Improvements in the Production of a Peptonized Alcoholic Beverage from Milk.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar.. 1895
PROVISIONAT
Improvements in the Production of a Peptonized Alcoholic Beverage
from Milk.
I, ALEXANDER BERNSTEIN, of 76, Königgrätzer Strasse, Berlin, S.W. in the
Empire of Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to the production of a peptonized alcoholic beverage from
milk.
For this purpose I employ sterilized milk and peptonize the same by means of a
bacteria which I designate as peptone-bacteria, and which possesses the property of
peptonizing the caseine in milk without curdling and without producing decom-
positions unsuitable for drinking purposes. The special bacteria which I have
found to be very suitable for this purpose is in the form of a very short rod (two
being generally connected together) and exhibits rapid motion; these bacteria are
grown in milk and the colonies cultivated on meat-peptone-gelatine are of a liquid,
cloudy appearance and shew very fine rays on the circumference; such bacteria
liquefy the gelatine completely; on peptone-agar they show a white slimy growth;
on potatoes they produce a smooth brown skin; they do not appear to produce
spores; they are destroyed by being subjected to a temperature of between 70°
and 80° C.
In carrying out the peptonizing process I proceed as follows
A small quantity of milk, preferably skim milk (or butter-milk or whey may be
used) is first completely sterilized, and then a small quantity of the peptone-
bacteria, grown on agar, is added. In a few days the milk, if kept at about 20° C.
becomes more transparent and liquid. In this state it is added to a larger quantity
of sterilized milk and this method is carried on until the desired quantity of milk
is under treatment.
If the milk is kept at between 20 and 30° C. the appearance will change in a few
days. No curdling takes place but the caseine is gradually changed into albumose
and peptone which are dissolved in the milk. By this process the milk becomes
more transparent and at the same time a small amount of acid is formed.
I generally interrupt the process of peptonization in about a week's time.
The milk is now boiled; the peptone-bacteria are thereby killed and the caseine
which was not dissolved is curdled during the boiling; the milk is then filtered.
The result of the filtration is a transparent liquid of pleasant but slightly bitter
taste. It contains peptones, milk-sugar, the dissolved salts of the milk and a
The colour of
slight amount of acid. It is very nourishing and easily digested.
the liquid depends on the method of sterilizing the milk, and may be white,
yellow-brown or red-brown, according to the heat used in sterilization.
The filtered liquid is poured into an open vessel and heated so as to evaporate a
certain part as I find that this improves the taste.

page_text: To render the liquid alcoholic so as to improve the taste, I effect the fermentation
of the sugar. On account of the peptone contained in it, the liquid is well suited
to the growth of yeast-cells.
In fermenting milk-sugar I employ a yeast ordinarily employed for effecting such
fermentation such as that described by Duclaux: Principes de Laiterie page 58.
The juice of fruits may be added to increase the fermentation, and other substances
may be used to improve the taste as is done in the preparation of wine.
Dated this 24th day of May 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Production of a Peptonized Alcoholic Beverage
from Milk.
I, ALEXANDER BERNSTEIN, of Claudius Strasse 18 Berlin, N.W. late of
76, Koniggratzer Strasse, Berlin, S.W. in the Empire of Germany, Engineer, 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 the production of a peptonized alcoholic beverage from
milk.
For this purpose I first peptonize the milk by the process forming the subject of
an application of even date, that is to say, in order to obtain the peptonized milk
I avail myself of a bacterium which I designate as peptone bacterium and which
possesses the property of peptonizing the caseine in milk without curdling and
without causing decompositions which render the milk unsuitable for drinking
purposes. The special bacterium which has proved to be very suitable for this
purpose may be found in milk and can be isolated by the well known method of
Robert Koch. It has the form of a very short rod (two other rods being generally
connected together) and exhibits rapid whirling motion; colonies on meat-peptone-
gelatine are of a liquid cloudy appearance and liquefy the gelatine completely; on
meat-peptone-agar they shew a white slimy growth; on potatoes they produce a
smooth brown skin; no spores are shewn by the ordinary method of colouring.
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows:-A small quantity of milk,
preferably separated or skim milk (or butter-milk or whey may be used) is first
completely sterilized, and then a small quantity of the peptone-bacteria, grown on
agar, is added.
In a few days the milk, if kept at about 20° C. becomes more
transparent and liquid. In this state it is added to a larger quantity of sterilized
milk and this process is continued until the desired quantity of milk is under
treatment.
If the milk is kept at between 20° and 30° C. its appearance will change in a
few days. No curdling takes place, but the caseine is gradually changed into
albumose and peptone which are dissolved in the milk. By this process the
milk becomes more transparent and at the same time a small amount of acid is
formed.
I generally allow the process of peptonization to continue for about a week.
The milk is now boiled whereby the peptone bacteria are killed and the caseine,
which has not been dissolved, is curdled and the milk is then filtered. The filtrate
is a transparent liquid of pleasant taste and contains the caseine peptones, milk-
sugar, the dissolved constituents of the milk and a slight amount of lactic acid.
It is very nourishing and easily digested. This filtrate will be hereinafter referred
to as galacton."
66
The galacton can now be advantageously used for the purpose of making an

page_text: alcoholic beverage as the peptone which it contains constitutes an excellent food
for the yeast-cell.
The fermentation can be carried on in any suitable manner and I have found the
following give good results in practice :-
The milk-sugar contained in the galacton can be itself fermented. Formerly it
was supposed that milk-sugar could not undergo alcoholic fermentation, but of late
special yeasts for this purpose have been discovered. Such yeasts have already
been described by Duclaux, Weigmann and others. All that is required therefore
is to add yeast of this kind to the galacton, when a fermented alcoholic beverage is
obtained.
But as the amount of alcohol produced in this way would not be more than
about 2%, a stronger alcoholic beverage may be made by the addition of sugar.
For this purpose cane sugar can be used, as the same yeast will act on milk-sugar
and cane sugar.
It is, however, not necessary to add the sugar in a prepared state. Any material
containing starch, which by the action of diastase has first been converted into
sugar, may be advantageously employed by mixing it with galacton before
fermentation takes place.
The advantage of such beverage over ordinary beer consists in the fact that the
protein matter in solution can be obtained cheaper and better from milk by the-
process herein described than from malt. A very nourishing beer can therefore be
made at comparatively low cost.
It is obvious that other substances may be added to alter the colour or improve
the taste of the fermented galacton.
Although the caseine of the milk can be liquefied by other methods such as by
using well known chemicals or pepsine and hydrochloric acid, the method
herein before described of employing peptone bacteria is the only one which yields.
a product suitable for drinking purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I
am aware that it has been proposed to prepare a fermented beverage from milk
peptonized in the ordinary manner. I therefore make no claim for the production
of such a beverage except in the manner above described, but what I claim is :-
1. A beverage produced from milk alone or in combination with other
substances by liquefying the protein matter and fermenting the sugar, substantially
as described.
2. The manufacture and use of an alcoholic beverage containing the protein.
matter of the milk in solution as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 2nd day of February 1895.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.