in ordinary brewing, viz., placing the malt in the mash tub, adding the hops to the sweetwort,. and then allowiug it to cool and clarify. At this point, however, Mr Mertens takes it up,, by causing the liquor to be sucked into a large vacuum, exhausted by an air-pump, which is worked by a steam-engine. In this vacuum it is kept in a' rotatory motion, so as to allow exhaustion and evaporation to go on, and with it a simultaneous process of condensation. After a certain period of this treatment, it is taken out and placed In a smaller vacuum, when the same process is repeated, the motion being given to the wort by a system of circular arms worked by steam. In this second vacuum the wort becomes more and more pasty, assuming the consistency of honey. When sufficiently concentrated, a tap is opened at the bottom, and by an iugenious mechanical arrangement, the rotatory motion of the arms continues, together with a scooping or collecting one, so as to get the wort within range of the opening. It is then allowed to fall through an orifice in the floor for a considerable depth, which concentrates it still more, and finally it is poured in a pasty state, into boxes lined with tin, and hermetically closed. When first packed it tastes very like hardbake. Each box holds about Gcwt As it will keep in the very hottest climate for any length of time, like a block of yellow marble, all that the consumer has to do is to break off a lump in proportion to the size of the cask and the strength of the beer that he wishes to brew. To this he adds the requisite amount of water, and some yeast, and when the beer has fermented it can be racked off into casks. As the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so is that of the beer in drinking. Unless the consumer chooses to adulterate it himself ho cannot, help to have a beverage of pure malt and hops, which is something in this age of mixtures. The beer which I tasted was drawn from the cask, was a good color, and had a clean taste, in which the bitter of the hop was very palpable. As to strength, it was only brewed for small beer, and if I never have to drink worse swipes I shall be well satisfied. The cost of the beer to the cmsumer in Australia would be about 10£ d a gallon.