The analyses made by this Department comprise 32 samples, this being about all the different brands and varieties of beers of domestic manufacture obtainable in Washington. The investigation was made principally with a view to ascertain the extent and nature of their adulteration, if any, and especially the use of antiseptic and preservative agents. As a basis for determining adulteration, however, it is necessary to know the normal or average composition, so a fairly complete analysis of all samples examined has been made. The intention of the investigation was not so much to make a very extensive series of analyses as to establish definite methods of analysis for the guidance of analysts of state boards of health or similar bodies, whose province it is more especially to investigate the extent of adulteration prevailing in their States by the examination of large numbers of samples.

1Am. Analyst, April 1, 1887.

Samples

The malt liquors used as samples were all purchased in Washington, D. C., and included the various popular brands made in Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, New York, etc, which are sold all over the country, as well as the product of the few local brewers. Some were obtained from wholesale dealers, but the majority were purchased in retail saloons and groceries, without statement of the purpose for which they were intended. All the draft beers were obtained in this way.

A few English and German beers and ales were analyzed for comparison.

Analyses of malt liquors by United States Department of Agriculture.

Designation.

Manufactured in-

Serial number.

Number of analysis.

Specific gravity.

Alcohol by weight.

Alcohol by volume.

Extract.

Original gravity.

Ash.

Reducing sugar as maltose.

Dextrin.

Albuminoids.

Fi ee acids as lactic.

Phosphoric acid.

Carbonic acid.

Remarks.

Lager beer, bottled..................

Milwaukee, Wis ..

4800

1

1.0100

Pr. ct.

4.28

Pr. ct. 5.39

Pr. ct. 4.18

1. 0505

Pr. ct. .196

Pr. ct. 1.10

Pr. ct. 1.57

Pr. ct. .511

Pr. ct. .057

Pr. ct. .065

Pr. ct, .411

Export beer, bottled...............

...do.............

4801

2

1.0140

4.42

5.55

5.40

1. 0537

.309

1.06

2.63

.400

.057

.056

.300

Salicylated.

Lager beer, bottled.............

Alexandria, Va ...

4802

3

1. 0171

4.55

5.71

5.71

J. 0607

.355

2.04

2.21

.681

.074

.091

.489

Salicylated.

Do........................

Washington, D. C

4803

4

10143

4.18

5.24

5.05

1.0533

.388

1.25

0.98

.669

.059

.086

.415

Do........................

Cincinnati, Ohio ..

4804

5

1. 0100

5.53

6.94

4.55

1. 0628

.240

0.94

2.25

.513

.073

.082

.328

Export beer, bottled

Saint Louis, Mo...

4805

6

1.0178

4.40

5.47

6.15

1.0590

.312

2.14

2.54

.463

.067

.074

.471

Salicvlated.

Later beer, bottled...................

Philadelphia, Pa..

4806

7

1.0147

4.29

5.39

5.22

1.0549

.241

1.46

2.30

.538

.078

.071

.717

Salicvlated and soured.

Do.......................

...do.............

4807

8

1.0147

4.35

5.47

5.09

1. 0549

.272

1.37

1.80

.738

.080

.104

.219

"Budweiss" beer, bottled............

...do.............

4808

9

1.0181

4.52

5.63

5.94

1. 0609

.241

2.14

2.57

.531

.086

.078

.324

Lager beer, draft................

Buffalo, N.Y......

4810

10

1. 0241

3.84

4.78

7.05

1.0601

.222

2.81

3.09

.519

.035

.069

.....

Do........................

Philadelphia, Pa..

4811

11

1. 0132

4.36

5.47

4.63

1. 0539

.265

1.17

1.82

.636

.046

.095

.....

Substitutes for hops used.

Do.................................

Washington, D. C.

4812

12

1.0146

4.29

5.39

5.18

1.0545

.236

1.22

2.21

.609

.044

.086

.....

Do........................

Cincinnati, Ohio ..

4813

13

1. 0169

4.63

5.78

5.86

1.0607

.235

2.37

2.29

.456

.074

.085

.....

Do........................

Alexandria, Va ...

4814

14

1.0137

4.71

5.86

4.91

1.0585

.263

1.10

2.40

.619

.008

.089

.....

Bicarbonate of soda used.

Do........................

Washington, D. C.

4815

15

1.0140

4.30

5.39

4.83

1. 0538

.262

1.49

1.45

.681

.071

.087

.....

Sulphite used.

Do.............................

do...............

4816

16

1. 0181

3.86

4.85

5.62

......

.312

1.52

2.59

.619

.000

.083

.....

Bicarbonate of soda added.

Pale lager beer, bottled.............

Saint Louis, Mo...

4817

17

1. 0178

4.28

5.39

4.64

1.0527

.183

2.17

2.75

.463

.067

.064

.629

Salicylated.

" Erlanger " beer, bottled.......

do.............

4818

18

1. 0203

4.68

5.86

6.82

1. 0650

.212

2.51

2.58

.675

.046

.093

.344

Ale, bottled........................

Philadelphia, Pa..

4819

19

1. 0059

6.24

7.74

3.46

1.0647

.401

0.59

0.90

.531

.232

.085

.....

Bass pale ale, bottled.............

England..........

4820

20

1. 0095

5.66

7.09

4.42

1.0633

.309

0.49

2.20

.500

.117

.056

.503

English porter, bottled...........

do..............

4821

21

1. 0147

6.13

7.66

5.90

1. 0728

.371

0.57

2.76

.763

.151

.049

.397

Lager beer, bottled............

Boston, Mass......

4822

22

1.0077

5.30

6.63

3.94

1. 0587

.328

1.06

1.63

.556

.i07

.065

.....

" Kaiser " beer, bottled........

Bremen............

4823

23

1. 0036

5.38

6.71

3.05

1.0543

.162

0.69

1.36

.263

.089

.045

.....

Salicylated.

"Verzandt" beer, bottled.......................

Bavaria

4824

24

1.0197

3.86

4.85

6.24

1. 0553

.190

1.71

3.32

.419

.085

.073

.....

Export beer, bottled..............................

Milwaukee, Wis ..

4825

25

1.0150

4.59

5.71

5.38

1. 0581

.194

1.87

2.46

.425

.071

.059

......

Salicylated.

Ale, draft....................................

Philadelphia, Pa.....

4826

26

1.0171

5.25

6.55

6.02

1. 0669

.331

1.49

2.80

.569

.094

.057

.....

Ale, bottled...................................

Reading, Pa.......

4827

27

1.0125

6.92

8.63

5.55

1. 0781

.472

0.93

1.99

.731

.382

.077

.441

Porter, bottled.................................

...do ...........

4828

28

1. 0269

4.89

6.10

8.19

1. 0736

.412

2.67

2.88

.763

.166

.100

.592

"Select" beer, bottled...........................

Milwaukee, Wis..

4842

29

1.0183

4.22

5.32

5.88

1. 0570

.193

1.88

2.82

.419

.061

.059

.....

Export beer, bottled........................

do .............

4843

30

1. 0183

4.22

5.32

5.84

1. 0567

.223

1.75

3.12

413

.053

.058

.242

"Bohemian" beer, bottled....................

___do.............

4844

31

1.0183

4.16

5.24

5.88

1.0563

.224

1.82

3.04

.406

.071

.057

.....

" Bavarian" beer, bottled......

___do.............

4845

32

1.0187

5.06

6.32

6.26

1. 0660

.346

1.75

2.87

.556

.074

.077

.265

Average (28 samples)1

1.0161

4.63

5.79

6.53

1. 0597

.279

1.65

2.33

.563

.082

.077

.398

1 In the averages the five samples of foreign beer were omitted.

1 In the averages the five samples of foreign beer were omitted.

Methods Of Analysis

In the work on malt liquors an endeavor has been made to simplify the analyses as much as possible, and various methods have been tried with this end in view. The various processes given are believed to be the best possible for combining rapidity of execution with sufficient accuracy of results.

The necessary determinations may be conveniently divided into two classes :

1. The analysis of the sample proper, comprising determination of the density, alcohol, extract or total solids, original gravity, saccharine matter, albuminoids, free acid (fixed), free acid (volatile), ash, glycerine, phosphoric acid, and carbonic acid.

2. The processes for the detection of adulteration, comprising a search for substitutes for malt, substitutes for hops, preserving agents (salicylic acid, borax, sulphites), and mineral additions.