IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF YEAST
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Veitch Haig, of Cameron Bridge House, in the
County of Fife, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURING OF YEAST."
Sealed the 5th March 1880, and dated the 13th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Veitch Haig at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December 1879.
HUGH VEITOH HAIG, of Cameron Bridge House, in the County of Fife, North
Britain, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF YEAST."
This Invention, which has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
yeast, relates to yeast employed in fermenting worts in the brewing and distillation
of beer and alcoholic liquors, as well as to yeast used in the making of bread.
The Invention consists,―
First. In mashing together with water, hops, and quassia chips in suitable pro-
portions. It is to be understood that I do not confine myself to the proportions and
temperatures hereinafter given in relation to the several heads of this invention, as
the said Invention may be practised under other proportions and temperatures, but
I find that about eight parts of hops to about one part of quassia chips is a good
proportion to employ.
Second. In taking either the whole or part of the extract so obtained, and after
boiling and draining the same mashing it together with malt, preferably in the
proportion of about one part of the extract and about six parts of inalt.
Third. In fermenting the liquor, preferably at a temperature of from eighty to
one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
Fourth. In adding, if thought necessary, and according to circumstances, a
quantity of bicarbonate of soda to the liquor.
Fifth. In mashing together with water, rye, and malt, preferably in the proportion
of about forty parts of rye and about thirty parts of malt.
Sixth. In mixing the whole or part of the latter mash with the whole or part of
the mash herein before described under the first and second heads of the Invention.
Seventh. In mashing together with water, and in the bereinbefore given or other
proportions, further quantities of rye and malt, and in mixing the whole or part of
the mash so obtained with the whole or part of the mash described under the sixth
head of this Invention.
Eighth. In running the whole or a proportion of the yeast thus obtained amonst
the worts or bread stuffs to be fermented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Hugh Veitch Haig in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th June
1880.
HUGH VEITCH HAIG, of Cameron Bridge House, in the County of Fife, North
Britain, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF YEAST."
My said Invention, which has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
yeast, relates to yeast employed in fermenting worts in the brewing of beer and in
the distillation of alcoholic liquors, as well as to yeast used in making bread, and it
is essentially comprised under three heads or processes.
The first process relates to obtaining a first or starting yeast, which is effected by 1
mashing together with water and thereafter boiling, or in boiling only without such
previous mashing, hops and quassia chips in suitable proportions. After boiling
the extract liquor is strained, and either the whole or a portion of it mashed with
malt, which being effected the product is again boiled and strained, the worts
pressed out, and the resultant liquor cooled and allowed to ferment.
The second yeast process consists in mixing and mashing together with water ryo
or other grain and malt in suitable proportions, and after souring the mixture or
mash for a time, in adding yeast obtained under the first head or process embraced
by my said Invention, and thereafter allowing the whole to ferment.
The third head or process relates to obtaining, with suitable proportions of rye or
other grain and malt, and a proportion of the yeast obtained as last set forth, a
finished yeast or yeast suitable for employment in the brewing of beer, in the
distillation of alcoholic liquors, and in the manufacture of bread.
2
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the 2
same is or may be used or carried out in practice, that is to say :-
To obtain the first or starting yeast hereinbefore referred to hops and quassia
chips are thoroughly mashed together with water for from fifteen to twenty minutes
in a masher of ordinary construction, and preferably in the proportion by weight
(avoirdupois) of four pounds of hops and eight ounces of quassia chips to twenty-
eight imperial gallons of water. The mash so obtained is boiled for from ten to
fifteen minutes, or, instead of first mashing the hops and quassia chips as above
described, the process may commence by at once boiling them with water in the
proportions and for the length of time given. After boiling the resultant liquor is
strained through a suitable percolator or straining vessel or cloth, and either a part
or the whole of it is then taken, preferably at a temperature of about one hundred
and seventy degrees Fahrenheit, and in an ordinary masher mashed with a quantity
of malt, a suitable proportion to employ being for every twelve imperial gallons of
the liquor forty eight pounds (avoirdupois) of malt. The whole is then boiled for
from fifteen to twenty minutes, and thereafter strained, and the worts or solid
portions pressed out in any press suitable for the purpose, after which the liquor is
run into vessels or vats, and allowed to cool down to a temperature at which
fermentation will take place and be carried on.
Under another method of practising this part of my said Invention a quantity,
say about twelve gallons, of the liquor (obtained from the hops and quassia chips in
the manner hereinbefore set forth) is well mashed at a temperature of about one
hundred and seventy degrees Fahrenheit with about forty eight pounds of malt, for
from ten to fifteen minutes, after which the remainder of the hop and quassia extract
liquor is added to the mixture at a temperature of about two hundred and twelve
degrees Fahrenheit, and the whole mixture boiled for about fifteen minutes. The
grains or solid portions are then separated or pressed out, and the liquor is allowed
to cool down to and is kept at a temperature whereat fermentation will be excited
and carried on,

page_text: In preparing the first or starting yeast under either of these modes fermentation
will or should commence in from eighteen to twenty four hours, and probable it
will continue for from sixteen to twenty four hours before the ferment has worked
itself out, that is to say, before a specific gravity of from two to eight pounds by
Balling" is shown.
85
When fermentation is at its height one or more gallons is or may be taken or
skimmed off from the top of the fermenting liquor and placed in a close jar, which
is thereafter hermetically sealed and kept till wanted at or near a temperature of
sixty degrees Fahrenheit. The quantity so taken off is employed to "set" the next
first, or starting yeast when the same is in process of manufacture, as hereinbefore
described, and before the jar is sealed a few ounces of bicarbonate of soda is or may
be added to the said quantity.
The second part of my said Invention consists in mixing and mashing malt and
rye or other similarly suitable grain with water, and, after allowing the mixture to
sour for a time, in mixing oither the whole or a part of the first or starting yeast,
obtained as herein before described, with the whole or a part of the said soured mash
mixture, and in fermenting the admixed liquor. After fermentation has become
general throughout the whole the mash is mixed with the materials hereinafter
mentioned under the third head or process of my said Invention.
In carrying out this second part of the Invention I have obtained good results
with the proportions and method of operation following, that is to say, by mixing
together eighty pounds of rye or other similarly suitable grain, sixty pounds of malt,
and twenty six gallons of water, at a temperature of about one hundred and seventy
degrees Fahrenheit. The mixture is then thoroughly mashed for about twenty
minutes, after which it is set aside to sour for about sixteen hours, or a longer or
shorter time, as required. When soured the mixture is cooled down to a temperature
at which fermentation would take place and be carried on were yeast added. Four
gallons of the first or starting yeast are then added to the mixture, and the whole
is allowed to ferment to about eighty degrees Fahrenheit, and thereafter mixed with
or run in amongst the materials hereinafter mentioned under the third head or
process of my said Invention; or, if the materials are not ready for its reception,
fermentation is retarded or stopped by cooling down the mixture. This cooling
may be effected by causing cold water, cold air, or other fluid or liquid to circulato
through an outer casing surrounding the vessel containing the mixture, or a stream
of cold water or other cooling medium may be caused to circulate through a coil or
coils of pipes placed in the vessel itself, or ice may be added to the mixture, or other
equivalent means used for that purpose.
In the further description of the Invention the two processes hereinbefore
described and the process now about to be described are respectively referred to as
No. 1, 2, and 3 yeast.
The third part of my said Invention relates to a process for finishing or completing
the manufacture of the yeast, and thereby obtaining a yeast suitable for employ-
ment in the brewing of beer, in the distillation of alcoholic liquors, and in making
bread; and it consists in taking rye or other similarly suitable grain and malt, in
the relative proportions hereinbefore given with reference to number 2 yeast, but in
larger quantities, and, after thoroughly mashing them together with water, in
fermenting the said mash.
For convenience in practising the process the mash is or may be worked or mixed
in a masher, vessel, or vat connected to wash or fermenting "backs," and provided
with rakes to more easily mix the grain and water together, and with coils of
pipes, outer casings, or their equivalenta, for the circulation of a cooling medium to
regulate the temperature.
In carrying out this part of my said Invention I find the following proportions
and mode of working to give good results, namely:-With two thousand seven
hundred pounds of rye or other similarly suitable grain, and one thousand eight
hundred pounds of malt, I mix one thousand gallons of water at one hundred and
seventy degrees Fahrenheit, and thoroughly mash the whole together for about

page_text: thirty minutes, after which the mixture is allowed to sour, as herein before described
with reference to number 2 yeast, that is to say, for about sixteen hours, and then
cooled down to about seventy eight degrees Fahrenheit, which being effected about
one hundred and twenty gallons of the mash mixture are taken out and mixed with
the number 2 yeast, obtained with the proportions hereinbefore given, and fermen-
tation in the quantity so extracted is then allowed to take place. When the
fermenting mixture reaches a temperature of about eighty degrees Fahrenheit it is
replaced in the masher containing the remainder of the soured mash mixture, and
the whole of the said mash mixture is then allowed to ferment to about eighty
degrees Fahrenheit. At or about this temperature I extract about one hundred
and sixty gallons, to be used as hereinafter set forth, and by setting it aside in cold
water check fermentation therein to from sixty to seventy degrees Fahrenheit,
according to the length of time it is required to be kept. The balance of the
mixture in the yeast masher is allowed to continue working or fermenting to about
eighty six degrees Fahrenheit, at which stage the yeast is fit for use, and, either
without or with the addition of water, as desired, may then be run in amongst the
brewer's or distiller's worts, or it may be used in the making of bread. If the
yeast is not immediately required it is kept cool till wanted by passing a stream of
water or other cooling medium through the coils of pipes or their equivalents, and
in order that the yeast may not exhaust or work itself out water is added to it in
sufficient quantities to check fermentation.
In order to render the process of the manufacture of yeast as hereinbefore
described a continuous one, and to obviate the necessity of making number 1, or
starting yeast, for every brewing of worts or batch of bread stuffs, the one hundred
and sixty gallons extracted from the number 3 yeast, whilst the ferment is at or
about eighty degrees Fahrenheit, and thereafter cooled down as hereinbefore
described, is used, or a part of it is used, instead of the number 1 or starting yeast,
to ferment the mash mixture in the manufacture of number 2 yeast.
Under another method of working number 3 yeast process rye or other suitable
grain, malt, and water are mashed together in the proportions hereinbefore given,
and the mash thereafter soured, as described with reference to number 2 yeast;
then, without extracting any quantity whatever of the soured number 3 mash,
number 2 yeast, prepared as and in the proportions already given, is added, and
the whole is allowed to ferment to about eighty six degrees Fahrenheit, as before
set forth.
Under another method of making the improved yeast number 2 yeast process
may be entirely omitted, and number 3 mash, after being soured, fermented by
mixing therewith number 1 yeast in the proportions given with reference to its
admixture with number 2 yeast. Such fermenting of number 3 mash may be
effected by first combining number 1 yeast with a quantity of the soured mash, and
when fermentation therein has reached about eighty degrees Fahrenheit replacing
the said quantity with the remainder of the mash, and then fermenting the whole;
or number 1 yeast may be at once admixed with the whole quantity of the soured
number 3 mash, and the same fermented to about eighty six degrees Fahrenbeit.
It is then ready for use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that although I
have stated such proportions of admixture, temperatures, and durations in and of
the various operations as I have found by experiment to give good results in prac-
tice, yet it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself thereto, as other propor-
tions, temperatures, and durations may also advantageously be adopted without
departing from the main or essential features of my said Invention. What then I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the horeinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The manufacture of a yeast from hops, quassia chips, rye or other like grain, malt,

page_text: and water, under the several modes substantially as hereinbefore described, and the
employment of the yeast so manufactured in the brewing of beer, in the distillation
of alcoholic liquors, and in making bread.
In witness whereof I, the said Hugh Veitch Haig, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
HUGH VEITCH HAIG. (L.S.)