The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1883-11-01
A STARTLING DISCOVERY
One That May Revolutionize the
Beer Industry and Break up
All the Sreweries.

oeived by DR.. II. E. Hoekle, of st.
Louis. No., and fully explains this
extraordinary phenomenon:
GARY, Dakota, Sept %, 1888.
DR.. II. E. Hoeklc-Dear Sir: In
our neighborhood lives a German
farmer named Liebig who claims TO
have made discovery which seems
to me so remarkable that l have con-
eluded to report it to the press. He
is quite scientific man and has q d.
ploma from some big agricultural col
lege in Germany, the name Of which !
have forgotten. His neighbors call
him the Latin farmer. This is what
he says: Among his cows is one Of
English breed, the best milker in the
lot. Some time ago the milk from
her had bitter taste and brOWnish
color, which rendered it totally unit
for use. This gave him considerable
distress and he could not account for
il. Later on he discovered the cause
of the trouble. He saw the animal
coming out Of his barn, where he has
his hop bins. Evidently the COW had
oeen feeding ON hops aud naturally
the milk had acquired the objection
able taste. He commenced a series
of experiments, the reasons for which
he gave me, and which seem quite
plausible. His arguments were: If
the food has such a direct influence
on the taste and color of the milk,
have we not the means at hand TO give
the product any character we choosel
He evidently regards the animal econ
omy of the COW rs a sort of chemical
laboratory. So he went to work to
try to produce drink similar to beer,
and If his statements are true (as be-
lieve) he succeeded completely.
He continued to feed hops, for which
she had a general liking, then malt
and then corn. Grass and hay would
not do, because under it the liquid
resumed its natural milky character.
The product under this feeding was a
turbid, light brown liquid, with a
sweet, slightly hitterish taste. Warm
from the COW he adds some yeast,
sets it in a warm place, and lets it fer
ment. This seems to generate a GER
tain amount OF alcohol and the liquid
at the same time becomes clear. Ii
the fermentation is, however, not in
terrupted at certain stage, the stuff
gets sour and is unfit to drink. He
stops the fermentation by pouring the
liquid in strong jug, corkIng tightly
and letting it drop down in a deep
well. Two OF three days after he
draws it up. 1t is then a clear, light
brown color, effervescing, forming a
creamy foam on top and tastes delici
ous-to me a great deal letter thar
most of the beer l ever tried. Ir
short he has got a brewery on foul
legs, which, in case prohibition shoulC
prevail. he can take along across the
borders. When | FIRST expressed
some doubts of the success of his ex
periments he met me with an argument
which l had to admit was quite plsus
ible. Starting with the fact, un
doubtedly correct, that all physician
order beer freely to women in coafne
ment when the generation Of milk il
their breasts is in abeyance or scanty
he says: "If beer in the anima
, economy can be transmitted into milk
: why cannot the elements of milk, un
der proper food, be transformed int
, beer in this natural laboratoryF
Yours truly,
S. f. JOHNSON.
4 beef famine is now likely to oC
: cur at any moment. People may ex
I pect to hear of all the vast ranches i
? the west being transformed into bee
: breweries and of dairymen sbandon
2 ing their milk business to go into tn
. / ,,,o,.r ,,,,Et,Ilo .,la ,f I,.-