IMPROVEMENTS IN FERMENTING ALE AND PORTER AND OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1852

page_text: Sealed the 17th May 1853, and dated the 3rd December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Walker and
Andrew Barclay Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd December 1852.
We, PETER WALKER and ANDREW BARCLAY WALKER, of King Street,
Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Brewers, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FERMENTING ALE
AND PORTER AND OTHER LIQUIDS" to be as follows:-
The processes of fermentation and cleansing are "close," and are to
be carried on in the same "gyle tun." The arrangement of apparatus
to be used is illustrated in the annexed drawings.

page_text: By the use of the same, the gas that escapes into the "barm square"
during the process of fermentation is conveyed by an air pump into the
body of the beer, ale, or other liquid, which will make the same bright,
and preserve it from acidity. The heavy yeast settles in the "barm
square," and therefore cannot render the beer or other liquid "yeast
bitter," by falling through it: the whole of the yeast, as soon as it is
formed, is seperated from the same. The lighter sediment, which
prevents the proper fining of beer, is also seperated therefrom, and
settles down in the "yeast receiver or barm square.". The essence (or
chief fermentable matter) of the yeast is returned from the barm square
to the beer or liquid, until the attenuation is complete.
The process occupies a few days, and the beer will then be
fine and quite ready for consumption, and may be turned from the
same gyle tun. The apparatus may be applied to any quantity of
beer or liquid, and instead of the application of the air pump, other
suitable apparatus or arrangement may be used for effecting the same
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter Walker and Andrew Barclay Walker, in
the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 3rd June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
PETER WALKER and ANDREW BARCLAY WALKER, of King Street, War-
rington, in the County of Lancaster, Brewers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Peter Walker and Andrew Barclay
Walker, Her special licence, that we, the said Peter Walker and
Andrew Barclay Walker, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Peter Walker and Andrew Barclay
Walker, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
.

page_text: agree with, and no others, from tinie to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great.
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FERMENTING ALE AND PORTER AND OTHER
LIQUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Peter
Walker and Andrew Barclay Walker, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of either of us,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Peter Walker and Andrew
Barclay Walker, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is
to say):
Our Invention consists, first, in improvements in fermenting ale,
porter, and other liquors, whereby the yeast or barm is effectually
separated from the liquid during the fermentation; and, secondly, in
collecting or condensing the gas or vapour rising from the liquid during
the process of fermentation, and reconveying the same into the alc,
porter, or other liquid under operation. And in order that our Invention
may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, we will proceed
to describe the means pursued by us, reference being had to the
annexed drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION. OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, represents an elevation, partly in section, of our improved
apparatus, to be used in fermenting ale, porter, and other liquids.
Figure 2, is a sectional side elevation of the same; and Figure 3, is a
plan view of part of the same. The drawings are made to a scale of
three quarters of an inch to a foot, but the size and the shape of the
apparatus may be varied according to circumstances. a, is the gyle

page_text: tun or vessel containing the liquid to be fermented, from the lid of
which rises the pipe b, furnished near its upper end with a spout c,
which opens into the yeast or barm chamber d. Near the centre of
the bottom of the chamber d, is a valve f, by which the opening of the
pipe g, can be closed when required; this pipe forms a communication
between the yeast chamber d, to the under side of which it is fixed, and
the bottom of the gyle tun a, as seen best in Figure 2. The large
pipe marked h, placed within the yeast chamber d, and supported by
brackets from its lid, is for the purpose of condensing the gases rising
from the liquid during tlie process of fermentation. We prefer to make
the pipe h, of tinned copper; and in order to increase its condensing
powers, a current of cold water is occasionally caused to run through it,
the supply of water being admitted at the pipe i, and the overflow
running off at j. The coil of pipe marked k, placed within the gyle
tun, is also supplied with, an occasional current of cold water, in order
to be able to regulate the temperature of the liquid while undergoing
the process of fermentation, in the sanie manner as has hitherto been
customary in fermenting liquids in open chambers or vessels.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The malt liquor is conveyed
by suitable pipes or troughs from the cooler into the barm chamber d,
and runs into the gyle tun a, through the pipe g. The supply from
the cooler must be continued until the gyle tun is completely filled,
and until the malt liquor stands a few inches deep in the barm or
yeast chamber d; the supply is then shut off; and the valve f, being
open, the process of fermentation is allowed to proceed, the yeast or
barm rising from the liquid in the gyle tun (the roof or lid of which is
in a slanting direction, in order to facilitate its escape,) ascends the pipe
b, and overflows from the spout c, into the chamber d, as shewn in
Figure 2; at the same time, the deficiency in the contents of the gyle
tun is replaced from the liquor in the barm chamber d, through the
pipe g. The fermentation and consequent cleansing of the liquor
proceeds thus without intermission, until the yeast ceases to flow from
the spout c, or until the brewer considers the liquor sufficiently cleansed.
During the process of fermentation, the lids of the chamber d, must be
kept closed, to prevent the escape of the gas which rises from the

page_text: liquid to the upper part of the chamber d, and is there condensed by
coming in contact with the cool surface of the pipe h, and trickles down
again into the liquor, thereby assisting to make the same bright and
preserving it from acidity. We would remark here that an air pump
may be used in place of the pipe h, for the purpose of collecting the gas
rising from the liquid, and for forcing the same again into the ale,
porter, or other liquor that is undergoing the process of fermentation.
The brewer is enabled to keep the liquor in the gyle tun at its proper
temperature, by means of the refrigerator or coil of pipes k, which are
kept constantly filled with cold water supplied through the pipe l, and
let off at m, in the usual manner.
The thermometer for ascertaining
the temperature of the liquor is lowered into the gyle tun by a string,
through the pipe b; and if the temperature is found too great, the
brewer, by turning the tap ', admits fresh water into the refrigerator,
the current through which is kept up until the required temperature is
obtained. When the fermentation is completed, the brewer closes the
valve f, which is suspended to a cord passing over the pulley f', and the
ale, porter, or other liquid in the chamber d, is run off into a suitable
receptacle through the tap p. When the liquid is removed, the tap p, is
closed, and the yeast is cleared out through a bung hole also provided
in the bottom of the yeast chamber. The ale, porter, or other liquid
in the gyle tun is then racked off into barrels or casks through the
tap o, being in a fit state for immediate consumption.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood
that we do not limit ourselves to the shape or dimension of the various
parts forming the apparatus herein-before described; nor do we claim
the ascending and descending tubes by which the yeast is allowed to
work itself clear of the liquor undergoing the process of fermentation.
But what we do claim is, first, the improvements in fermenting ale,
porter, and other liquids, whereby large quantities of the same are
allowed to work off the yeast, as herein-before shewn and described;
and, secondly, we claim the improved apparatus, as shewn and as
described, for condensing or collecting the gases rising from the liquid,

page_text: and converting the said gases into liquid, to be again incorporated
with the ale, porter, or other liquid under fermentation.
In witness whereof, we, the said Peter Walker and Andrew
Barclay Walker, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Second day of June, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
PETER WALKER.
(L.S.)
ANDREW BARCLAY WALKER. (L.S.)