A TOUR OF THE NEW BREWERY

TO THE TRAVELLER in the fertile district of Wold and Fen, immortalised by the early exploits of the Saxon hero “Hereward the Wake”, one of the most striking architectural features is the new brewery of Messrs Joseph Wyles & Co., through whose spirited enterprise Bourne bids fair to out-rival far larger and more pretentious towns engaged in the manufacture of our nation beverage. “Wyles’s Bourne Ales” is rapidly becoming a household word among lovers of a “glass of good beer”.
One tower of the new building is already erected, and the other is approaching completion. The rapid and increasing development of the business has been remarkable, and affords a striking example of the results of genuine enterprise and industry. 
Six years ago, Messrs Wyles took over the business from Messrs Shilcock & Son. Seeing the exceptional advantages possessed by Bourne, in its unfailing supply of the purest water in the world, for the establishment of a splendid brewing trade, the firm determined to spare neither energy nor capital in utilising to the utmost the natural advantages. Their enterprise has been completely justified by the results. From the commencement their output has been continually increasing.  
Additions and alterations were being constantly made to the buildings which proved totally inadequate to the increasing demand; and in 1889 the business had so largely developed as to render absolutely necessary the erection of considerably enlarged premises. The original building has therefore been superseded by the present palatial structure, with more than ten times the accommodation. 
In the course of an interview with Mr Joseph Wyles, we enquired to what he attributed this rapid development. “First and foremost”, he replied, “to the unequalled excellence of the Bourne water, which is second to none in England for brewing purposes; and, what is equally important, to the fact that from the commencement we have made a point of guaranteeing to our customers absolutely pure beer, brewed only from English hops and malt.” 
We granted by reputation Bourne water was the purest in England, but requested Mr Wyles to inform us what authentic scientific evidence there existed in support of this statement. He at once produced such a formidable array of scientific authority in proof that scepticism was impossible. Analysts like Professor Tidy and Dr. Lankester, whose reputation is world wide, and the country analyst, Dr. Lowe, as well as no less an authority that Granville Sharpe, bore unanimous testimony that their analyses of Bourne water demonstrated its absolute purity.  “It is unrivalled for brewing purposes.” Geologists have calculated that the volume of pure spring water flowing under Bourne is equal to that of the Thames. 
We have already alluded to the rapid and increasing development of Messrs Joseph Whyles & Co’s business. The trade of the firm has doubled since last May, and there appears every reason, from the present rate of progress, to anticipate that this production will be doubled by next year. Branch establishments have been opened at Grantham, Boston and Peterborough. According to the recently issued official Excise returns, Messrs Joseph Wyles & Co’s business showed the largest increase of trade on the year of any other brewing firm in the county of Lincoln. 
The new building is both conspicuous and imposing. The height of the tower is 50 feet and the summit commends a splendid prospect of the surrounding country. The building is in brick, with stone facings. It is commodious and substantial, and is throughout a model of cleanliness and order. The whole of the machinery and appliances are of the most approved modern type, the latest improvements in brewing operations being fully utilised. The top floor or lofty tower is the malt and milling room, with malt and grist cases and malt mill. On the summit stands the cold liquor vat, capable of holding sixty barrels (2,160 gallons). The sides of this area adorned with the name “Wyles”, in letters so large that he who runs may read. The roof is of lead and the coping of stone.
Descending the ladder from the milling room, we enter the mash-tun room, with mashing machinery, hot liquor tank, and a vertical steam engine of 10 hp. Sorrell's patent mashing machinery is employed. To the hot liquor tanks are attached glass gauges, indicating temperature and quantity. Below this comes the copper stage. The copper for boiling worts has a cubic capacity of 1,460 gallons. This room comprises the liquor and wort pumps. One of the wooden wort coolers on this floor holds 762 gallons. After viewing the large copper furnace, we inspect the compartment below this, which is known as the round room, the most conspicuous object in it being a thirty-barrel refrigerator (Laurance’s patent). One of the details in this stage that deserves notice is Sorrell’s patent mop cleaner. As the thorough cleanliness of the mops employed in the numerous processes is very essential, this efficacious but unpretentious contrivance has an important function in the brewing economy.
On the same stage is located the fermenting room. There are five fermenting vessels, rounds and squares, each of 40 barrels (1,500 gallons) capacity. Perhaps in this delicate department of the manufacture, almost more than any other, personal experience, close observation, scientific knowledge, and mechanical ingenuity are required. 
Messrs Wyles have spared no pains to secure these essentials. We noticed that the fermenting vessels are supplied with fixed attemperators and parachutes. In the square room are two square fermenting vessels, with attemperators and parachutes. Descending another flight of steps, we wind our way through rods and wheels and intricate machinery (duly guarded) to the laboratory, where all the beers are submitted to a searching chemical analysis, and all the materials employed in the process of brewing are thorough tested by Mr A Sorrell, a qualified analyst, and a late pupil of Professor Graham of University College, London. 
The array of scientific apparatus, chemical balances, microscopes, test tubes, reagents, compactly ranged round the room, impart to it quite a learned air. An accurate acquaintance with chemical researches, and a practical knowledge of laboratory practice, are now indispensable adjuncts of successful brewing. 
The Bourne firm are fortunate in securing the services of so able and analyst as Mr A Sorrell. Passing through the hop room, and taking our final flight, we land on the ground floor, where we find ourselves set in the midst of tiers of barrels. Here are the beer stores and racking and cleansing rooms. We observe the carters replenishing their conveyances, to bear off the manufactured articles north, south, east and west. On the ground floor is the boiler house. The boiler is of fourteen horse power, and is supplied with a horizontal pumping engine. The cart-sheds are located in the yard, as are also the patent cask steamers.  
The entire plant is arranged for Mr Sorrell’s system of brewing. This gentleman is an expert in the art, his experience extending upwards of forty years. Mr Sorrell conducted us through the various departments, and proved a most genial, as well as instructive guide. The engine work in the establishment has been supplied by Mr Arnold Pick, Bourn, the copper work by Messrs Bennett & Co., London, and the wood work by Messrs D Roberts, Tottenham. Messrs Chappell and Wall, of Bourne, were entrusted with the building, and Mr William Harrison with the plumbing work. The view of the brewery was sketched by Messrs Glendenning, Bros., Bourne.

NOTE: This article is reproduced from the Lincolnshire Free Press, 29th July 1890, together
with the picture (top) showing the brewery in Manning Road from a drawing
by the Glendening brothers who lived at the Red Hall.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

John Cawkwell Farrow Davidson, of Bourne, brewer and maltster, appeared before the Insolvent Court at Lincoln on Thursday 4th August 1842. The insolvent, a young man, very early in life, was started in business and had a good fortune from his grandfather but improvident habits compelled him to borrow largely of relatives and friends; their demands were stated at £4,987 18s 1d, and he had assigned to them £4,561 13s. 8d.: the remainder of the debts from which he sought relief was only £300. The court said the friends ought to pay that trifle; and, to give them an opportunity of doing so, it was ordered that the insolvent should be imprisoned for six months. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 12th August 1842.

Letter to the editor - Sir: As a lover of peace and quietness, I consider it my duty to protest against the unearthly shrieking “buzzer” which, from six o’clock in the morning until the same hour at night, at regular recurring intervals, disturbs our repose. With all respect to the spirit of enterprise which has prompted its introduction, could not some gentler sound be contrived, by means of which all whom it concerned might be apprised of the solemn fact that it is time to commence or cease their labours? I have not yet made any experiments as to the range of distance over which the terrible “buzzer’s” yell traverses, but it must be indeed a considerable area. It certainly serves to keep Messrs Joseph Wyles and Company’s enterprise, if not well before the eyes of the public, any way continually in their ears. Sir, there is no escape from its scream! Ah! There it goes again! Like Brutus in his eloquent oration, “I pray thee give me pause” until it is done. I am not required at my occupation at as early an hour as six o’clock in the morning; and Bourne has hitherto been so quiet and un-Birmingham-like in all its ways (saving only politics), that I thought I should never be aroused from my sweet morning sleep before the usual time. Alas and alas! I am compelled to wake at six! That buzzer is enough to wake the nation. And its sound haunts me now!  As plainly as the voice of accusing conscience to the guilty Macbeth, it cries “Sleep no more!” The buzzer “doth murder sleep”.
I thank you in anticipation for inserting this. I don’t suppose it will have the least practical effect. Businessmen have no sentiment and their organs of hearing must be tough as well. But it is a relief to ease one’s feelings! I suppose we cannot stop the onward march of progress, and buzzers are its herald. I may say that most of my bachelor friends feel this matter as keenly as I do. Married men make no complaints: their spirits are subdued, I suppose. Moreover, their “olive branches” are even more effectual rousers than buzzers! At least, so thinks one who is perforce now AN EARLY RISER.
– published by the Grantham Journal, Friday 3rd May 1890.