Page:A Practical Treatise on Brewing (4th ed.).djvu/59

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ELECTRICITY.
43

different mode of conveying the worts (through pipes from the coolers to the squares) from what the author had recommended.

This having been altered, the brewings proceeded favourably, and no further irregularity in the fermentation occurred. The beer was approved of, and pronounced to be as good as any of the same gravity by two first-rate practical brewers in London. This shows what apparently trifling circumstances influence fermentation, where galvanism or electricity is concerned.

The next case we adduce differs from any of the preceding. Here there was no metal within the tuns, but brass cocks alone. There was a long leaden main pipe extending through and round the premises, in length, altogether, perhaps above 100 feet. In this main pipe there were various brass stop cooks, for different purposes. All the gyle-tuns were connected with this main by means of other pipes and brass cooks, for drawing off the beer for cleansing, thus forming a galvanic circle.

The complaint was, that the fermentations were all wild and irregular, and under no kind of control. The beer consequently was very much complained of, and invariably unsound. Two of the gyle-tuns were placed directly opposite each other, and connected as above described, with the main. When both these were charged with worts at the same time, the progress of the fermentation was certainly very extraordinary.