67 / 230
PROCESS
OF
MALTING.
67
The
steeping of
the
flour
being
finished,
the
next
ope-
ration
is
that of
mashing.
This
consists
in
well
brewing
the
grain
which
has
been
steeped,
while
a
quantity
of
boiling
water
arrives
gradually
into
the
tub,
till
the
mix-
ture
has
acquired
175°
or
180°;
the
agitation
should
last
five
minutes,
at
least.
At
this
period
the
tub
is
co-
vered,
and
left
to
subside
for
a
space
of
time
varying
from
two
to
four
hours.
A
principle
may
be
laid
down,
that
the
longer
the
mixture
is
left
to
itself,
the
more
complete
will
the
operation
be
;
that
is
to
say,
that
four
hours'
standing
is
always
better
than
two.
Nevertheless,
it
would
sometimes
be
more
injurious
than
beneficial
to
extend
this
space
of
time
;
such
would,
for
instance,
be
the
case
if
the
mixture
descended
below
120°.
This
process
will
always
be
well
executed
if
con-
ducted
in
such
a
manner
as
not
to
allow
the
temperature
of
the
mass,
during
a
mashing
of
three
or
four
hours,
to
sink
below
120°
or
125°.
To
this
effect
the
tub
should
be
carefully
covered
after
the
brewing
is
over.
But
it
may
easily
be
perceived
that,
whatever
precautions
be
taken
to
avoid
the
loss
of
heat,
it
will
always
be
consider-
able
in
the
space
of
a
few
hours,
even
if
there
was
none
sustained
but
that
occasioned
by
the
side
of
the
tub.
The
smaller
the
mass
operated
upon,
the
greater
this
loss
will
be,
and
vice
versa.
It will
always
be
greater
in
winter
than
in
the
summer
;
so
that
the
talent
of
the
distiller
for
mashing
consists
in
knowing
how
to
use
the
thermo-
meter
;
for
instance,
he
will
give
a
little
more
heat
to
a
small
tub
than
to
a
large
one
—
^^say,
145°
to
a
tub
of
me-
dium
size,
and
140°
to
tubs
of
great
dimensions.
He
will
also
increase
the
heat
a
little
in
the
winter,
and