Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-06
ART In BEER MAKING
The State of Perfection Attained at
the Atlantic Brewery.
MODERN MACHINERY THROUGHOUT
The New Artificial lee Machine
Other imprOvements-Ro Beer
is Made-A Thriving In
du.try-

Frequently III Tue past mas lHE ARGUS
devoted considerable space to improve
ments at the Atlantic brewery on Moline
| avenue, each descriptive sketch relating
| thereto revealing some new and modern
continuance provided by the proprietor.
George Wagner, in 10 his efforts to attain
the nearest possible approach to perfec-
ton in the art of brewing. That Mr.. Wag-
ner has succeeded long ago is eyinced by
the popularity of his goods as shown by
the immense product of his industry and
the great demand for George Wagner's
Atlantic brewery beer. Yet he is not
satisfied. Nearly every year he hears of
something new which on investigation he
finds will! be of advantage in his brewery.
And he secures it forthwith, without con-
sideration of expense involved.
1t is reference to another such improve.
ment at the Atlantic brewery that this
article is mainly to be devoted. As is a
well known fact the cellars of this i'm
mense concern have been cooled for
number of years by means of
an artificial ice process, Mr.. Wag-
Ter having five years ago at an outlay of
S23, 900 provided Krausch refrigerating
machine OF 35-ton capacity. The
method of operation of this novel in
vention which supplies the storage cellars
with an atmosphere as frigid as if it came
from the north pole was fully described
in detail at that time. Acting in obedi-
euce to the same enterprising spirit Mr..
Wagner has just completed the erection
of Sc 900 machine of the Weisel & Vilter
invention which now gives him capacity
of so tons of ice in "a hours. To &C
commodate this the front half of the
building in which the original machine
was located has been used, the office
formerly established there having been
moved to the second floor of the bottling
establishment on the east side of the
grounds. In the boiler room directly in
/ the rear an additional steel boiler has
been erected making three in all, and all
IS feet long
The u immense cooling cellars now
have storage capacity of IL coo bsrrels,
while the institution has facilities for
brewing $4,000 barrels. There are now
in use 40 60barrel casks. SO 30-barrel
casks. % 40 barrel casks, 40 large storage
watts holding an average of 800 barrels
each, AZ fermentiDg tubs of 60 barrels
each. Added 20 all these advantages
there is the improved Stockholm filter,
which was put in at cost of So 600.
All through the establishment the ma
cninery is the most modern. The most
minute detail has not been neglected.
Take a glance at the wash house for in
stance, where every keg is thoroughly
cleaned-brushed-y actually scrubbed
with a brush-by steam. Look in at
The brew house, and everything is
found as clean and as bright and neat as
a pin. The copper kettle holding $50
barrels, the steel mash tub all are models
in themselves.
HOW BEER Is MADE.
Tell US something of the art of mod
ern beer making" asked an ARGUS re-
porter of Robert Wagner on being shown
through the establishment the other day.
well, l can describe it to you briefly
IS we do it," was the reply. Come
over here and I'll show you the first op.
erection" So saying he led the way into
s.cellsr off from the others where the beer
is stored. The cement floor vas covered
with grain. I'VE have Just seen the
beer ia its last stages in the cooling Gel
lars, said:Mr Wagner, Here it is be
fore the fluid is extracted Here it is in
the earliest stage Barley. as you know,
is the first ingredient of beer. The grain
after it comes from the farmer is placed
il steep tanks. Then it is spread out on
cement floors, such as you see it here
Thus it is permitted to terminate. In
due time it is elevated on the dry kiln,
where it is dried thoroughly and is then
ready for beer. In word it then be-
comes malt. when it is ground and made
into mash with water The stage is
now reached when it goes into the mash
tub. such as showed you in another
part of the brewery Tie juice which
comes from this is called beer wort This
is pumped from what we call the pfaff
into the boiling kettle where it goes
through the process Of boiling, and here
| hons form q part of the eomnound
tits run into hop jack and
then pumped into the cooler. After it
is cooled off yeast is given to it and af-
ter % to 80 hours it is pumped into the
| ferlnenting watts where the al
| coholic element develops Fer