IMPROVEMENTS IN BREWING, AND THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Walker, of Warrington, in the County of
., Lancaster, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREWING, AND
"
Sealed the 6th March 1857, and dated the 28th November 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th November 1856.
I, PETER WALKER, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Brewer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREWING,
AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
It has been hitherto customary in brewing to boil the hops in the wort;
according to my improvements the wort when boiled is poured upon the hops,
thereby obtaining an infusion. By this mode of treatment the flavour of the
hop is preserved, and less loss from evaporation takes place. The infusion of
hops may be made with water and added to the wort; and in order to facilitate
the process, the hops may be cut into small pieces previous to obtaining the
infusion.
My Invention also consists in an improved mode or apparatus for increasing
the temperature of the mash in the 'mash-tun A side pipe is placed near the
mash tun, and is in communication therewith above and below; to the lower
end of this pipe a steam pipe is connected by a tap. When the mash is ready!

page_text: a floating cover with holes through it is laid on the mash, and the lid is put on
the mash tun; the tap between the side pipe and the lower end of tho mash
tun is opened to admit a portion of the mash into the side pipe; the steam is
then turned on, and the action thereof forces the mash in the side pipe into
the upper part of the mash tun, the side pipe becoming again filled from the
lower end of the mash tun, thereby forming a constant circulation in the mash
tun, which continues as long as the steam is turned on; by this means the
temperature of the mash may be increased at pleasure.
Another part of my Invention is an improvement upon the Invention secured
to me by former Letters Patent; it relates to the apparatus for cooling or
condensing the vapours of the yeast chamber. According to my present
improvements the pipe for cooling or condensing is made in a coil or other
shape to increase the length, and it is suspended by flexible or jointed pipes, so
that it may first be suspended near the top, and afterwards lowered to the
bottom of the yeast chamber.
The last part of my present Invention consists in the application of apparatus
for cooling alo, beer, or porter, when in barrels or puncheons, after or during
the process of fermentation. The barrels or puncheons are provided with a pipe
through which a current of cold water or other fluid is kept up. The fluid for
this purpose may be passed through icc to reduce its temperature, and a cooling
pipe may also be applied in the trough by which the nle, beer, or porter is
supplied to the barrels or puncheons.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by tho said Peter Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
WALKER, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Brewer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Peter Walker, Her special licence that I, the said Peter Walker, my
exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter
Walker, my executors, administrators; and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREWING, AND
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Peter Walker, my executors or adminis-.
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Walker, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner tho same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists, first, in pouring the boiling wort on the hops, in
order to obtain an infusion thereof, instead of boiling the hops in the wort, as
is now customary; and in order to facilitate the process, the hops may be cut
or reduced into small pieces previous to obtaining tho infusion, either by
passing the hops between a roller covered with teeth or cutters, and a fixed
guard also covered with teeth or cutters, or by any other suitable machinery.
By thus obtaining an infusion of hops, the flavour is preserved to greater
perfection, and less loss from evaporation takes place than when the hops are
boiled in the wort, as usually practised.
The nature of my. Invention consists, secondly, in an improved mode of or
apparatus for increasing the temperature of the mash in the mash tun.
Thirdly, in improved machinery or apparatus for cooling or condensing the
vapours of the yeast chamber.
And, lastly, in the application of cooling pipes or other suitable apparatus for
reducing the temperature of ale, beer, or porter, when in barrels or puncheons.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a mash tun, to which my improvements
for increasing the temperature of the mash or wort are applied. Figure 2
is a plan of Figure 1. The mash-tun which is marked A is furnished
with a perforated false bottom B in the usual manner. a is a steam pipe
furnished. with a tap 6; the pipe a is jointed to the pipe c, which reaches
from the under side of the mash tun to the upper side thereof; the pipe c is.
jointed to the tap d, which, when open, forms the communication between the
mash tun and the pipe c; eis a "sparger" of the usual construction, supported

page_text: on a pivot, as in mash tuns now in use. I wish to remark here, that a lid
with holes through it may be substituted for the "sparger." When the mash
or wort is ready to be heated, the tap 6 is opened to allow the steam to enter
the pipe c; the tap d is then opened to allow the mash or wort to flow into the
pipo c, and the steam passing along the pipe a then forces the mash or wort
through the pipe c into the sparger, which is thus made to revolve and
distributes the mash or wort into the mash tun; the pipe c being supplied
with mash or wort as long as the tap d remains open, and the contents of the
pipe being continuously discharged by the action of the steam, establish a con-
stant circulation from the under to the upper side of the mash tun, which is
kept up until the requisite heat has been imparted by the steain to the mash
or wort in the mash tun; the taps 6 and d are then closed. By this means the
requisite heat can be imparted to and maintained in the mash tun with facility
and accuracy.
The third part of my Invention is shewn and described in reference to
Figures 3 and 4, which represent a sectional elevation and plan of my improved
machinery or apparatus for cooling or condensing the vapours of the yeast
chamber or barm vat. This part of my Invention is an improvement upon the
Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the Third day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two. According to my present
improvements, the refrigerator marked f is capable of being raised or lowered in
the yeast chamber or barm vat g, whereas it was formerly made stationary. A
current of cold water or other fluid is maintained in the refrigerator through the
flexiblo service pipe h, and flexible overflow pipe i. The water for the servico pipe
is supplied by the pipe j, which discharges it into the trough k, the supply being
regulated by a ball tap of the usual construction. I prefer to place ice in the
trough k, so as to effectually cool the water supplied to the refrigerator, which
is formed in the shape of a coil, so as to obtain a considerable amount of
cooling surface, but any other shape may be given to it. The refrigerator is
suspended by the cord 1, or in any other convenient manner. During the
process of fermentation the barm or yeast rising from the ale vat or gyle
tun m, through the pipe n, falls into the barm chamber g, which is in com-
munication with the ale vat, by means of the pipe o, as described in the
Specification of my former Patent. When the process of fermentation first
commences in this apparatus, the refrigerator is raised to near the top of the
yeast chamber, and the position of the refrigerator is gradually lowered as the
fermentation proceeds.
I will now proceed to describe the last part of my Invention, which consists
in the application of apparatus for cooling ale, beer, or porter when in barrels

page_text: or puncheons. These improvements are shewn and described in reference to
Figures 5 and 6. p, p, are a series of barrels or puncheons supported on
trestles in the usual manner, and each supplied with a bent or coiled pipe q,
one end of which is connected to the service pipe r, and the other end to the
overflow pipe s. The pipes r are all connected to the supply pipe t placed
under the trough u, through which the ale, beer, or porter is supplied to the
barrels or puncheons. The water for supplying the pipe t is cooled in passing
through the trough v, which contains ice, and the pipe w is also taken from
the ice trough to cool the ale, beer, or porter in the trough u. The pipe w
extends the whole length of the trough u, and is carried over the end thereof,
where it is in communication with an overflow pipe. This last part of my
Invention is particularly useful when brewing in summer, as the cooling of
the ale, beer, or porter checks the fermentation, and prevents the injurious
effects of the heat of the atmosphere in brewing.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the details herein set forth, as many variations may be made therein without
departing from the peculiar character of my Invention; but what I claim is,―
First, obtaining an infusion of hops as described, instead of boiling them, as
hitherto customary.
Secondly, the improvements shewn and described in reference to Figures 1
and 2, for increasing the temperature of the mash or wort in the mash tun.
Thirdly, making the refrigerator of the yeast chamber moveable, as shewn
and described in reference to Figures 3 and 4.
And, fourthly, the application of cooling apparatus for reducing the
temperature of ale, beer, and porter when in barrels or puncheons.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Walker, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
PETER WALKER. (L.S.)