An Improved Process for the Manufacture of Beer by the Sterilization of the Worts in the Vat during the Boiling.
Year: 1898

page_text: An Improved Process for the Manufacture of Beer by the Sterilization
of the Worts in the Vat during the Boiling.
I, HUBERT GEORGIN, of 29, Rue des Ursulines, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object an inproved process for the production of beer
communicating to the latter fresh properties, among others a property of indefinite
preservation without the addition of any foreign substance and showing a con-
siderable economy comparatively over the systems of brewing at present in use by
an excess in density or quantity of production for a given quantity of material
placed in the vat.
My improved process is applicable to the manufacture of all kinds of beer, in
which it preserves their peculiar character, whilst communicating to them new
properties and rendering them capable of being exported without any addition of
alcohol, chemical products or other like substance.
The invention consists in treating beer worts compounded in the ordinary
manner in boilers open or closed of any suitable form but preferably tapering and
divided by perforated plates into compartments or horizontal divisions communicat-
ing one with another by means of a number of small holes. These perforated
plates, which must be separated or arranged at distances apart of 10-40 m.m.
according to the height of the vat or boiler, in consequence of the resistance they
oppose to the circulation of the worts during the boiling, have for their effect to
develop in the bottom of the boiler temperatures sufficiently high to destroy all
evil ferments, bacteria or other micro-organisms at the same time that they produce
by filtration of the wort over the perforated surfaces a deposit of all azotic,
albuminous, glutinous or the like substances.
This high temperature of the worts in the lower compartment has for effect to
engender a movement of ascension of the hottest wort and a contrary movement
of the wort cooled at the surface of the vat, the temperature of which does not
exceed 100°C. The result is a rapid circulation of the whole of the wort, cach
portion of which passes successively from the bottom to the surface and from the
surface to the bottom, producing a uniformity of treatment of the whole mass
which alternately undergoes expansion and superheating. The albuminoid coagul-
ated substances in consequence of the high temperature of the wort must be pre-
cipitated and then afterwards separated which is the object of the operation
hereinafter described, which I call the "calorific shock."
The boiling after a certain time is suddenly stopped. The worts incompletely
boiled are conveyed into refrigerating worms of any suitable kind, but having a
large refrigerating power, such as refrigerators working by compressed air, and
are then directly returned to the boiler having perforated plates.
This operation, which for export beers must be repeated one or more times

page_text: according to the distance and the climate of the country for which they are
destined or the method of transport, must last each time from one hour and a half
to two hours. A longer time would not deleteriously affect the sterilization of the
wort but would occasion a loss in quantity by evaporation. These details will
suffice to determine the dimensions of the pumps and of the refrigerating apparatus.
Of course the "calorific shock" may be entirely dispensed with in manufacturing
beers for local consumption. In this case the wort purified and filtered by the
action alone of the perforated plates may remain without danger in the cooling
vat, which with ordinary worts would cause such losses particularly in summer
when the atmospheric conditions favour the development of deleterious and evil
ferments.
The aeration of the worts so useful for the fermentation may be effected in all
security, because the false ferments contained in the worts are destroyed and the
substances which favour them and develop them are eliminated, so that the dangers
which surround ordinary worts no longer need be feared.
The wort discharged, from the cooler is more limpid and clear, because the gluten
which renders cooled wort turbid is eliminated, which denotes a radical change of
constitution seeing that by the ordinary process the wort would be completely
turbid. After boiling and cooling, my worts are what is called in brewery terms
asleep. I allow them to remain in this condition in the cellars for six to eight
days. The substances removed by the boiling at a very high temperature precipi-
the calorific shack" are deposited slowly, and then the wort is separated
trom the bottom by decantation and mixed with yeast. The wort thus treated,
sterilized and purified gives a healthier, richer and more favourable medium of
propagation. The fermentation of it is slower but it takes place admirably. The
worts have no tendency to become acid and yield a less exhausted beer. The
elimination of the albuminoid and other substances being more complete, false
lactic, acetic and,butyric fermentations are avoided.
The slower and more regular fermentation produces a better keeping beer which
has a better flavour and which is more limpid and is of extraordinary fineness.
The attenuation undergone is less. It causes less loss of alcohol which is
important for export beers and which allows of a longer time in the boiler without
causing the density to fall below the normal level whence a considerable increase
of production is obtained.
The insoluble glutinous substance and lumps which affect the yeast and the
fermentation are retained by the perforated plates and, if any remain, by being
deposited in the cooling vat. The beer leaves no, or almost no, residue at the
bottom of the casks; no deposit in bottles; transport and climatic temperature
do not modify in any way its condition of perfect keeping; which results have
never hitherto been attained by the old brewing processes.
My process, purely physical and mechanical, is naturally sure and practical.
Its effects are durable, whilst the use of chemical ingredients would destroy the
nature of the heer and only produce temporary effects or no effects at all. The
clarification being little required, the danger is not incurred of introducing into
the beer corrupt clarifying substances which decompose or by decomposition
weaken the nature and the quality of the beer.
A worts boiling vat having a sterilizing apparatus arranged conformably with
my invention consists as follows:-
The plates aforesaid to the number of six are arranged about 140 millimetres
apart. The lower plate is at 396 millimetres from the bottom of the boiler. They
are perforated with an innumerable number of holes of a diameter of 172 milli-
metres. The periphery of the plates fits closely to the walls of the vat. All the
plates are maintained at invariable distances by the ends of tubes through which
there pass from end to end copper rods which serve to hold the entire arrangement
together. Four loops allow the apparatus being withdrawn in its entirety by 5
means of a pulley hooked on from above.
I would specially point out that the sizes indicated in the arrangement herein-

page_text: before described have no permanent character and are only shown as an example
of the application of the invention.
Dated this 24th day of January 1898
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of G, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents 'for the Applicant.
An Improved Process for the Manufacture of Beer by the Sterilization
of the Worts in the Vat during the Boiling.
I, HUBERT GEORGIN, of 29, Rue des Ursulines, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, 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:-
My invention has for its object an improved process for the production of beer
communicating to the latter fresh properties, among others a property of indefinite
preservation without the addition of any foreign substance and showing a con-
siderable economy comparatively over the systems of brewing at present in use by
an increase in density or quantity of production for a given quantity of material
placed in the vat.
My improved process is applicable to the manufacture of all kinds of beer, in
which it preserves their peculiar character, whilst communicating to them new
properties and rendering them capable of being exported without any addition of
alcohol, chemical products or other like substances.
The invention consists in treating beer worts, compounded in the ordinary
manner, in boilers open or closed of any suitable form but preferably tapering and
divided by perforated plates into compartments or horizontal divisions communicat-
ing one with another by means of a number of small holes. These perforated
plates, which must be separated or arranged at distances apart of 10-40 centi-
metres according to the height of the vat or boiler, in consequence of the resistance
they oppose to the circulation of the worts during the boiling, have for their effect
to develop in the bottom of the boiler temperatures of from 110° to 120° Centi-
grade, sufficiently high to destroy all injurious ferments, bacteria or other micro-
organisms, at the same time that they produce by filtration of the wort over the
perforated surfaces a deposit of all nitrogenous albuminous, glutinous or the like
substances.
This high temperature of the worts in the lower compartment has for effect to
engender a movement of ascension of the hottest wort and a contrary movement
of the wort cooled at the surface of the vat, the temperature of which does not
exceed 100° C. The result is a rapid circulation of the whole of the wort, each
portion of which passes successively from the bottom to the surface and from the
surface to the bottom, producing a uniformity of treatment of the whole mass
which alternately undergoes expansion and superheating. The coagulated albu-
minoid substances in consequence of the high temperature of the wort are pre-
cipitated and subsequently separated, which is the object of the operation
hereinafter described, which I call the caloric shock."
66
The boiling after a certain time is suddenly stopped. The worts incompletely
boiled are conveyed into refrigerating worms of any suitable kind, but having a
large refrigerating power, such as refrigerators working by compressed air and are
thereby cooled to say 15° Cent., or the temperature of the atmosphere and are then
directly returned to the boiler having perforated plates.

page_text: This operation, which for export beers must be repeated one or more times
according to the distance and the climate of the country for which they are
destined, or the method of transport, must last each time from one hour and a half
to two hours. A longer time would not deleteriously affect the sterilization of the
wort but would occasion a loss in quantity by evaporation. These details will
suffice to determine the dimensions of the pumps and of the refrigerating apparatus.
Of course the "caloric shock " or sudden cooling may be entirely dispensed with in
manufacturing beers for local consumption. In this case the wort purified and
filtered by the action alone of the perforated plates is not returned to the boiler
but may remain without danger in the cooling vat, which with ordinary worts
would cause such losses particularly in summer when the atmospheric conditions
favour the development of deleterious ferments.
The aeration of the worts so useful for the fermentation may be effected in all
security, because the false ferments contained in the worts are destroyed and the
substances which aid and develop them are eliminated, so that the dangers to
which ordinary worts are liable need no longer be feared.
The wort discharged from the cooler is more limpid and clear, because the gluten
which renders cooled wort turbid is eliminated, which denotes a radical change of
constitution seeing that by the ordinary process the wort would be turbid. The
worts may then remain in the cellars for six to eight days. The substances
coagulated by the boiling at a very high temperature, precipitated by the
calorific shock" are deposited slowly, and then the wort is separated from the
sediment at the bottom by decantation and mixed with yeast. The wort thus
treated, sterilized and purified gives a healthier, richer and more favourable medium
of propagation. The fermentation of it is slower but it takes place admirably.
The wort has no tendency to become acid and yields a less exhausted beer. The
elimination of the albuminoid and other substances being more complete, lactic,
acetic and butyric and other false fermentations are avoided.
The slower and more regular fermentation produces a better keeping beer which
has a better flavour and which is more limpid and is of extraordinary fineness.
The attenuation undergone is less. It causes less loss of alcohol which is
important for export beers and which allows of a longer time in the boiler without
causing the density to fall below the normal level whence a considerable increase
of production is obtained.
The insoluble glutinous substance and lumps which affect the yeast and the
fermentation are retained by the perforated plates and, if any remain, by being
deposited in the cooling rat. The beer leaves practically no residue at the
bottom of the casks; no deposit in bottles; transport and climatic temperatures
do not modify in any way its condition of perfect keeping; which results have
never hitherto been attained by the old brewing processes.
My process, purely physical and mechanical, is natural,, sure, and practical.
Its effects are durable, whilst the use of chemical ingredients would destroy the
nature of the beer and only produce temporary effects or no effects at all. The
clarification being little required, the danger is not incurred of introducing into
the beer corrupt clarifying substances which decompose or by decomposition 4
weaken the nature and the quality of the beer.
A worts boiling vat A having a sterilizing apparatus arranged conformably with
my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in Fig. 1 in its simplest
form, and in Fig. 2 in a modification thereof, of slightly different shape, and pro-
vided with a steam jacket with inlet and outlet.
5
The plates B aforesaid to the number of six are arranged about 142 millimetres
apart. The lower plate is about 400 millimetres from the bottom of the boiler.
They are perforated with a great number of holes of a diameter of about 2 milli-
metres. The periphery of the plates fits closely to the walls of the vat. All the
plates are maintained fixed at the requisite distances by the ends of tubes C serving 5
as distance sleeves or supports and through which there pass from end to end
copper rods D which serve to hold the entire arrangement together. Four loops E

page_text: allow of the apparatus being withdrawn in its entirety by means of a pulley hooked
on from above.
I would specially point out that the dimensions indicated in the arrangement
hereinbefore described are only approximate and are given as an example of the
application of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to he performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The improved process for the sterilization and epuration of beer worts, con-
sisting in subjecting the wort during the boiling one or more times to a ten-
perature of about one hundred and ten degrees Centigrade in a suitable open vessel
provided internally with a series of perforated plates through which in consequence
of the temperature at the bottom of the said vessel, the wort circulates rapidly,
causing simultaneously the destruction of injurious ferments and other micro-
organisms which may be therein contained, and also the constant filtration of the
wort through the said perforated plates, inducing the deposit of nitrogenous,
albuminous, glutinous or other coagulations contained therein, and finally decant-
ing the said wort in order to separate it from the substances coagulated by the
boiling, substantially as described.
2. In combination with the process set forth in Claim 1, causing the heated and
epurated wort to pass whilst incompletely boiled, through a cooling apparatus
causing the same to be cooled quickly down to about fifteen degrees Centigrade
with or without return to the boiling vat, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. An apparatus for carrying out the herein-described improved process for the
manufacture of beer, consisting of a boiler of any suitable form but preferably
tapering, in which plates perforated with a large number of small holes are
arranged at fixed distances apart, substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dil: 16th
Varamba 1908