522 British Poisons : [[Nov. 



but sugar is a very safe ingredient; I have drank beer made with sugar, 

 and it is very good too." 



" Should you think beer made from sugar is more apt to become 

 acid, than beer made from malt?" — " I see no reason why it should." 



" Do you know any thing of the keeping quality of beer made from 

 sugar ?" — " I believe it keeps just as well as the beer from the other." 



Mr. Green, of Bury St. Edmonds, who learned the trade of a brewer 

 in Whitbread's house, tried several experiments with sugar and mo- 

 lasses, in the making of beer. He says, that the flavour of that which 

 was made from molasses was quite as good as that made from malt. " I 

 think," says he, " it could not be distinguished after fermentation had 

 taken place." Mr. Heathorn, of Hammersmith, speaks still more deci- 

 sively on this subject, both as to quality and capability of being kept. 

 He produced pale ale, made from sugar and molasses, for his own private 

 use, and stated, that he had kept some of it four years ; and in reply to 

 a question from the committee, in regard to the quantity of hops requi- 

 site, he states — " The quantity depends entirely on how long you intend 

 to keep the beer ; if for a twelvemonth, a greater quantity is used than 

 when it is for immediate drink — nearly double." " There is a preserva- 

 tive quality in the hop, that no other ingredient possesses." ]\Ir. 

 McLeod, another experienced brewer, who had many years ago used 

 sugar and molasses, both separately and in conjunction with malt, stated, 

 in reply to a question whether the drinkers of beer approve of the beer 

 brewed from sugar as well as the beer brewed from malt, replied, " there 

 were no complaints whatever," and that beer from sugar 'fined equally 

 well with beer from malt. In short, the evidence, particularly of the 

 two eminent chemists, and all the ale brev/ers, are decidedly in favour of 

 using sugar and molasses, especially whenever malt is at a high price, 

 or when, from a bad harvest, the quality is inferior ; and they say, that 

 they would be most happy to use sugar and molasses, and have no doubt 

 their business would, in that event, be more than doubled. 



Another remarkable discovery has been stated in the course of this 

 investigation, namely, that by using dried raw grain, and a little sugar, 

 or molasses, an excellent strong beer may be made in private families, 

 equal in strength to London porter — at a fourth part of the price 

 of the latter. Dr. Thomson states that in the course of some experi- 

 ments, in which he was assisted by three brewers, it struck him "to 

 try whether we could not make beer from raw grain ; I made each of 

 those brewers in succession try it ; they were extremely unwilling to do 

 it ; they said it was absurd and ridiculous ; but, however, they tried it, 

 and found to their great astonishment that they not only made beer, but 

 better beer from raw grain than had been made from malt ; and after we 

 had done, they set up as brewers, brewed from raw grain, and got all 

 the business of Edinburgh; the consequence was, that the licensed 

 brewers, who brewed from malt, lodged a complaint ; an Exchequer 

 trial took place, and the Barons of Exchequer prohibited it, though 

 there was no law." He afterwards states that this beer did not keep so 

 well as beer made from sugar. Mr. Bentley M'Leod being asked 

 " could you brew beer from a mixture of raw grain, and sugar, and mo- 

 lasses ?" — " Yes, that would be the cheapest, I think, of any thing." 

 " Do you think that would be a palatable beer >" — " It would." Mr. 

 M'Leod seems, however, to fear that the mash would not drain. These 



