IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF FININGS. AND IN FINING BEER. ALE. PORTER. WINE. CIDER. AND OTHER FERMENTED AND UNFERMENTED BEVERAGES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Whiffen Ewens, of Percy Hall, and of the
Albert Chemical Works, both in the Parish of Bedminster, in the City and
County of Bristol, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF FININGS. AND IN FINING BEER. ALE. PORTER. WINE. CIDER.
AND OTHER FERMENTED AND UNFERMENTED BEVERAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Whiffen Ewens
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th May 1881.
GEORGE WHIFFEN EWENS, of Percy Hall, and of the Albert Chemical Works,
both in the Parish of Bedminster, in the City and County of Bristol. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FININGS, AND IN FINING BEER, ALE, PORTER,
WINE, CIDER, AND OTHER FERMENTED AND UNFERMENTED BEVERAGES.
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of finings,
and in fining beer, ale, porter, wine, cider, and other fermented and unfermented
beverages.
It has been customary to fine such liquors with a solution of isinglass dissolved
by acidity, which produces a fining alike expensive, injurious to the keeping
properties of the liquor, and imperfect in its action.
Now I find that extracts made from the skin of animals when used in
combination with extracts made from Irish moss or other sea weeds possess
the property of fining perfectly any natural fruit juices or any manufactured
beverages.
I first take the animal matters intended to be used, consisting either of the skins
of animals or the waste pieces from such skins from tan-yards, fellmongers, or
leather-dressing yards, or the yards of other manufacturers making such waste,
and if they have been in lime water I subject them to a bath of water slightly
soured with sulphuric, hydrochloric, or other acids, until the lime impregnating
the skin is discharged. The skin is then put into fresh water and reduced by
heat, and when dissolved the liquid is strained and cooled; it is then allowed to
set into a jelly. When it has thoroughly set I break it up and keep it in a.

page_text: temperature ranging from 50 to 70 degrees until the consistency of the jelly
slackens either with or without the use of acids or alkalies. I then brush it
through a fine sieve and allow it to slacken into a semi-liquid of about the
consistency of castor oil. At this stage the reduction being perfect I charge it
with a proper proportion of bisulphite of lime, salycilic acid, or other preserving
agent and shut it down either in casks or tanks for use.
I call this extract "A stuff."
To make the second extract I take the sea weed known as Irish moss in
preference, or other sea weed, and subject the same to a water bath for a few
hours, and then extract all the gelatinous properties by heat. When the extract
is complete the liquor is cooled and reduced to a proper consistency. I preserve
it by using the agents before mentioned and run into separate casks or tanks
for use.
I call this extract "B stuff."
In using the said extracts for fining any liquor I take a certain quantity of the
A stuff in proportion to the quantity or feculence of or in the liquor to be fined;
I stir it well in and then take the same quantity of B stuff and stir in, when the
effect is instantly seen; the A stuff having by its gelatinous properties taken
hold of all the feculence and undischarged yeast, but not possessing sufficient
gravity to precipitate it remains in suspension; the B stuff, possessing that gravity
and a strong affinity for the A stuff, causes immediate coagulation and rapid
precipitation follows. These finings possess the property of holding the feculence,
so that the liquor fined being stirred or shaken, the moment the liquor is still the
feculence drops bright again as perfectly as at the first. This can be repeated many
times.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Whiffen Ewens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th November 1881.
GEORGE WHIFFEN EWENS, of Percy Hall, and of the Albert Chemical Works,
both in the Parish of Bedminster, in the City and County of Bristol. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FININGS, AND IN FINING BEER, ALE, PORTER,
WINE, CIDER, AND OTHER FERMENTED AND UNFERMENTED BEVERAGES."
This Invention has for its objects improvements in the manufacture of finings
and in fining beer, ale, porter, wine, cider, and other fermented and unfermented
beverages.
Heretofore it has been customary to fine such beverages with a solution of
isinglass dissolved by various kinds of acids. Such fining, besides being expensive,
is injurious to the keeping properties of the beverages by reason of its acidity and
is also very uncertain and often inefficient in its action from the varying properties
of the isinglass.
Now I find that an extract made from Irish moss, or other sea weed, when used
in connection or conjunction with an extract obtained from the skins of animals
or waste pieces of the said skins, or it may be in conjunction with the ordinary
fining made from fish, gelatine, or isinglass, possesses the property of fining
perfectly and in less time any fermented or unfermented beverages, whether
manufactured from malt and hops alone or combined with other materials, or from
natural fruit juices, such as wines, or cider, or perry.
Now in order to prepare the extract from the skins of animals, or the waste
pieces from such skins, from tanyards, fellmongers, or other leather dressing yards,
or any such waste from other manufactures, if the said pieces or matters contain
any lime I first subject them to a bath of water slightly soured with sulphuric,
hydrochloric, or other acids, until the lime impregnating the said skin is discharged;
they are then put into fresh water in certain proportions to make the strength
required and the gelatinous properties are extracted by heat until all is dissolved;
the liquid is then strained and soured by the addition of sufficient of the before
mentioned or other acids to prevent its coagulating or congealing when cold, but
in case it should coagulate, instead of adding more water I find it best either to
heat it again or to keep it at a temperature of from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
until it cuts down to a semi-liquid of the consistency of castor oil; at this stage,
the reduction being complete, I charge it with a proper proportion of bisulphite
of lime, salicylic acid, or other preserving agent, and shut it down either in casks
or tanks ready for use. The glutinous proportions of skin vary considerably, but
it will generally be found that about 3 cwt. of good dry hide pieces or 5 cwt. of
hide fleshings or sheep skin pieces will give about 800 gallons of extract.
Some kinds of skin and glutinous animal waste, fish skins, isinglass, and other
such substances that have not been subject to the hardening action of lime, can be
reduced without the use of heat, and it is sufficient to immerse such matters after
they have been well cleansed in cold water with a certain proportion of sulphuric,
acetic, or other acid, until the liquid becomes thickened and glutinous and of the
required strength; the said liquid is then strained into suitable receptacles and
preserved by the before mentioned or other agents. When glutinous animal skin
is to be treated in cold liquor the said liquor should be soured with the before
mentioned or other acid, about 4 cwt. of dry skin put into about 400 gallons of
the said sour liquor, and when the skin becomes softened it is best to macerate,
grind up, and reduce the same to a pulp, and after a few days add more water to
make the strength of the extract required, then strain for use. In the case of fish

page_text: skins about 2 cwt. to 800 gallons of liquor and treated in the same way will
produce the required liquid. With isinglass 1 cwt. will be sufficient, treated in the
same way. But these quantities must depend on the gelatinous proportions of the
material used. I find that the extract when cold, if not coagulated and of a
specific gravity of from 7 to 9 lbs. when weighed by a sacharometer, will be of a
sufficient consistency for any beer, ale, porter, or other liquids.
The above extracts obtained from skins, or pieces of skins, or finings obtained
from fish, gelatine, or isinglass, I call A stuff.
To make the second extract I take the sea weed known as Irish moss in
preference, or other sea weed, and subject the same to a water bath for a few hours
and then extract the gelatinous properties by heat; when the extract is complete
the liquor is strained, cooled, and reduced to a proper consistency, run into separate
casks, tanks, or other receptacles, and preserved by the before mentioned or other
preserving agents. About 1 cwt. of Irish moss or other sea weed will make 800
gallons of extract of the consistency of castor oil, but this will depend somewhat
upon the age and kind of weed and how long it has been collected. This extract
I call B stuff.
In using the said extracts for fining any beverage, I take a certain quantity of
the A stuff in proportion to the quantity or feculence in the liquid to be fined,
about 1 pint to 36 gallons will generally be found sufficient; I stir it well in and
then take the same quantity of the B stuff and stir in also, when the effect is
instantly seen. The A stuff having by its gelatinous properties taken hold of all
the feculent matter and undischarged yeast but not possessing sufficient gravity to
precipitate it remains in suspension. The B stuff having a powerful affinity for
the A stuff causes immediate coagulation, the liquid becomes floculent and either
rapidly rises to the surface or precipitates to the bottom, but this will depend on
the character and condition of the liquid.
These finings possess the properties of holding all the feculent matter, so that if
the beer, ale, or other liquid fined be shook or stirred up the moment the said
liquid becomes still the feculence having become a firm substance drops to the
bottom in a few moments and the liquid becomes again as bright as ever, and this
can be repeated many times over.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner of performing the same,
I would have it understood that I do not bind myself to the exact details herein
before named, or the exact proportions of the materials to be used, or the kind,
description, or proportion of the acids to be used, but I claim my improved
compound finings consisting of the two extracts or stuffs herein before described
used in combination, and the use of such compound finings for fining beer, ale,
porter, wine, cider, and other fermented and unfermented beverages.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Whiffen Ewens, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
GEORGE WHIFFEN EWENS.
("S"I)