Britain at Work
A Pictorial Description of Our National Industries

166 BRITAIN AT WORK. fermenting vessel, but it finally subsides, form- ins' a thick cream. When the fermentation is completed all that remains is to cleanse the beer from the yeast, which has in the process increased by fourfold the amount originally added to the wort. This is effected variously, but each process takes advantage of the natural tendency of the yeast to rise above the beer. The method most generally in use in London is by skimming machines. These are large oblong vats, having across the centre from side to side what is termed a parachute. This has a wide mouth at the top, narrowing below, and is so adjustable by means of a hand wheel that the open mouth is kept above the level of the beer and below the level of the yeast. The latter naturally gravitates down the chute and falls into a tank below. The yeast is assisted towards the parachute by being pushed with boards, as shown in the illustra- tion on page 164 Another method is by “ pontos ” ; these are vessels having the appearance of a barrel placed on end, and have a capacity of eight barrels each. In the head of each there is an aperture with raised boards on three sides, the yeast rising through the aperture and falling on the open side into a tank below. At Burton-on-Trent “unions” are extensively used ; this system is somewhat similar to that of the pontos, but instead of a large opening, the yeast has to force itself up a bent pipe termed a swan-neck, before it leaves the beer. After the beer is cleansed it is ready to be racked into casks for delivery. Racking the beer into casks is a department of a brewery where machinery is successfully used to en- hance rapidity in the operation and an almost total absence of waste, the main feed pipes to the casks being fitted with a smaller overflow pipe through which any surplus is returned to a tank specially placed for the purpose. The dominant note in ever)/ brewery is cleanliness. Every vessel, however frequently it may be used, is invariably cleansed after each operation, and all pipes through which either wort or beer is pumped or run is either fitted with a cap at each angle, or has some other facility for being readily inspected and cleaned. J. H. Barnes. THE RACKING FLOOR (MESSRS. TRUMAN’S BREWERY). THE BEER IS BEING PREPARED READY FOR DELIVERY. VATS IN BACKGROUND ARE A FEATURE HERE, AS THEY HAVE BEEN GENERALLY DISCARDED AT OTHER BREWERIES.