Page:A Practical Treatise on Brewing (4th ed.).djvu/171

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FININGS.
155

on swelling, until the whole becomes of the consistence of pulp or thick jelly. Whatever quantity may then be wanted for use, may be taken out and put into another open-headed vessel, where it is to be mixed up with weak bright beer (generally brewed for the purpose), until brought to its proper consistency for use. This should then be strained through a fine hair-sieve by rubbing it through the sieve with a hard hair-brush, into another open-headed vessel: the portion which cannot be passed through the sieve may be returned to the first vessel, until again wanted. No more vinegar or old beer should now be used; the isinglass in the first cask must still, as it keeps swelling and thickening, be thinned down with the thin bright beer, until in a fit state for being passed through the sieve as before, and the quantity wanted for immediate use can at any time be made as before directed.

How to be Used.

When finings are properly made, they should be transparent, and no undissolved particles of the isinglass should be seen in them: the specific gravity should not be above 1.025. All sound well-brewed beer will readily become bright with finings as above described; but there are other sorts of beer which will not be rendered bright by