[Fig. 104 enlarged] (362 kB)

[Fig. 104.] is a representation of the fermenting house at the brewery of Messrs. Whitbread and Company, Chiswell Street, London, which is one of the most complete in its arrangement in the world: it was erected after the plan of Mr. Richardson, who conducts the brewing at those works. The whole of [fig. 104.] is to be considered as devoted to the same object as the large vessel M and the casks N, [fig. 103.] In [fig. 104.], r r is the pipe which leads from the different coolers to convey the wort to the great fermenting vessels or squares M, of which there are two, one behind the other; f f represents a part of the great pipe which conveys all the water from the well E, [fig. 103], up to the water cistern F. This pipe is conducted purposely up the wall of the fermenting-house, [fig. 104], and has a cock in it, near r, to stop the passage. Just beneath this passage a branch-pipe p proceeds, and enters a large pipe x x, which has the former pipe r withinside of it. From the end of the pipe x, nearest to the squares M, another branch n n proceeds, and returns to the original pipe f, with a cock to regulate it. The object of this arrangement is to make all, or any part, of the cold water flow through the pipe x x, which surrounds the pipe r, formed only of thin copper, and thus cool the wort passing through the pipe r, until it is found by the thermometer to have the exact temperature which is desirable before it is put to ferment in the great square M. By means of the cocks at n and p, the quantity of cold water passing over the surface of the pipe r can be regulated at pleasure, whereby the heat of the wort, when it enters into the square, may be adjusted within half a degree.

When the first fermentation in the squares M M is finished, the beer is drawn off from them by pipes marked c, and conducted by its branches W W W, to the different rows of fermenting-tuns, marked N N, which occupy the greater part of the building. In the hollow between every two rows are placed large troughs, to contain the yeast which they throw off. The figure shows that the small tuns are all placed on a lower level than the bottom of the great vessels M, so that the beer will flow into them, and, by hydrostatic equilibrium, will fill them to the same level. When they are filled, the communication-cock is shut; but, as the working off the yeast diminishes the quantity of beer in each vessel, it is necessary to replenish them from time to time. For this purpose, the two large vats O O are filled from the great squares M M, before any beer is drawn off into the small casks N, and this quantity of beer is reserved at the higher level for filling up. The two vessels O O are, in reality, situated between the two squares M M; but I have been obliged to place them thus in the section, in order that they may be seen. Near each filling-up tun O is a small cistern t communicating with the tun O by a pipe, which is closed by a float-valve. The small cisterns t are always in communication with the pipes which lead to the small fermenting vessels N; and therefore the surface of the beer in all the tuns, and in the cisterns, will always be at the same level; and as this level subsides by the working off of the yeast from the tuns, the float sinks and opens the valve, so as to admit a sufficiency of beer from the filling-up tuns O, to restore the surfaces of the beer in all the tuns, and also in the cistern t, to the original level. In order to carry off the yeast which is produced by the fermentation of the beer in the tuns O O, a conical iron dish or funnel is made to float upon the surface of the beer which they contain; and from the centre of this funnel a pipe, o, descends, and passes through the bottom of the tun, being packed with a collar of leather, so as to be water-tight; at the same time that it is at liberty to slide down, as the surface of the beer descends in the tun. The yeast flows over the edge of this funnel-shaped dish, and is conveyed down the pipe to a trough beneath.

Beneath the fermenting-house are large arched vaults, P, built with stone, and lined with stucco. Into these the beer is let down in casks when sufficiently fermented, and is kept in store till wanted. These vaults are used at Mr. Whitbread’s brewery, instead of the great store-vats of which we have before spoken, and are in some respects preferable, because they preserve a great equality of temperature, being beneath the surface of the earth.

The malt-rollers, or machines for bruising the grains of the malt, [fig. 101.] [102.], have been already described. The malt is shot down from A, [fig. 103.], the malt-loft, into the hopper; and from this it is let out gradually through a sluice or sliding shuttle, a, [fig. 103.] and falls between the rollers.

[Fig. 105.] is the screw by which the ground or bruised malt is raised up, or conveyed from one part of the brewery to another. K is an inclined box or trough, in the centre of which the axis of the screw H is placed; the spiral iron plate or worm, which is fixed projecting from the axis, and which forms the screw, is made very nearly to fill the inside of the box. By this means, when the screw is turned round by the wheels E F, or by any other means, it raises up the malt from the box d, and delivers it at the spout G.

This screw is equally applicable for conveying the malt horizontally in the trough K, as slantingly; and similar machines are employed in various parts of breweries for conveying the malt wherever the situation of the works require.