354 VARIOUS ADULTERATIONS ANECDOTE. 



as has been already observed, is an acknowledged 

 compound, or it would not answer to its name ; 

 thence, granting the adscititious ingredients to be 

 not absolutely noxious, no stigma can attach to the 

 brewer. The pale beer brewer cannot boast of such 

 advantage, nor of acting bond fide, whilst boasting 

 that his commodity is the genuine product of malt 

 and hops. I speak generally, craving pardon of the 

 exceptions, wherever they may be, since it has so 

 seldom been my fortune, in a great number of years, 

 to taste unadulterated purchased ale, whether brewed 

 in the Metropolis, or in the brewing districts of 

 the Country. In these ales, at present, the chief 

 articles of adulteration, most of which my well-prac- 

 tised palate can discover, are seeds, sugar, and salt, 

 perhaps bay salt, coriander seeds, Spanish juice, 

 hartshorn shavings. Coculus Indicus, (Indian berry,) 

 a most intoxicating and deleterious drug, the flavour 

 of which I well know, was formerly much in use ; 

 and, if that be not the case at present, it is difficult 

 to conceive why such large quantities of that drug 

 should be annually imported, since its use in medi- 

 cine is almost or entirely unknown. The brewers, 

 however, find a sufficient apology in the pressure of 

 taxation, and the vitiated taste of the public. 



I was never aware, until informed last year, that 

 animal matter entered into the composition of porter. 

 It was stated to me, that the London brewers boil in 

 it the coarse pieces of lean beef. The idea is said to 

 have originated with a working brewer, who first 

 conceived it from the old story of the black man 

 boiled to death in a copper of porter, which brew- 



