376 MALT AND BEER IN SPANISH AMERICA. 



mentioned hops were imported as follows : From the United States, 

 $1,641.71; United Kingdom, $119.10. 



BEER. 



Under the general heading beer, ale, beer, and porter are embraced, 

 and no records are obtainable showing the amount of each imported. 



Gallons. 



United Kingdom 186.537.1 



United States 11,082 



Other foreign states 229.6 



Total 197,848.7 



Beer from the United States is imported in pint and quart glass bottles ; 

 from the United Kingdom, small importations in casks, the greater por- 

 tion being, however, in pint and quart glass bottles; other foreign 

 states, in glass pint bottles. Duties, 12 cents per gallon. 



The variety known in the United States as lager beer. 



Prices as follows: Barrels of 10 dozen pints, $12.50; barrels of 6 

 dozen quarts, $12. Domestic beer: In casks, 30 cents per gallon; in 

 pints, 35 cents per dozen. 



.Retail prices foreign beer, as follows : Pints, 12 and 15 cents; quarts, 

 18 cents ; domestic, 9 cents, pints. 



Beer from the United Kingdom is usually sold on consignment, while 

 that from the United States, as a rule, is imported direct by the dealers 

 here, either through their agents in the United States or purchased from 

 the brewers themselves, and is sold by merchants to dealers in packages 

 containing 10 dozen each. Packages containing 10 dozen pints are 

 most convenient for this market. 



About one year ago an American firm started a beer depot here, 

 importing lager-beer from the United States in pipes of 190 gallons 

 each. This beer was bottled at the depot in this city and sold at the 

 rate of $1 per dozen pints. 



The business of this firm was short-lived, owing, I think, to bad man- 

 agement principally. The demand for American lager-beer is steadily 

 increasing throughout the island of Jamaica. 



The light and sparkling appearance of the lager without the bitter- 

 ness, together with the neat appearance of the bottles, makes this beer 

 a general favorite. 



Recently a formidable competitor to the American lager-beer has ap- 

 peared in the market in the firm of Tennant, of England. This com- 

 pany has commenced the brewing of lager- beer and has recently sent 

 a large consignment to this market for trial, which was, in my judg- 

 ment, inferior to the best American lager in color and quality and is not 

 so pleasing to the taste, but by reason of the reputation of this firm as 

 ale brewers their lager will, at least for a time, find sale. Tbis beer is 

 sold at about the same price as that charged for American lager. 



It must be borne in mind that the statistics of importations from the 



