which is almost all fine tannin, might also be used; but hops are to be preferred. Ropiness is often produced by the injudicious mixture of old and new beer.
OF HOP DREG IN THE WORTS.
Many brewers bestow great care in preventing any of the dreg from the coolers running into the gyle-tuns with the worts. This is a mistaken caution, for it will be found that the hop dreg is a great preservative of the worts in the coolers, and when swept into the gyle-tun along with them, it acts as a preservative in the same way until the fermentation has commenced, and by thus preventing acidification, admits of a better fermentation than could possibly be produced if any unsoundness had taken place. It is well known that worts, while they remain on the hops, are much less liable to become tainted than when drained off. On the same principle, a little of the fecula of the hops is a preservative in the coolers; and the greater the quantity that goes over, the less risk of taint, particularly when the dreg is kept floating about in the worts by agitation in the coolers. It may sometimes be necessary, when the worts have remained for some
