HOME-BREWED QUALITIES OF MALT. 347 



myself particularly to those who already do, or 

 seriously purpose to, brew their own beer : assuring 

 them of the vastly superior salubrity of the pure ex- 

 tract of malt and hops, over the most luscious, stimu- 

 lating, and palatable compound, however scientifi- 

 cally brewed : with the farther assurance, grounded 

 on all experience, of the nutritious and sanative quality 

 of the pure home-brewed drink, and its real medi- 

 cinal efficacy in weak cases. Its superior cheapness, 

 during our present state of taxation, needs merely the 

 recital instead of an argument beer brewed at home 

 will cost the consumer little more, perhaps not so 

 much as half the price of that which is purchased, 

 and yet prove superior to it in good and substantial 

 quality. 



Of MALT. This precious article has not, I appre- 

 hend, been made, of late years, from any other grain 

 than barley. In former and comparatively untaxed 

 days, malt was currently made from wheat, and oats 

 likewise. The only instance of this kind within my 

 knowledge was of a Mr. Dobson, a maltster at Ips- 

 wich, Suffolk, in 1767, who made a considerable 

 quantity of wheat malt, wheat being then at about 

 28s. per quarter. Wheat malt produces a strong- 

 bodied, fine, and high-flavoured liquor ; oats, a light, 

 mild, and pleasant beverage. I have heard much 

 commendations of oat-ale, as a summer drink, but 

 have never tasted it. 



The QUALITY of malt is not to be determined by 



the weight, since the heaviest may, in reality, be the 



worst, as imperfectly made ; tough, hard, or steely, 



and still partaking of the nature of barley. The 



Q 6 



