340 OBSTACLES PORTER VARIOUS BEERS. 



of beer has advanced, and its quality proportionally 

 receded, always offer some, but a temporary coun- 

 teraction to the custom of purchasing. Citizens then, 

 including those labourers who can possibly eke out 

 the room and the money, begin brewing. The system 

 continues, so long as the funds can be found, or the 

 home-brewed maggot survives or continues to bite. 

 Anon comes the change. The poor in towns, as 

 well as in the country, find solid reasons, already 

 stated, for giving up brewing. Nor are the people 

 of property behind-hand ; they have no leisure gene- 

 rally to pay a personal attention, but must trust to 

 a labouring brewer, who now and then spoils them a 

 stock of beer. The enthusiasm for brewing their 

 own beer now cools, wearisomeness and disgust suc- 

 ceed ; and they find that beer may be purchased, at a 

 much dearer rate indeed, comparatively no object to 

 .them, more agreeable to their palate, without the 

 trouble and fuss of brewing at home. Away then, go 

 inash-tun and coolers, casks and all, and the poor 

 copper is left in pristine solitude ! 



Among the OBSTACLES to private brewing, the most 

 redoubtable of all, certainly, must not be over-looked. 

 It is the universal predilection, both of the natives and 

 foreigners who visit this country, for London PORTER, 

 which no private family, so far as I have heard, have 

 succeeded in brewing to perfection. It is within my 

 memory, I believe, that drinking porter became uni- 

 versal; but the old "butt beer" has assumed the 

 name of porter, perhaps a century past. TWO-PENNY 

 and ROMAN PURL have had their day. KEEPING small 

 beer was formerly in phrase and in use at London, 



