A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF HOPS FOR BREWING PURPOSES, AND APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Walker, of the City and County of Edinburgh,
North Britain, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR
THE PURIFICATION OF HOPS FOR BREWING PURPOSES, AND APPLIANCES OR
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by
James Walker, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st October 1881.
ALEXANDER WALKER, of the City and County of Edinburgh, North-Britain.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF HOPS FOR BREWING
· PURPOSES, AND APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communi-
cation from abroad by James Walker, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States of
America.
This Invention relates to a new or improved process for the purification of hops
for brewing purposes, and to appliances or apparatus to be employed in connection
therewith to facilitate the cleaning or purifying of the hops and removal of the
.decayed or decaying portions which injure or deteriorate their quality.
From a period but little subsequent to gathering hops are liable to greater or
less deterioration, which is more or less rapid and extensive according to the
condition of the crop at the time of gathering, favourable or unfavourable atmos-
pheric conditions, lapse of time, and other circumstances. Such decaying portions
impart, it is very well known, a very prejudicial flavour to the wort, and affect
deleteriously the market value of the ale or beer by giving it a musty or
disagreeable taste and detracting seriously from its keeping qualities, such tainted
beer being it is well known liable to run into acetic fermentation. An astonishingly
small fraction of musty or decaying flowers will, as brewers well know, spoil an
entire brew. The object of the Invention is to overcome or prevent such injurious
decay and to cure old or damaged hops.
The Invention consists essentially in steeping the hops in water, which is by
preference heated to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, until the water enters the

page_text: decayed or decaying portions and removes the decayed or decaying matter.
While the resinous covering of the sound hops protects them from the water by
resisting saturation, the same water freely penetrates the unsound portions and
removes the ammoniacal and other deleterious gases and mustiness therefrom.
This steeping of the hops may be effected in suitable vessels of any form, in
which means are provided for regulating the flow of the water through the hops
and for retaining the hops within the vessel. The construction of vessel, which is
by preference used, consists of an open tank or tub fitted with a perforated bottom
or with a perforated drain pipe and discharge faucet. A floating cover with one or
more openings in it is fitted within the tub, and is connected to the body of the
tank by stops or otherwise to limit its rise within the tank or vessel. The process
of treating or purifying the hops within the tank or vessel is as follows:-The
outlet faucet is closed, and tepid water is introduced into the tank to an extent
sufficient to cover the perforated pipe, or a few inches deep. The hops are then
put in to form a layer of about six inches in depth and the float or cover inserted
in its place. More tepid water is introduced until the float is submerged, and is
left standing until the water over the float ceases to be turbid, which is in general
in about twelve hours time. The water is then drawn off by means of the
perforated pipe or bottom and the faucet, and the hops removed to the copper or
brew kettle for use in the usual way. Cold water may even be used in the
process, but I prefer water of such a moderate warmth as will readily permeate
the decayed portions without at all affecting the sound ones. With this object in
view I employ water at about blood heat, or more accurately, at about ninety
degrees Fahrenheit in summer, and one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit in
winter, with corresponding intermediato temperatures during the intervening
seasons.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th March
1882.
ALEXANDER WALKER, of the City and County of Edinburgh, North Britain.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF HOPS FOR BREWING
PURPOSES, AND APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communi-
cation from abroad by James Walker, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States of
America.
This Invention relates to a new or improved process for the purification of hops
for brewing purposes, and to appliances or apparatus to be employed in connection
therewith, to facilitate the cleaning or purifying of the hops and removal of the
decayed or decaying portions which injure or deteriorate their quality.
From a period but little subsequent to gathering hops are liable to greater or
less deterioration, which is more or less rapid and extensive according to the
condition of the crop at the time of gathering, favourable or unfavourablo atmos-
pheric conditions, lapse of time, and other circumstances. Such decaying portions
impart, it is very well known, a very prejudicial flavour to the wort, and affect
deleteriously the market value of the ale or beer by giving it a musty or
disagreeable taste and detracting seriously from its keeping qualities, such tainted
beer being it is well known liable to run into acetic fermentation. An astonishingly
small fraction of musty or decaying flowers will, as brewers well know, spoil an
entire brew. The object of the Invention is to overcome or prevent such injurious
decay and to cure old or damaged hops.
The Invention consists essentially in steeping the hops in water, which is by
preference heated to about one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, until the water enters
the decayed or decaying portions and removes the decayed or decaying matter.
While the resinous covering of the sound hops protects them from the water by
resisting saturation, the same water freely penetrates the unsound portions and
removes the ammoniacal and other deleterious gases and mustiness therefrom.
This steeping of the hops may be effected in suitable vessels of any form, in
which means are provided for regulating the flow of the water through the hops,
and for retaining the hops within the vessel.
The accompanying Drawing shows the construction of vessel which is by
preference used. In this Drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section and Figure 2 is a
plan. This vessel consists of an open tank or tub A fitted with a perforated
bottom, or with a perforated drain pipe B and discharge faucet C. A floating
cover D with one or more openings & in it is fitted within the tub, and is connected
to the body of the tank by stops F or otherwise to limit its rise within the tank
or vessel, screws G being fitted in holes f in these stops to limit the rise of the
cover D.
The process of treating or purifying the hops within the tank or vessel is as
follows:-The outlet faucet C is closed, and tepid water is introduced into the
tank to an extent sufficient to cover the perforated pipe B, or a few inches deep.
The hops are then put in to form a layer of about six inches in depth, and the float
or cover D inserted in its place. More tepid water is introduced until the float is
submerged, and is left standing until the water over the float ceases to be turbid,
which is in general in about twelve hours time. The water is then drawn off by
means of the perforated pipe B or bottom and the faucet C, and the hops removed
to the copper or brew kettle for use in the usual way. Cold water may even be
used in the process, but I prefer water of such a moderate warmth as will readily
permeate the decayed portions without at all affecting the sound ones. With this

page_text: object in view I employ water at about blood heat, or more accurately, at about
ninety degrees Fahrenheit in summer, and one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit
in winter, with corresponding intermediate temperatures during the intervening
seasons.
Having thus described the said Invention, I have to state that what I believe
to be novel and original, and therefore claim is,-The mode or process of purifying
hops for brewing purposes, to wit, by steeping the hops in water at or approxi-
mately a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit until the supernatant liquor
ccases to be turbid, then drawing off the water, and finally removing the thus
purified hops direct to the brew-kettle, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Walker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.