IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING WORT FROM MALT, AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman'
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING WORT FROM MALT, AND IN
APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by
Rudolph d'Heureuse, of the City of New York, United States of America,
Sealed the 29th January 1878, and dated the 31st July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1877.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
EXTRACTING WORT FROM MALT AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH." (A
communication from abroad by Rudolph d'Heureuse, of the City of New York,
United States of America.)
The object of this Invention is to extract from malt for brewing and other
purposes appreciably more valuable matter as wort of good quality than the present
operations of the brewer yields, of which the following are its specialities:-
Firstly. For the extraction of wort from malt the combination of three con-
secutive operations:-a. The formation of a mash by mixing the malt and water,
and treatment at 150° Fahrenheit or thereabout, from which a wort may or may not
be drawn. b. The opening of still unconverted starch in the mash by heating the
mash 160° Fahrenheit and upwards. c. The addition of wort with active
diastase to the mash and final saccharification at 150° Fahrenheit or thereabout.
Secondly. For the extraction of wort from malt, the combination of four con-
secutive operations:-a. The formation of a mash of 150° Fahrenheit or thereabout
by mixing the malt and water of suitable temperature. b. The drawing of a wort
with active diastase from the aforesaid mash. c. The opening of still unconverted
starch in the mash by heating the mash to 160° Fahrenheit and upwards. d. The
addition of wort with active diastase to the mash and final saccharification at
150° Fahrenheit or thereabout.

page_text: Thirdly. The mode of draining the liquid or wort from brewers' residue or
"grains" by means of perforated drain pipes through the bottom or sides of the
mash receptacle.
It is well known that the present methods enable the most careful brewer rarely
to extract above 10 to 12 pounds of solid extract from the bushel malt, which
contains fully 65 per cent., or over 22 pounds of extract-forming components,
showing that a large proportion of them remains in the "grains" and is wasted.
It is the aim of this Invention to reduce this large loss to a minimum, which is
accomplished by adding to the ordinary operations of treating the malt mash
some others that effectually do the work, namely, to open by higher heat than
150° Fahrenheit the remaining starchy particles after the easily transformable
components have been dissolved out as wort, and to subject the thus opened
starch to the converting action of diastase at the suitable temperature.
To intelligently explain this Invention and to point out the features of its
difference from ordinary operations, the modes of mashing malt for wort heretofore
invariably practised by brewers, with numerous, but as regards the yield of extract
but slight, modifications are referred to. They consist one and all in the mashing
proper as the first part of the operation, in which the malt (invariably ground or
crushed) is intimately mixed with water to prepare a mash of about 150° Fahrenheit
by the action of the diastase of the malt to form the wort or extract of malt; and as
the second part of the operation, after rest has been given to the mash the drawing
of the wort takes place, and its washing out from the residue by sparging or
sprinkling with hotter water, which invariably in all methods closes the operation,
with the "wort" as the desired product for beer, and the "grains" as the waste
product.
Some modifications consist in returning during the wort-drawing operation to the
mash the first drawn wort or worts after the latter have been boiled to eliminate
some albumenous constituents, at which operation the diastase is necessarily
distroyed. Some brewers also turn over the residue of the mash in the mash tun
at times during the operation, while others do not; still the yield in wort at best
rarely reaches 12 pounds of extract from a bushel malt, the rest is given up as lost
in the "grains." This loss is a consequence of a large proportion of starchy particles
of the malt not being sufficiently opened, and thus, successfully resisting the con-
verting action of the diastase and the triturating operation, the only actions
brought to bear in the before-described ordinary mashing operations remain in
the "
grains" as waste product.
It is intended by this Invention to employ more energetic means for a more
perfect extraction and with special regard to the recovery from that unclaimed pro-
portion of starch in the malt which had been left unchanged in the process of
malting, while another large proportion of the starch had been transformed into
easily convertible substance that readily yields to the mere trituration of the
ordinary mashing operations.
This improved mode of wort extraction consists of three distinct parts or
operations consecutively performed as follows, and the first of which, being or
may be in many or all respects like one or the other of the usual brewers
mashing or wort extracting operations is followed by two additional ones, in
which the improvement really consists,―
First. The malt, which for my purposes is not necessarily ground or crushed,
but may be left entire, is intimately mixed with the water while passing into
the receptacle, or when in the same, by any of the usual or other convenient
mashing devices, and the mash, at the temperature of 150° Fahrenheit or there-
about, is treated in open mash tuns or in closed tanks subjected to a higher
than the ordinary atmospheric pressure to produce a wort. After this wort is
formed, containing the active diastase of the malt, it is or may be partly or
entirely drawn at any suitable part of the mashing receptacle to serve in the
last or third operation herein-after described for the same or another brew.
Secondly. Unless enough fluid had been left in the remaining mash, provided the

page_text: wort had been drawn, to carry through the following operation successfully, that is
to say, not less than one part of fluid to every part of solid matter, some water (or
wort) is added, and the mash heated by steam or otherwise to about 160° Fahrenheit
and upwards in open receptacles, or preferably in close tanks under pressure, to
expedite the operation until the starch is fairly or completely opened; when,―
Thirdly. After cooling of this mash to a temperature at which diastase of malt is
not injured, wort prepared as described under first of the same or another brew is
added, and at the suitable temperature of 150° Fahrenheit or thereabout, the
saccharification of the now opened starch of the diastase of the added wort is
effected. After this is accomplished it remains but to separate the wort from the
residue, either at the last-mentioned temperature or subsequent to heating, which
may be done in any convenient manner with the assistance of sparging, steam jets,
exhausts, centrifugals, pressing, or other means not as such essential to the above
described operations. Though for practical operations it will be generally to the best
advantage to draw the wort prepared under operation first at 140 to 160° Fahrenheit
or thereabout, and to use it for the final saccharification of the same or another
brew, it will be understood that the operation under secondly may be performed
with all the wort left in the mash, though its diastase will be destroyed at the
higher heat employed, and wort with active diastase of another brew employed in
the final or third operation.
To better extract the wort from the residue it is proposed to employ in the mash
receptacle perforated pipes that may be covered with wire gauze or fibrous material,
cloth or its equivalent, or both, to strain the liquor, the pipes of a circular, oval, or
flat section reaching into the mash receptacle through the bottom or sides to dis-
charge to the outside.
The drawing of the wort is accelerated and rendered more perfect by producing
a higher pneumatic or hydraulic pressure in the mash receptacle, or the wort
discharge pipes may lead into a close wort receptacle in which a partial vacuuin
is formed, while a pressure may be produced at the same time in the mash
receptacle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
January 1878.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
EXTRACTING WORT FROM MALT, AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH." (A
communication from abroad by Rudolph d'Heureuse, of the City of New York,
United States of America.)
The object of this Invention is to extract from malt for brewing and other purposes
appreciably more valuable matter as wort of good quality than the present operations
of the brewer yield.
It is well known that the present methods enable the most careful brewer rarely
to extract above 10 to 12 pounds of solid extract from the bushel malt, which
contains fully 65 per cent., or over 22 pounds of extract-forming components,
showing that a large proportion of them remains in the "grains" and is wasted.
It is the aim of this Invention to reduce this large loss to a minimum, which is
accomplished by adding to ordinary operations of treating the malt mash some
others that effectually do the work, namely, to open by higher heat than 150° Fah.
the remaining starchy particles after the easily transformable components have been
dissolved out as wort, and to subject the thus opened starch to the converting action
of diastase at the suitable temperature.
To intelligently explain this Invention and to point out the features of its
difference from ordinary operations, the modes of mashing malt for wort heretofore
invariably practised by brewers with numerous, but as regards the yield of extract
but slight, modifications are referred to, they consist one and all in the mashing
proper as the first part of the operation in which the malt (invariably ground or
crushed) is intimately mixed with water to prepare a mash of about 150° Fab., by
the action of the diastase of the malt to form the wort or extract of malt, and as the
second part of the operation, after rest has been given to the mash, the drawing of
the wort takes place and its washing out from the residue by sparging or sprinkling
with hotter water, which invariably in all methods closes the operation, with
the "wort as the desired product for beer, and the "grains" as the waste
product.
"
Some modifications consist in returning during the wort-drawing operation
to the mash the first drawn wort or worts after the latter have been boiled to
eliminate some albuminous constituents, at which operation the diastase is
necessarily destroyed. Some brewers also turn over the residue of the mash in the
mash tun at times during the operation, while others do not; still the yield in wort
at best rarely reaches 12 pounds of extract from a bushel malt, the rest is given up
as lost in the "grains." This loss is a consequence of a large proportion of starchy
particles of the malt not being sufficiently opened, and thus, successfully resisting
the converting action of the diastase and the triturating operation, the only actions
brought to bear in the before-described ordinary mashing operations remain in the
grains" as waste product.
It is intended by this Invention to employ more energetic means for a more
perfect extraction and with special regard to the recovery from that unclaimed pro-
portion of starch in the malt which had been left unchanged in the process of
malting, while another large proportion of the starch had been transformed into
easily convertible substance that readily yields to the mere trituration of the
ordinary mashing operations.
This improved mode of wort extraction consists of three distinct parts or
operations consecutively performed as follows, and the first of which being or may be
in many or all respects like one or the other of the usual brewers' mashing and wort

page_text: extracting operations is followed by two additional ones, in which the improvement
really consists :-
1st. The malt, which for my purpose is not necessarily ground or crushed; but
may be left entire, is intimately mixed with the water while passing into the
receptacle, or when in the same, by any of the usual or other convenient mashing
devices, and the mash at the temperature of 150° Fah. or thereabout is treated in
open mash tuns or in closed tanks subjected to a higher than the ordinary
atmospheric pressure to produce a wort.
After this wort is formed, containing the
active diastase of the malt, it is or may be partly or entirely drawn at any suitable
part of the mashing receptacle to serve in the last or third operation, herein-after
described, for the same or another brew.
2ndly. Unless enough fluid has been left in the remaining mash, provided the
wort had been drawn, to carry through the following operation successfully, that is
to say, not less than one part of fluid. to every part of solid matter, some water (or
wort) is added and the mash heated by steam or otherwise to about 160° Fah. and
upwards in open receptacles, or preferably in close tanks under pressure to expedite
the operation until the starch is fairly or completely opened; when,-
3rdly. After cooling of this mash to a temperature at which diastase of malt is not
injured, wort prepared as described under 1st of the same or another brew is added,
and at the suitable temperature of 150° Fah. or thereabout, the saccharification of
the now opened starch of the diastase of the added wort is effected. After this is
accomplished it remains but to separate the wort from the residue, either at the last-
mentioned temperature or subsequent to heating, which may be done in any
convenient manner with the assistance of sparging, steam jets, exhausts, centri-
fugals, pressing, or other means not as such essential to the above-described
operations. Though for practical operations it will be generally to the best
advantage to draw the wort prepared under operation 1st, at 140° to 160° Fah. or
thereabout, and to use it for the final saccharification of the same or another brew,
it will be understood that the operation under 2nd, may be performed with all the
wort left in the mash, though its diastase will be destroyed at the higher heat
employed and wort with active diastase of another brew employed in the final or
third operation.
To better extract the wort from the residue it is proposed to employ in the mash
receptacle perforated pipes that may be covered with wire gauze or fibrous material,
cloth or its equivalent, or both, to strain the liquor, the pipes of a circular, oval, or
flat section reaching into the mash receptacle through the bottom or sides to dis-
charge to the outside.
The drawing of the wort is accelerated and rendered more perfect by producing
a higher pneumatic or hydraulic pressure in the mash receptacle, or the wort
discharge pipes may lead into a close wort receptacle in which a partial vacuum
is formed, while a pressure may be produced at the same time in the mash
receptacle.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim a mode of preparing wort
from malt by which some of the first drawn wort (or worts) is boiled or heated to
a temperature at which the diastase is rendered inactive, to be then returned at a
high heat from above to the mash. What I claim as new and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,
-
Firstly. For the extraction of wort from malt the combinations of three con-
secutive operations:-a. The formation of a mash by mixing the malt and water
and treatment at 150° Fah. or thereabout, from which a wort may or may not be
drawn. b. The opening of still unconverted starch in the mash by heating the
mash to 160° Fah. and upwards. c. The addition of wort with active diastase
to the mash, and final saccharification at 150 Fah. or thereabout, as set forth.
Secondly. For the extraction of wort from malt, the combination of four con-
secutive operations as follows, to wit:-a. The formation of a mash of 150° Fah. or
thereabout, by mixing the malt and water of suitable temperature. b. The drawing

page_text: <
of a wort with active diastase from the aforesaid mash. c. The opening of still
unconverted starch in the mash by heating the mash to 150 Fah. and upwards.
d. The addition of wort with active diastase to the mash and final saccharification
at 150° Fab., or thereabout, substantially as described.
Thirdly. The mode of draining the liquid or wort from brewers' residue or
grains" by means of perforated drain pipes through the bottom or sides of the
mash receptacle, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
T. J. SMITH. (L.S.)