Read Ebook: The London and Country Brewer by Anonymous

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ANOTHER.

Take a Peck of Egg-shells and dry them in an Oven, break and mix them with two Pound of fat Chalk, and mix them with water wherein four Pounds of coarse Sugar has been boiled, and put it into the Butt as aforesaid.

This most valuable way I frequently follow both for Ale, Butt-beer and Small Beer, and that is, in each Barrel Copper of Wort, I put in a Pottle, or two Quarts of whole Wheat as soon as I can, that it may soak before it boils, then I strain it thro' a Sieve, when I put the Wort in cooling Tubs, and if it is thought fit the same Wheat may be boiled in a second Copper: Thus there will be extracted a gluey Consistence, which being incorporated with the Wort by boiling, gives it a more thick and ponderous Body, and when in the Cask, soon makes a Sediment or Lee, as the Wort is more or less loaded with the weighty Particles of this fizy Body; but if such Wheat was first parched or baked in an Oven, it would do better, as being rather too raw as it comes from the Ear.

Take a Quart of Black Cherry Brandy, and pour it in at the Bung-hole of the Hogshead and stop it close.

When strong Drink grows flat, by the loss of its Spirits, take four or five Gallons out of a Hogshead, and boil it with five Pound of Honey, skim it, and when cold, put it to the rest, and stop it up close: This will make it pleasant, quick and strong.

Take a pint of water, half an Ounce of unslack'd Lime, mix them well together, let it stand three Hours and the Lime will settle to the Bottom, and the water be as clear as Glass, pour the water from the Sediment, and put it into your Ale or Beer, mix it with half an Ounce of Ising-glass first cut small and boiled, and in five Hours time or less the Beer in the Barrel will settle and clear.

I own, I formerly thought they were too valuable to expose to the Publick by reason of their Cheapness and great Virtues, as being most of them wholsomer than the Malt itself, which is but a corrupted Grain. But, as I hope they will do considerable Service in the World towards having clear salubrious and pleasant Malt Liquors in most private Families and Alehouses, I have my Satisfaction.

In Case your Cask is a Butt, then with cold Water first rince out the Lees clean, and have ready, boiling or very hot Water, which put in, and with a long Stale and a little Birch fastened to its End, scrub the Bottom as well as you can. At the same time let there be provided another shorter Broom of about a Foot and a half long, that with one Hand may be so imployed in the upper and other Parts as to clean the Cask well: So in a Hogshead or other smaller Vessel, the one-handed short Broom may be used with Water, or with Water, Sand or Ashes, and be effectually cleaned; the outside of the Cask about the Bung-hole should be well washed, lest the Yeast, as it works over, carries some of its Filth with it.

But to sweeten a Barrel, Kilderkin, Firkin or Pin in the great Brewhouses, they put them over the Copper Hole for a Night together, that the Steam of the boiling Water or Wort may penetrate into the Wood; this Way is such a furious Searcher, that unless the Cask is new hooped just before, it will be apt to fall in pieces.

Take a Pottle, or more, of Stone Lime, and put it into the Cask; on this pour some Water and stop it up directly, shaking it well about.

Take a long Linnen Rag and dip it in melted Brimstone, light it at the end, and let it hang pendant with the upper part of the Rag fastened to the wooden Bung; this is a most quick sure Way, and will not only sweeten, but help to fine the Drink.

Or to make your Cask more pleasant, you may use the Vintners Way thus: Take four Ounces of Stone Brimstone, one Ounce of burnt Alum, and two Ounces of Brandy; melt all these in an Earthen Pan over hot Coals, and dip therein a piece of new Canvas, and instantly sprinkle thereon the Powders of Nutmegs, Cloves, Coriander and Anise-seeds: This Canvas set on fire, and let it burn hanging in the Cask fastened at the end with the wooden Bung, so that no Smoke comes out.

Boil some Pepper in water and fill the Cask with it scalding hot.

The last Remedy is the Coopers taking out one of the Heads of the Cask to scrape the inside, or new-shave the Staves, and is the surest way of all others, if it is fired afterwards within-side a small matter, as the Cooper knows how.

These several Methods may be made use of at Discretion, and will be of great Service where they are wanted. The sooner also a Remedy is applied, the better; else the Taint commonly encreases, as many have to their prejudice proved, who have made use of such Casks, in hopes the next Beer will overcome it; but when once a Cask is infected, it will be a long while, if ever, before it becomes sweet, if no Art is used. Many therefore of the careful sort, in case they han't a Convenience to fill their Vessel as soon as it is empty, will stop it close, to prevent the Air and preserve the Lees sound, which will greatly tend to the keeping of the Cask pure and sweet against the next Occasion.

A new Vessel is most improperly used by some ignorant People for strong Drink after only once or twice scalding with Water, which is so wrong, that such Beer or Ale will not fail of tasting thereof for half, if not a whole Year afterwards; such is the Tang of the Oak and its Bark, as may be observed from the strong Scents of Tan-Yards, which the Bark is one cause of. To prevent then this Inconvenience, when your Brewing is over put up some Water scalding hot, and let it run throu' the Grains, then boil it and fill up the Cask, stop it well and let it stand till it is cold, do this twice, then take the Grounds of strong Drink and boil in it green Wallnut Leaves and new Hay or Wheat Straw, and put all into the Cask, that it be full and stop it close. After this, use it for small Beer half a Year together, and then it will be thoroughly sweet and fit for strong Drinks; or

Take a new Cask and dig a Hole in the Ground, in which it may lye half depth with the Bung downwards; let it remain a Week, and it will greatly help this or any stinking musty Cask. But besides these, I have writ of two other excellent Ways to sweeten musty or stinking Casks, in my Second Book of Brewing.

There is also a late Invention practised by a common Brewer in the Country that I am acquainted with, for the safe Carriage of Drink on Drays, to some distance without losing any of it, and that is in the Top Center of one of these Bungs, he puts in a wooden Funnel, whose Spout is about four Inches long, and less than half an Inch Diameter at Bottom; this is turned at Top into a concave Fashion like a hollow round Bowl, that will hold about a Pint, which is a constant Vent to the Cask, and yet hinders the Liquor from ascending no faster than the Bowl can receive, and return it again into the Barrel: I may say further, he has brought a Barrel two Miles, and it was then full, when it arrived at his Customers, because the Pint that was put into the Funnel, at setting out, was not at all lost when he took it off the Dray; this may be also made of Tin; and will serve from the Butt to the small Cask.

In the Butt there is a Cork-hole made about two Inches below the upper Head, and close under that a piece of Leather is nailed Spout-fashion, that jetts three Inches out, from which the Yeast works and falls into a Tub, and when the working is over the Cork is put closely in, for the Bung in the Head of the upright Cask is put in as soon as it is filled up with new Drink: Now when such a Cask is to be broach'd and a quick Draught is to follow, then it may be tapp'd at Bottom; but if otherwise, the Brass Cock ought to be first put in at the middle, and before the Drink sinks to that it should be Tapp'd at Bottom to prevent the breaking of the Head of Yeast, and its growing stale, flat and sour.

Whether they be Ales or strong Beers, it is certain that the midling sort is allowed by Physicians to be the most agreeable of any, especially to those of a sedentary Life, or those that are not occupied in such Business as promotes Perspiration enough to throw out and break the Viscidities of the stronger sorts; on which account the laborious Man has the advantage, whose Diet being poor and Body robust, the strength of such Liquors gives a Supply and better digests into Nourishment: But for the unactive Man a Hogshead of Ale which is made from six Bushels of Malt is sufficient for a Diluter of their Food, and will better assist their Constitution than the more strong sort, that would in such produce Obstructions and ill Humours; and therefore that Quantity for Ale, and ten Bushels for a Hogshead of strong Beer that should not be Tapp'd under nine Months, is the most healthful. And this I have experienc'd by enjoying such an Amber Liquor that has been truly brewed from good Malt, as to be of a Vinous Nature, that would permit of a hearty Dose over Night, and yet the next Morning leave a Person light, brisk and unconcern'd. This then is the true Nostrum of Brewing, and ought to be studied and endeavoured for by all those that can afford to follow the foregoing Rules, and then it will supply in a great measure those chargeable Wines. So likewise for small Beer, especially in a Farmer's Family where it is not of a Body enough, the Drinkers will be feeble in hot Weather and not be able to perform their Work, and will also bring on Distempers, besides the loss of time, and a great waste of such Beer that is generally much thrown away; because Drink is certainly a Nourisher of the Body, as well as Meats, and the more substantial they both are, the better will the Labourer go through his Work, especially at Harvest; and in large Families the Doctor's Bills have proved the Evil of this bad Oeconomy, and far surmounted the Charge of that Malt that would have kept the Servants in good Health, and preserved the Beer from such Waste as the smaller sort is liable to.

Hops one Pound 0 1 6

Yeast a Quart 0 0 4

Coals one Bushel, or if Wood or Furze 0 1 0

? s. d.

Total Saved 0 11 8

In Brewing, your Malt ought to be sound and good, and after its making to lye two or more Months in the Heap, to come to such a temper, that the Kernel may readily melt in the washing.

The well dressing your Malt, ought to be one chief Care; for unless it be freed from the Tails and Dust, your Drink will not be fine and mellow as when it is clean dressed.

The grinding also must be considered according to the high or low drying of the Malt; for if high dryed, then a gross grinding is best, otherwise a smaller may be done; for the Care in grinding consists herein, lest too much of the Husk being ground small should mix with the Liquor, which makes a gross Feces, and consequently your Drink will have too fierce a Fermentation, and by that means make it Acid, or that we call Stale.

When your Malt is ground, let it stand in Sacks twenty-four Hours at least, to the end that the Heat in grinding may be allayed, and 'tis conceived by its so standing that the Kernel will dissolve the better.

The measure and quantity we allow of Hops and Malt, is five Quarter of Malt to three Hogsheads of Beer, and eighteen Pounds of Hops at least to that Quantity of Malt, and if Malt be pale dryed, then add three or four Pounds of Hops more.

The Choice of Liquor for Brewing is of considerable advantage in making good Drink, the softest and cleanest water is to be prererr'd, your harsh water is not to be made use of.

You are to boil your first Liquor, adding a Handful or two of Hops to it, then before you strike it over to your Goods or Malt, cool in as much Liquor, as will bring it to a temper not to scald the Malt, for it is a fault not to take the Liquor as high as possible but not to scald. The next Liquors do the same.

And indeed all your Liquors ought to be taken as high as may be, that is not to scald.

When you let your Wort from your Malt into the Underback, put to it a Handful or two of Hops, 'twill preserve it from that accident which Brewers call Blinking or Foxing.

In boiling your Worts, the first Wort boil high or quick; for the quicker the first Wort is boiled, the better it is.

The second boil more than the first, and the third or last more than the second.

In cooling lay your Worts thin, and let each be well cooled, and Care must be taken in letting them down into the Tun, that you do it leisurely, to the end that as little of the Feces or Sediment which causes the Fermentation to be fierce or mild, for Note, there is in all fermented Liquors, Salt and Sulphur, and to keep these two Bodies in a due Proportion, that the Salt does not exalt itself above the Sulphur, consists a great part of the Art in Brewing.

When your Wort is first let into your Tun, put but a little Yeast to it, and let it work by degrees quietly, and if you find it works but moderate, whip in the Yeast two or three times or more, till you find your Drink well fermented, for without a full opening of the Body by fermentation, it will not be perfect fine, nor will it drink clean and light.

When you cleanse, do it by a Cock from your Tun, placed six Inches from the Bottom, to the end that most of the Sediment may be left behind, which may be thrown on your Malt to mend your Small Beer.

When your Drink is Tunn'd, fill your Vessel full, let it work at the Bung-hole, and have a reserve in a small Cask to fill it up, and don't put any of the Drink which will be under the Yeast after it is work'd over into your Vessels, but put it by itself in another Cask, for it will not be so good as your other in the Cask.

To make Drink fine quickly, I have been told that by separating the Liquor from the Feces, when the Wort is let out of the Tun into the Underback, which may be done in this manner, when you let your Wort into your Underback out of your Tun, catch the Wort in some Tub so long, and so often as you find it run foul, put that so catched on the Malt again, and do so till the Wort run clear into the Underback. This is to me a very good way for 'tis the Feces which causes the fierce and violent fermentation, and to hinder that in some measure is the way to have fine Drink: Note that the finer you make your Wort, the sooner your Drink will be fine, for I have heard that some Curious in Brewing have caused Flannels to be so placed, that all the Wort may run thro' one or more of them into the Tun before working, by which means the Drink was made very fine and well tasted.

In Grinding Malts he notifies well to prevent a foul Drink.

The quantity he allows is something above thirteen Bushels to the Hogshead which is very sufficient; but this as every body pleases.

The boiling a few Hops in the first Water is good, but they must be strained thro' a Sieve before the Water is put into the Malt; and to check its Heat with cold Liquor, or to let it stand to cool some time, is a right Method, lest it scalds and locks up the Pores of the Malt, which would then yield a thick Wort to the end of the Brewing and never be good Drink.

His putting Hops into the Underback, is an excellent Contrivance to prevent foxing, as I have already hinted.

The quick boiling of the Wort is of no less Service, and that the smaller Wort should be boiled longer than the strong is good Judgment, because the stronger the Wort, the sooner the Spirits flie away and the waste of more Consequence; besides if the first Wort was to be boiled too long, it would obtain so thick a Body, as to prevent in great measure its fining hereafter after so soon in the Barrel; while the smaller sort will evaporate its more watry Parts, and thereby be brought into a thicker Confidence, which is perfectly necessary in thin Worts; and in this Article lies so much the Skill of the Brewer, that some will make a longer Length than ordinary from the Goods for Small Beer, to shorten it afterwards in the Copper by Length of boiling, and this way of consuming it is the more natural, because the remaining part will be better Cured.

He says truly well, that a little Yeast at first should be put to the Wort, that it may quietly work by degrees, and not be violently forc'd into a high Fermentation; for then by course the Salt and Sulphur will be too violently agitated into such an Excess and Disagreement of Parts, that will break their Unity into irregular Commotions, and cause the Drink to be soon stale and harsh. But if it should be too backward and work too moderate, then whipping the Yeast two or three times into it will be of some service to open the Body of the Beer, for as he observes, if Drink has not a due fermentation, it will not be fine, clean, nor light.

His advice to draw the Drink out of the Tun by a Cock at such a distance from the bottom is right; because that room will best keep the Feces from being disturb'd as the Drink is drawing off, and leaving them behind; but for putting them afterwards over the Malt for Small Beer, I don't hold it consonant with good Brewing, by reason in this Sediment there are many Particles of the Yeast, that consequently will cause a small Fermentation in the Liquor and Malt, and be a means to spoil rather than make good Small Beer.

What he says of filling up the Cask with a reserve of the same Drink, and not with that which has once worked out, is past dispute just and right.

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