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96
A TREATISE ON
In
some bad sorts of beer isinglass will have no
effect. This may be ascertained beforehand, by try–
ing some in a long glass tube, or vial, with a little of
the finings. These should be well shaken together,
and then set aside for a short time, when it will be
found that the finings will rise to the top, leaving the
central portion of the beer clear, if it be
in
a proper
condition for clarifying; but if, on the contrary, they
sink to the bOttom, and the liquor still keeps foul, no
quantity of finings, however great, will ever clarify
it. This latter defect may be remedied by proceed–
ing to fine it after the manner above described, and
then adding,
af-ter
the finings have been well rum–
maged up, either 1 spoonful of oil of vitriol, or gum
catechu, dissolvedin-fapintofwarmwater, againrum–
maging well for a quarter of an hour. Or 1 or 2 oz.
of tincture of catechu may be used instead, mixed
with a little water. Either of these additions acts
chemically on the finings, in the same way as good
beer does, precipitating them along_with the foul–
ness, and thus brightening the liquor. The addition
of a handful of hops, previously boiled for 5 minutes
in a little of the beer, and then added to the barrel,
and the whole allowed to stand for a few days, before
proceeding
to
clarify it, will generally have the same
effect.
Digitized
by