Improvements in and connected with the Fermentation of Beer.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Fermentation of Beer.
We, PAUL KROPF, of 152 Dayton Street, Chicago, Illinois, Brewer, and
AUGUST GRUELL, of 387 Clybourn Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Machinist, both in
the United States of America, 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 :—
".
This invention relates to a novel method for manufacturing beer, the object
being to provide a method whereby the time and expense required for the.
manufacturing of beer can be reduced."
The invention consists in the novel method hereinafter fully described and
specifically claimed.
The accompanying drawing is a central longitudinal section of a hogshead
or cask showing one way in which my method can be carried out.
In the manufacture of beer there are two stages in which fermentation takes
In the after
place, called the "first fermentation," and the "after fermentation."
fermentation, which takes place in the storage casks, and requires from six to ten
weeks, the slow fermentation of the remaining sugar occurs, as well as the
precipitation of albumenites and yeast cells, preparatory to the treatment of the
unfinished beer in the chips casks. Our invention relates to this after fermentation
and is designed to accomplish in a few hours that which formerly required six to ten
weeks. To accomplish this we subject the partially fermented beer to a current of
electricity which has the effect of precipitating the albumenites and yeast cells, and
fermenting the remaining portion of the sugar, after which the beer is conveyed to
the chips casks. When subjecting the partially fermented beer to the action of au
electric current, it is kept at a low temperature, for instance at about 36° Fahrenheit,
as in the storage casks. We set forth the above as the best deductions we are at
present able to give after carrying out this method in a practical manner, but are
not able to state positively that these deductions are in every way correct, as they
are the best results of the observation of the method as carried out.
however, able to state positively that by subjecting the partially fermented beer to
the action of an electric current and at the temperature stated, we accomplish the
after fermentation in a short time as stated and so age and purify it that it is equal
in quality to beer that has remained the usual time in the storage casks. The
current of electricity, of one hundred to one hundred and teu volts for instance, can
be obtained from a dynamo, although the voltage can be varied as found desirable
according to the beer to be produced, and in some instances we have subjected the
beer to a current of fifteen minutes duration and obtained satisfactory results, but
such matters as the strength and duration of the current will vary according to the
best judgment of the brewer in view of the article to be treated and produced aud
a fixed rule cannot be given. We contemplate passing the current of electricity
through the unfinished beer while it is in a cask, or while it is passing through a
pipe, as found most convenient.
We are,
In the accompanying drawing we have shown a hogshead or cask and have
illustrated two ways in which the current can be applied to the beer. These
hogsheads usually have strengthening rods 1, extending between the heads of the
same and by attaching the poles of the dynamo to two of these rods a current of
electricity can be passed through the beer while it is in the hogshead. Or if
convenient, the current can be applied during the passing of the beer to the
drawing-off room, and we have shown in the drawing a pipe 2, provided with a
non-conducting section 3, which conveniently consists of two vulcanized rubber

page_text: caps 4 and an interposed glass tube 5. The said caps 4 are provided with metallic
plugs 6, to which the wires 7 leading from a dynamo can be attached. In this way
it will be seen that the beer when passing through this non-conducting section 3 of
the pipe 2 will be subjected to the electric current passing between the metallic
plugs 6. Various other arrangements and constructions can be employed for
carrying out this method, as will be obvious.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The herein described method for manufacturing beer which consists in
subjecting the liquor to the first fermentation, and then passing a current of
electricity through the partially fermented beer, substantially as described.
2. The herein described method for manufacturing beer, which consists in
subjecting the liquor to the first fermentation, and then passing a current of
electricity through the partially fermented beer, and at the same time keeping the
partially fermented beer at a low temperature, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.