Cleaning Musty or Stinking Casks.

When too much fire is applied in making up casks, it raises blisters in the interior of them. These blisters, if not removed, very soon produce mustiness from the filth which gathers under them. They should, therefore, be all cut out with the cooper's iron, and until this is done, the casks cannot be effectually sweetened. A solution of chloride of lime (bleaching powder) in boiling water will then have the desired effect. Put about twenty or thirty gallons of boiling water into a butt, or less in proportion for smaller casks; then throw in a few ounces of chloride of lime, according to the size of the cask, and then pour in an ounce of muriatic acid (spirit of salt mixed with water) to evolve the chlorine gas rapidly. Bung the casks closely as soon as possible, to prevent the escape of the chlorine gas. Roll the casks about, when the gas, by penetrating the pores of the wood, will very soon remove all remains of mustiness.

Tainted vats or backs are rendered sweet, and fit for use by washing with diluted sulphuric acid, and afterwards with lime water, and then pure water.

In the London porter breweries all the butts and other casks, if long kept and not sweet when returned, as from the country, are steamed, after being washed with boiling water. After the steam

ing, in which the force of the steam is considerable, they are again washed with hot water.

It is a curious fact, that musty beer is generally bright this circumstance is not easily accounted for.

GENERAL SUMMARY.

To any one who has attentively perused the foregoing pages, it will appear that want of success in brewing, must be due to other causes than those to which it is generally attributed, viz., the great uncertainty attending the process of fermentation.

If it be admitted that brewing is a chemical process, it must be subservient to the same laws which govern other chemical operations; and, under precisely similar circumstances, the same effects will necessarily be produced.

If, therefore, we succeed in one instance, nothing but diversity in the materials used, atmospherical changes which may be counteracted, or in some part of the operations performed, can prevent our arriving invariably at the same results.

Fermentation is undoubtedly as delicate a process, and perhaps as little understood, as any other connected with chemistry; but upon a regular and successful fermentation, or the contrary, must de

pend the good or bad quality of the beer. Such trifling causes, however, affect this process, that a brewer must not only have a distinct and extensive knowledge of chemistry, but also be what is termed a good manipulator, with great skill in the operative department of the business, before he can reasonably expect to brew uniformly good beer.

How often do we hear brewers say, "We cannot account for our want of success in this brewing, as it was conducted in every respect precisely the same as one last year, and designed to produce the same kind of beer, which then turned out remarkably well." They never, however, think of the different state or temperature of the atmosphere, which, by requiring the worts to remain several hours longer in the coolers, may occasion acidity, and thus produce the difference in quality. A change in the construction of the utensils, may, from various causes, have an equally injurious effect; besides many other casualties.

As already stated, brewers possessing a good and accurate taste and smell, have a great advantage over those who in these respects are defective, as they are thereby enabled at once to discover acidity or unsoundness in the worts. Litmus paper, however, if properly employed, will in some measure compensate, as it also enables them to make the same discovery; after which, by immediately applying the proper remedies, the injurious effects may be obviated which would otherwise be produced.

The principal danger is always to be apprehended from electro-chemical or galvanic action; which we have not as yet found any other means of counteracting, than by removing the cause. By this action, whenever it exists, we are opposed from the beginning to the end of the process; and during its continuance, no regularity or command over the fermentation need be expected. We cannot, therefore, be too careful in the construction of new brewhouses, or in the alteration of older concerns, to avoid all mixtures of metals in connection with the utensils, and particularly with regard to the fermenting tuns.

This subject has been but very little attended to; and we believe that we have been among the first to investigate and draw the attention of brewers to the injurious operation of electro-chemical action on the process of brewing; and we trust that what we have now written, may be the means of inducing brewers assiduously to examine this matter. With this view, we cannot sufficiently recommend to them the use of the Galvanometer. Good manipulation also in the process of brewing, is quite as necessary as in any other chemical operation.

Many of our most eminent chemists are bad manipulators; and have been, consequently, very apt to fail in exhibiting certain experiments. Even the great Sir Humphry Davy admitted that he himself was a bad manipulator, and we have heard that upon one occasion, after having frequently tried an

experiment and always failed, which he was quite certain must have succeeded if properly managed, he submitted the case, when accidentally in Edinburgh, to one of the chemists in that city. By him the experiment was immediately performed with Sir Humphry then remarked, that he had made more discoveries by his own bungling in manipulation, than in any other way; the failures having led to new results of a nature different from what he had anticipated.

success.

Bad manipulation in brewing, although not likely to lead to any beneficial discoveries in that art, may be followed by equally bad effects, as in making chemical experiments. Many brewers, for instance, think it a matter of but little importance, should they be a few hours longer in making their extracts, at one time than at another. This, however, will frequently produce acidity in the worts, and consequently fretful or irregular fermentation. Others think that success in brewing depends wholly on the first taps or worts running brilliantly bright from the mash-tun, (a matter of no great importance,) and adopt measures for attaining that object, which are often very injurious.

Many other instances of carelessness and want of method might be quoted, which would sufficiently account for the various anomalies taking place in fermentation. Such seemingly unimportant matters, however, are seldom taken into account; and