THE MANUFACTURE OF A WORT WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOLIC SPIRIT, BEER, AND VINEGAR
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Webb at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October 1881.
THOMAS WEBB, of Clapton Park, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
"THE MANUFACTURE OF A WORT WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF ALCOHOLIC SPIRIT, BEER, AND VINEGAR."
This Invention consists in the manufacture from date fruit of a wort, by the
employment of which alcoholic spirit, beer, and vinegar can be manufactured in a
more economical manner than is the case with the materials at present used, whilst
at the same time the residue of the fruit, that is to say, the stones and pulp, will
be found valuable for other purposes.
For the purposes of this Invention it is desirable that the date fruit should be
separated and crushed as much as possible, thus when they are contained within
the ordinary mats or skins, the latter having been stripped off, I effect the desired
object by passing the bulk of dates through a series of pairs of rollers, the distance
between the rollers of each pair gradually decreasing until the last pair will only
have sufficient space between them to allow the crushed fruit to pass through
without breaking the stones. The mass as it passes from the rollers is discharged
into a copper or vessel for boiling, and a quantity of water having been added the
whole is then stirred and boiled for about two hours. This will have the effect of
freeing the saccharine matter contained in the dates, which saccharine matter will
remain suspended in the liquid, thus forming the wort. At this stage it is desirable
to separate the stones from the wort and pulp, and I effect this object in the
following manner:-The rakes of the boiling vessel being maintained in motion the
whole of the fruit and wort is discharged into a cage formed of vertical bars,
arranged sufficiently close together to prevent the stone of the fruit passing
through. Within this cage are arranged a series of revolving rakes which serve to
keep the mass well in motion; thus whilst the stones are retained, the pulp and wort
will be discharged through the vertical bars of the said cage. The latter should be
so situated that the discharged pulp and wort can be collected in or conducted
into a second tun, constructed with a false bottom in the ordinary manner, where
a sufficient quantity of cold water is added to reduce the wort to the required
strength. It is then allowed to stand for about one hour, when the wort is drawn

page_text: off at the sides and drained from the false bottom of the tun; the temperature
thereof is then reduced to about 65 degrees Fahrenheit by being passed over or
through a refrigerator, or by other suitable means. This having been effected the
wort is passed into a "fermenting back," and treated with yeast or other fermen-
tative, and after the ordinary fermentation it is ready for the still.
When it is desired to manufacture beer or vinegar the wort is treated, on leaving
the second tun as above stated, by any known and suitable process, as will be well
understood.
When the pulp is removed from the second tun it can be pressed alone, or mixed
with other materials, into cakes, which will be found to constitute an excellent
cattle food.