Improvements in the Preparation of Wort from Indian Corn.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Preparation of Wort from Indian Corn.
I CARL RACH, subject of the King of Prussia, Chemist, of 1007 Opera House
Block Chicago Illinois, United States of America do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in the process for the preparation and
production of wort from Indian corn or maize, and has for its object to provide
means whereby a large quantity of wort may be obtained from the grain by ..
the simplest process, and especially by the use of what is commonly described as
hominy..
I first take a quantity of selected corn and run it through a splitting or breaking
machine, so that each kernel is broken into several pieces, thus separating the germ
from the endosperm and in this process forming a certain quantity of flour. This
product is then run through suitable separators until it is separated into three parts,
the one consisting of the germs, which are of no further use in my method, the
second of the coarse broken grain or hominy, and the third of flour.
The first part of my invention proper consists in taking a quantity of the coarse
grain or hominy and mixing the same with one-fifth of its weight of crushed malt.
This mixture is then run into a closed steam vessel or cooker, in which there is a
quantity of water, being from about eight-tenths to one barrel of water for every
hundred pounds of hominy used. At the same time that this grain or mixture is
being run into the cooker, steam is admitted directly into the vessel or cooker
and by this means the temperature of the mixture of hominy, malt and water, is
very rapidly raised to the boiling point of 212° F. This vessel is preferably
provided with a pressure gauge, as is of course usually the case, and after the
mixture has reached the boiling point, its temperature is slowly raised by the use
of steam or heat, or in any other manner, above the boiling point, and with such
degree of rapidity as that the pressure will gradually increase or pass from zero up
to fifteen pounds during the period of one hour, and this process of increasing the
temperature and pressure is continued during the ensuing half hour until the
pressure gauge registers thirty pounds. This process of heating and increasing
the pressure with diminished rapidity is continued, until at the end of the next
half hour the pressure gauge will stand at about forty pounds. This corn mash or
hominy mash is now ready to be mixed with the malt mash in the mash tub.
The second part of my invention or process consists in producing a flour mash
while the hominy mash is being prepared, as above referred to.
In an iron tank provided with a stirring apparatus and steam pipes, to every
one hundred pounds of flour produced by breaking and splitting the corn, one
half barrel of water and one half barrel of a malt mash diastase liquid is mixed,
the latter obtained by mixing one hundred pounds of crushed malt with one and
one third barrels of water, and passing the liquid part of this mixture through a
sieve. Steam is admitted until the temperature of this flour mash is slowly raised
to about 167° F. This temperature is retained until all the starch is converted
into dextrine and malt sugar. The temperature of the whole mash or mixture is
then raised to 200° F., and the solid part of the mash is permitted to settle. The
liquid part on top of the solid part of the mash is to be used in the manner
hereafter described.
The third part or step in my process, is the preparation of malt mash, which is
accomplished in the usual manner, or say, by the mixing of one hundred pounds
of malt with one and one-third barrels of water of ordinary temperature. good
wort may now he produced from a mixture of the hominy mash with a malt mash,

page_text: the two being mixed in such quantities and such temperatures as to bring the whole
to a temperature of from 163° to 167° F.
A good wort may also be made by mixing the liquid part of the flour mash with
the malt mash and stirring the whole in the mash tub for a 'suitable period of time,
when the wort may be run off. I prefer, however, to 'get' the full effect and benefit
of my process, to add to the mixture of malt mash and hominy mash the liquid
part of the flour mash and mix and stir the same in the mash tub, and then allow
it to rest for forty minutes, after which time the wort may be run off ready
for use.
Hominy, such as herein before referred to, is a product consisting of a multitude
of grains or particles which are somewhat roughened, or provided with surface
depressions, or abraded and cut, owing to the manner of their preparation.
Into these surface depressions the mixture with which the hominy is associated
will pass.
By "very rapidly," as applied to the heating up to 212° F., I mean a heating
process which will extend over half an hour, though, of course, this time is capable
of considerable variation, but the temperature is steadily raised with a certain
degree of rapidity until it reaches about 212° F. During some or all of such
period the effect of the mixture upon the hominy is both chemical and physical to
gelatinize the hominy and produce a homogeneous mass of the whole. These
hominy granules or particles, on account of their peculiarities above referred to,
are taken in their dry condition. The action of the diastase of the malt on the
hominy when the hominy is in the condition above referred to, is to extend such
surface depressions or penetrate the hominy particles and thus give the steam and
the pressure subsequently applied, opportunity to readily reduce the hominy. In
the production or preparation of hominy, a certain amount of flour is produced,
and I desire to utilize both products. The flour cannot stand the high temperature
to which the hominy can be safely subjected, and hence the necessity and
importance of treating them separately-the hominy being subjected to a high
temperature, and the flour under different conditions, to lower temperatures, as
above set forth. I have found by practical experience, that when the flour and
hominy are treated together, the result is not nearly so satisfactory, and in some
instances the wort will practically refuse to run.
"
I mean, in the use of the words "hominy mash to include any mash by
whatsoever means made from hominy, since hominy has not heretofore been used to
make mash.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I that what I claim as
my invention, is :-
1. The process of producing wort from Indian corn, which consists in cracking
or breaking the corn until hominy and flour is produced, then making a hominy
mash, then making a flour mash substantially in the manner described, then
producing a malt mash in the manner substantially as described, then mixing the
hominy mash and the malt mash as indicated, then adding the flour mash and
treating the same until the wort is produced.
2. The process of producing or preparing wort from Indian corn, which consists
in producing from such corn hominy, then producing from such hominy a hominy
mash by mixing such hominy with about one-fifth its weight in crushed malt,
cooking same with water in the proportion of about a barrel of water to about
one hundred pounds of hominy, then producing in the usual manner a malt
mash and treating the same substantially as described until the wort is produced.
3. The process of producing wort from Indian corn, which consists in cracking
or breaking the corn until hominy and Hour is 'produced, then making a hominy
mash by mixing such hominy with about one-fifth its weight in crushed malt,
cooking same with water in the proportion of about a barrel of water to about
one hundred pounds of hominy, then making a flour mash substantially in the

page_text: manner described, then producing a malt mash in the manner substantially
described, then mixing the hominy mash and the malt mash as indicated, then
adding the flour mash and treating the same until the wort is produced.
4. The process of producing wort from Indian corn substantially as herein set
5 forth and described.
Dated thic 22nd day of Anril 1893
FREDERIC PRINCE,
1, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for Applicant.