This section is from the book "The Home Cyclopedia Of General Information", by Charles Morris. Also available from Amazon: Home Cyclopedia of Necessary Knowledge.
beor; Ger. bier."] Under this name may be included beer,. ale, and porter. The process of making beer is called brewing. Barley is soaked in water and kept in a warm place until it begins to sprout. During this process the starch in every grain of barley is changed into saccharine or grape sugar. The sprouting is stopped by drying the grains, and the barley is then called malt. This done, the malt is crushed and boiled in hot water, which dissolves the sugar. The sweet liquid so got is called wort. Hops are added to the wort. They give an agreeable taste to the beer and help to clear it and to keep it. Next a little yeast is added which causes it to ferment. Fermentation converts the grape sugar into carbonic acid gas, which escapes into the air, and alcohol, which remains in the beer. In 100 lbs. of beer there are from 4 to 8 lbs. of alcohol, 4 1/2 lbs. of dextrin, 1/2 lb. of albuminoid matter, and from 80 to 90 lbs. of water.
 
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