New or Improved Process for Adding Iron to Beer.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Process for Adding Iron to Beer.
I, JOSEF KWIATKOWSKI, of Sereth, Bukowina, in the Empire of Austria,
Chemist, 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 :-
Beer to which iron is added by the process forming the subject of this invention
is easily pasteurised, it possesses a pleasant taste, and great brightness, it absorbs
considerably more carbonic acid, exhibits a more compact and lasting foam, and
keeps better than ordinary beer. Beer treated by this process and containing
0.05 gramme of iron per litre is generally applicable as a preventive remedy for
illnesses arising from poorness of blood. Beer with a higher proportion of iron
is to be preferred as a superior hygienic drink to all the iron waters and iron
preparations at present in use, on account of its pleasant taste and very great
digestibility.
These advantages produced by the addition to the beer of dissolved lactate
of iron.
The lactate of iron may be added to the beer after the first fermentation,
aud whilst the beer is being pumped from the fermenting vat to the store vat; or
it may be added to the finished beer while the latter is being drawn off into
the casks.
The greatest quantity of lactate of iron that can be added to the beer per litre
is 0-6 gramme. The heavy sixteen per cent. black bock-beers or porters contain
01 to 0-6 gramme, because the high dried aromatic malt used therein covers the
taste of the iron. For light beers 0.05 gramme per litre is a suitable quantity.
Let it be required to add to 20 hectolitres of beer 0-3 grammie of iron per litre ;
0.3 x 2000, equal 600 grammes of the freshest possible lactate of iron are dissolved
in the smallest possible quantity of well boiled, clarified boiling water and filtered.
If the lactate of iron is quite fresh, 1 part of lactate of iron may be used to 12 parts
of boiling water; but if it is stale 30 to 40 parts of boiling water are required to
one part of lactate.
The solution of lactato of iron is allowed to flow from a funnel provided with a
tap, through a glass tube (to enable the flow to be observed) into an iron tube
through which the beer is flowing, and is thus mixed intimately with the beer. Or
the beer and solution of lactate of iron are allowed to flow simultaneously into a
tub or other vessel from whence the mixture is pumped into the store vat. The
chief point in this operation is that the iron must only be added to the beer in small
and regular quantities. 600 grammes added at once to the beer would make it
cloudy. A certain quantity of lactate of iron must be immediately mixed
thoroughly with the corresponding quantity of beer.
As commercial lactate of iron is generally not very fresh, and requires a great
deal of water to dissolve it, it is advisable to make the lactate of iron as wanted.
It is easily obtained as a solution containing 0-63 grammes of lactate of iron in
5 cubic centimetres, when the lactic acid has a specific gravity of 1.21. Or a ready
prepared solution of lactate of iron can be obtained containing a known quantity of
lactate of iron.
The solution of lactate of iron should only be made a few hours before it is
required for use, because it crystallizes out if left standing a long time.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The process for adding iron to heer which consists in mixing with the beer
dissolved lactate of iron, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1896.
J. KWIATKOWSKI,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.