en the legs, is a
receptacle for the ashes or cinders that fall down through the grate
above. C is a sheet-iron vessel, tinned on the inside, the bottom of
which fits into the top of B; and the cock in C is to let off the wort,
as will be seen hereafter. D is the lid of this vessel. E is made of
sheet-iron, tinned inside and out, and full of holes to act as a
strainer. It is to hold the malt first, and the hops afterwards; it goes
into C, as may be seen in figure A. In the middle of E is a round space,
F, made of the same metal, and rising up from the bottom, having itself
no bottom. It has holes in it all the way up, like the outer surface of
E.--In preparing for brewing, the machine is put together as in A,
except placing on the lid. The first thing is to put the malt, coarsely
ground, into E, and no part into F, or into the circular space between C
and E; otherwise E cannot act as a strainer, when the liquor is drawn
off; and in this consists its principal use. Having put in the malt,
then add the water which of course flows into any part of the vessel C.
Stir the malt well with a stick, or with something that will separate it
completely, so that no adhesion may be formed by the flour of the malt.
This is very apt to be the case in the common mode of brewing, when
water is poured hot upon the malt; but here the water is applied in a
cold state, so that there is little trouble in separating the malt
completely in the water. If the small machine be used, which is adapted
to a bushel of malt, and the beer is to be fully equal in strength to
London porter, then eighteen gallons to the bushel may be considered as
the general estimate; and for this purpose the first mash is to receive
twelve gallons of cold soft water, which will produce nine gallons of
wort. Having stirred the malt very carefully, light the fire under it,
and get the liquor quickly to 170 or 180 degrees of heat. This may be
ascertained by lifting off the lid, and dipping the thermometer from
time to time into the centre F, and keeping it there a minute to give
the quicksilver time to rise. While the mash is coming to this heat,
stir the malt well three or four times. When the liquor has acquired its
proper heat, put out the fire, and cover the whole of the machine with
sacks, or something that will exclude the external air. In this state
the mash remains for two hours: the cock is then turned, and nine
gallons of wort will be drained off. Put the wort into