N. B. The several letters against each degree, it is apprehended, will help in practice to fix the color.
The foregoing table not only enables us to judge of the dryness of the malt by its color, but also, when a grist is composed of several sorts of malt, to foresee the effect of the whole when blended together by extraction. Some small error may possibly occur in judgments thus formed upon the report of our senses; but as malt occupies different volumes, in proportion to its dryness, if, in the practice of brewing, upon mixing the water with the malt, the expected degree is observed, such parcel of malt may be said to have been judged of rightly, in regard to its dryness. So that the first trial either confirms or corrects our opinion thereof.
Though malt, dried to 120 degrees, is in a preservative state, yet is it the least so as malt: it then possesses the whole of its fermentable principles, which, if not impeded in the extraction, would be very speedy and active: the duration of the worts to be formed from grain so low dried, must entirely depend on the power given to the water by heat, to draw from the malt, oils of such consistence as shall sheath and retard the hasty effects of the fermentable parts. By extraction, then, malted grain, even so low dried as this, may, with very hot waters, and with the farther assistance of hops, be made to produce beers, which for years will be capable of maintaining themselves sound, or for a long time to resist the effects of the hottest climates. They may also, by a less heat being given to the extracting water, and blended with less hops, form drinks, which shall be fit for use in so short a time as a week, and perhaps a term much shorter: hence we see the degree of heat which dried the malt, and the degree of heat given to the water to extract it. The mean of these numbers (making an allowance for the quantity of hops used) is that which directs us to fix the properties and duration of the wort. In one sense, then, we may consider malt, so low dried as this, as being such as would in the shortest time furnish us with a fermented liquor, and in another, such as would yield the most delicate and strongest drink. When malt charrs, and becomes black, its parts are ultimately divided; it has lost the principles fit to form a fermentable wort, and which it once possessed. The degree of heat, prior to that which produces this effect, is the last which still retains any part of the fermentable properties. In worts from malt thus highly impressed by fire, fermentation would proceed with so slow and reluctant a pace, that, in this case, they might be said to be in the utmost state of preservation. No term can be fixed for their duration. A liquor of this sort, brewed with the greatest heat it would admit of, in the extracting water, might keep many years, and become rather accommodated to the temperature of the place it was deposited in, than to its own constituent parts. Experience has shewn, that drinks, impressed by the drying and extracting heat, with a medium of 148 degrees, with a proper addition of hops, at the end of eighteen months, have been found sound, and in a drinkable state; and at this degree we find the middling brown.—From these two extremes, and on these principles, the following table is formed, exhibiting the length of time drinks made from malt, impressed with each respective degree of heat, properly brewed, in the most favourable season, will require, before they come to their due perfection to be used.
Equally as with hot extracting waters, low dried pale malt may be made to yield beers which will long continue in a sound state; so high dried malt, acted upon by cooler and low extracting water, may be made to furnish a wort soon fit for use, though less agreeable and more inelegant. It might here be asked, why, then, at any time, is malt dried with heats exceeding 120 degrees? In answer to this, it might justly be said, it would be very difficult for the malster exactly to hit this point of drying, without deviating from it either on the one side or on the other; and suppose this difficulty removed, still he could not be certain every individual grain was equally affected: if the drying was less than 120 degrees, the malt, by receiving the moist impressions of the air, would regerminate, and be spoiled. Before the use of hops, malt was high dried, as a means to keep the extracts sound. To eradicate an ancient custom or prejudice requires a long time. This, and the conveniency of keeping malts, was the reason why, for many years, it was in general dried to excess; an error which for some time past has been losing ground, as no reason at present subsists, why malts should exceed in color a light amber.
A TABLE, shewing the age beers will require, before being used, when brewed from malts, which, in drying and extracting, have been impressd with a medium heat corresponding to the following degrees.
| Degrees. | Shortest time with 12 lb. of hops. | Longest time with 12 lb. of hops. | Shortest time wit the fewest quantity of hops possible. | |||||
| 119 | 2 | Weeks | ||||||
| 124 | 1 | Month | 3 | Months | } | Brewed in the proper saison | { | 2 Weeks |
| 129 | 3 | Months | 6 | Months | 4 Weeks | |||
| 134 | 4 | Months | 9 | Months | 6 Weeks | |||
| 138 | [10]6 | Months | 12 | Months | 6 Weeks | |||
| 143 | 7 | Month | 3 | Months | } | Brewed in summer | { | 2 Weeks |
| 148 | 9 | Month | 3 | Months | 2 Weeks | |||
| 152 | 10 | Months | 18 | Months | ||||
| 157 | 18 | Months | 2 | Years | ||||
| 162 | 2 | Years | ||||||
| 167 | ||||||||
| 171 | ||||||||
| 176 | ||||||||
It must be observed, that the foregoing table is constructed on the supposition, that these different sorts of malt are brewed, fermented with the utmost care, with waters heated to extract it, in proportion to the dryness of the grain, and to intent of time there set down, and with an adequate addition of hops; an ingredient which shall be considered in its proper place. What is meant by the water being heated to extract malt in proportion to the dryness of the grain, may merit some explanation.
Grapes, when ripe, carry with them the water they have received, both during their growing state, and that of their maturity. This quantity is sufficient to form their musts with. To dried grapes or raisins, water is added, to supply what they have lost; and for the same reason it is requisite in regard to malt: but as grapes stand in no need of artificial fire, to give to their fermentative principles a due proportion, so what they produce themselves, or cold water applied to them, when dry, is a sufficient menstruum. But barleys, wanting the assistance of a great heat to bring their parts to the necessary proportion, require, when malt, a similar or rather a greater heat to resolve them: without which, experiment shews, the flour of the grain would come away undissolved, and thus considerably impoverish the grist.—Should, on the other hand, too great a heat be applied, an equal loss would be sustained, from some of the finer parts being coagulated or blended with oils, tenacious beyond the power of fermentation to exhibit them. The proportioning therefore the heat of the water to the dryness of the malt, more especially to obtain from the grain the whole strength it is capable of yielding, as well as to cause the drink to preserve itself sound its intended time, is of real necessity.