Racking in the late 19th century

What can there be to say about racking? Isn't it just moving beer to its final destination? Well, not quite.

The temperature at which beer was racked was very important. That is, if you wanted your clear and nicely conditioned. 

"Racking itself is a very simple matter, and the chief points to observe seem to be the prevention of aeration and waste, although temperature at racking is of some special significance — for instance, if beer be racked at a high temperature it is not so free from suspended yeast as it would be when presenting the same appearance of brightness at the lower temperature, and as considerable aeration goes on, no matter how carefully we may carry out the racking process, it is not difficult to understand why in warm weather the high racking temperature facilitates a recommencement of fermentation, the air absorbed giving to each suspended cell a new lease of vigorous life."
"The Theory and Practice of Modern Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1888, pages 223-224.

It wasn't just a high racking temperature that could result in an unwanted restart of fermentation. Too cold a temperature could do exactly the same.

"On the other hand, while stated brightness means greater cleanliness at the low temperature, it is pretty evident that if this be fixed many degrees below that normal to the store there is a rapid rise immediately after racking, and this undoubtedly directly promotes fermentation unless the beer be very destitute of gas, since if the cask be shived off and gas be liberated by the rise of heat we have a state of turmoil inside corresponding to motion — another influence, as we have seen, inducing alcoholic change."
"The Theory and Practice of Modern Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1888, page 224.

What was the correct temperature, then? About the same temperature as the main storage cellar.

"On the face of it, therefore, it is wise to rack beer at the temperature of the main store, since it is no use racking higher, as in that case a drop in temperature results during preliminary storage, giving a cloud to the beer and a deposit in cask, which might just as well have taken place in tank ; and it is equally unwise to rack a beer at a very low temperature so that a rapid rise results; rapidity of rise or fall in temperature in the case of finished beer invariably leading to fretfulness on the one hand, flatness and turbidity on the other.

I may take a temperature of 55° to 59° as a range for winter and summer, most brewers, I presume, having storage sufficiently good to enable them to keep within such a range; and, if so, the racking temperature for the warmer months should be about 58°, ranging downwards to 56° in the winter, although it is pretty evident that in the colder weather the brewer has little control over temperature of beer when exposed for any time in tanks on basement, unless the racking-room be much more closed in than is usual."
"The Theory and Practice of Modern Brewing" by Frank Faulkner, 1888, page 224.

55° to 59° F is pretty much like a natural cellar temperature. Not that difficult to achieve without artificial refrigeration.