IMPROVEMENTS IN MASHING AND FERMENTING OF GRAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Herring, of the Heath, Weybridge, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MASHING AND
FERMENTING OF GRAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL."
Sealed the 5th August 1859, and dated the 9th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Herring at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th February 1859.
I, EDWARD HERRING, of the Heath, Weybridge, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MASHING AND FERMENTING OF GRAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL," to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists in operating on maize, barley, rye, malt, and other
grain, by an improved method, for the purpose of the more readily converting
the starch into sugar, and rendering that saccharine solution more capable of
attenuation by fermentation, thereby obtaining alcohol at a less cost, by the
double combination of increased quantity of spirit and decreased cost of malt,
yeast, and labor.
The process I propose to conduct as follows:-The maize or mixtures of
other grain is to be ground and mashed by the method known to distillers, to
which is to be added a carbonated or a caustic alkali, which not only neutralizes
the free acid of the grain, but dissolves the gluten, as in the ordinary method
of manufacturing starch, thereby bringing the gluten into immediate operation.
on the starch, which with the assistance of the diastace of about five per cent.

page_text: of malt, speedily changes it to the saccharine. At the expiration of about
two hours and a half the excess of alkali is to be neutralized by the addition of
dilute muriatic or other acid, thereby again liberating the free lactic acid of
the grain.
The whole is cooled to the necessary temperature and fermented by the
addition of the ferment commonly called yeast. The grain used for the
formation of the ferment or yeast may be prepared also by the described alkali
process, using only such grain as more particularly abounds in gluten, with a
small per-centage of malt.
The quantity of carbonated or caustic alkali is to be regulated by the nature
and acidity of the grain to be acted on, and especially by the quality of the
liquor or water used, depending on the amount of carbonate of lime or
magnesia which it may contain; the quantity of muriatic or other acid will be
guided entirely by the quantity of carbonated or caustic alkali used, so as to
form a neutral solution.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Herring in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HERRING, of the Heath, Weybridge, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Herring, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Herring,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Herring, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MASHING AND
FERMENTING OF GRAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Herring, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the

page_text: same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Herring, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in operating on rice, maize, barley, or other amy-
laceous or albuminous grain, by an improved method, for the purpose of more
readily converting starch into saccharine worts, and for the preservation of
these worts from acidity, whether it be for the distiller, brewer, or vinegar
maker, or yeast manufacturer, especially as connected with these extensive
trades requiring perfect fermentation.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, the exact mode of manipulating varying according
to the especial, trade for which it may be required.
The process generally may be conducted as follows:-The malt, rice, barley,
or other amylaceous or albuminous grain is to be operated on by methods
peculiar for the required objects of alcohol, beer, vinegar, yeast making, &c.,
to which is to be added a carbonated or a caustic alkali (soda being the most
preferable), which not only neutralizes the free lactic acid of the grain, but
prevents the formation of acetic acid; by this means also the gluten of the
grain becomes dissolved, and thereby the more rapidly brings that substance
into operation, it being well known that gluten, like the diastase of malt, or
sulphuric or other acid, each separately or combined, converts starch into sugar.
At the expiration of the requisite time the excess of carbonated or caustic
alkali is to be neutralized or not at pleasure by the addition of an acid
(muriatic being preferable), thereby liberating the original lactic acid of the
grain, forming the neutral muriate of soda or common salt.
This alkali process is available for any who desire to operate on grain,
whether it be in a malted or unmalted state, for the preservation of saccharine;
but for those who require to fement such saccharine by means of yeast, this alkali
process is peculiarly applicable, as the presence of an alkali (carbonated in this
case) in the albuminous grain necessary for the generation of yeast in the
process of yeast manufacture not only preserves the original lactic acid and
prevents the formation of acetic acid, but a neutralization by acid, muriatic
acid, carbonic acid gas is formed and fermentation generated. A perfect
virgin yeast is thus formed, and a perfect attenuation is obtained constituting
one of the most important branches of this alkali process.
There may

page_text: be, however, no occasion to neutralize the original alkali used, as the sub-
sequent formation of the readily forming and desirable lactic acid may be more
than sufficient to counterbalance the excess of original alkali used.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in Mashing and Fermenting of Grain for the Production of
Alcohol," I would remark in conclusion that what I claim as my Invention
intended to be secured to me is the improved method described of adding to
the mashes of unmalted or malted grain a carbonated or a caustic alkali (to
be neutralized or not at pleasure), firstly, for the solution of the gluten;
and, secondly, for the entire preservation of the worts from the formation
of acetic acid and for the neutralization of the existing lactic acid, which latter
may be liberated at pleasure by the addition of an acid (muriatic being
preferable) forming the neutral muriate of soda or common salt in small
quantity, restoring the lactic acid in its original quantity, and generating
carbonic acid gas, and consequently virgin fermentation.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Herring, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
EDWARD HERRING. (L.S.)