318 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



gallons when tbe liquor in them shall not exceed five inches in 

 depth ; of another tub or cask large enough to receive the cooled 

 worts (ale and beer) ; and casks of sis gallons each. "We do not 

 mention a larger size, because, if the brewing be small, they imply 

 a limited consumption, and nothing ii.jures beer so muck as long 

 exposure to frequent admissions of air. Four or five six-gallons of 

 mild ale, and six gallons of table-beer are intended to be brewed, 

 and these quantities we will select as the basis of our directions. 



Malt, to be good, ought to be crisp, tender, and full of flavour 

 throughout ; if, with these properties, the grain be plump, and 

 sweet to the taste, from point to point, it is excellent. 



Hops are a staple product of Kent, Surrey, and Worcestershire. 

 For porter-brewing, the intense bitter of the Kent is, it appears, 

 peculiarly suitable. Surrey, or Faruliain hops, are of a clear, 

 bright, greenish yellow, and full of fragrance — they are excellent ; 

 but the Worcester hops are the best for the domestic brewer- 

 mild, and full of exquisite flavour, they suit the delicate quality of 

 table ale ; and the specimens of thai brewed in Worcestershire, 

 Shropshire, and Stafibrdskire, prove the assertion to be correct. 

 Hops ougkt to abound in " condition " — tkat is, in a yellow powder 

 about the seeds, which yields a sticky feeling or clamminess to the 

 hands when the hops are rubbed smartly. The malt being chosen, 

 the brewer should decide upon the quality of the ale he intends to 

 make, also that of the table-beer. It should always be remembered 

 that beer, however weak, is superior in quality if it contains ail the 

 properties of tke malt, and be, therefore, brewed expressly. It is, 

 however, a point of economy to prepare a small quantity of beer 

 from the grains after the ale-wort has run oft'; but the weak wort 

 so obtained cannot be supposed to be so good as if tbe same 

 quantity were made from a given measure of malt, none of tbe 

 strength and fine flavour of which had been extracted by a previous 

 washing for ale. Another consideration of moment is this — that if 

 one bushel of malt yield, to a certain quantity of water, a wort of 

 any required strength ,^/itJe or six buslicls will yield to a corresponding 

 quantity of water a wort of greater comparative strength ; because, 

 the greater the bulk of the materials employed, the more certain 

 and profitable will be the results, in consequence of the equability 

 and steadiness of the heat employed. 



The saccharine matter and mucilage of malt are yielded only to 

 water at a certain temperature. A thermometer, therefore, must be 

 employed. The heat mentioned by most writers is comprised 

 between 170 Q and 180? of the instrument. Now, we are willing to 

 admit tbat if malt be imperfectly prepared, and, therefore, partake 

 of the quality of barley to a certain extent, a heat exceeding 180° 

 will render the mass pasty (or " set " the malt) ; it will also do the 

 same if the malt be highly dried and brown, as that for porter; but 

 if the process of malting have been perfected, and the article 

 chosen be either that termed pa 1 e, or " amber " malt (which two 

 sorts are alone proper for ale brewing), boiiing water may be used 

 for the mashing. Of this we have had ample and most satisfactory 

 proof. The best ale we ever saw or tasted — and that not once or 



