General Notices. 61 



Domestic Economy. 

 Cheap Beer for Gardeners and their Workmen. — Sir, I send you some 

 receipts for cheap beer, to which, I hope, you will give general publicity, 

 as no set of persons will be more benefited by them than gardeners and 

 their workmen. I observe, first, that West India molasses is the best for 

 the purpose. It is a kind of treacle, which is sold as it comes from the 

 West Indies, and is known by a gritty substance at the bottom of the cask, 

 more or less like sand, which substance is, in truth, an imperfect sugar. 

 Common treacle will do as well, if the quantity be a little increased, say one 

 pound in six or seven ; but the best article of all is the coarsest brown sugar 

 you can get ; it is better than the higher-priced for this purpose ; and you 

 may use one pound in six less of it than of the West India molasses. It is, 

 however, dearer upon the whole, though still much cheaper than malt. In 

 making beer from unmalted barley, it is necessary to take good care not to 

 use the water too hot, as, if it be, the barley will set, that is, become 

 pasty, and not allow the water to drain off. Be very particular about this ; 

 a little oat chaff well mixed with the barley will go a great way to prevent 

 this accident. 



1 . Raw Barley and Molasses. The use of raw grain with molasses, for 

 making beer, is a most valuable discovery for the middle classes. Put a 

 peck of barley or oats into an oven after the bread is drawn, or into a 

 frying-pan, and steam the moisture from them. Then grind or bruise the 

 grain roughly (not fine), and pour on it 2 \ gallons of water, so hot as to 

 pain the finger smartly. Mash it well, and let it stand three hours. Then 

 draw it off, and pour on every two gallons nine of water rather hotter than 

 the last; but not boiling (say not above 180°). Mash the liquor well, and 

 let it stand two hours before you draw it off. Pour on afterwards 2 gal- 

 lons of cold water; mash well, and draw off. You will have about 5 gal- 

 lons. Mix 7 pounds of West India molasses in 5 gallons of water; mix it 

 with the wort from the barley ; then add 4 oz. of hops, and boil one hour 

 and a half. When cooled to blood-heat, add a teacupful of yeast ; cover 

 it with a sack, and let it ferment eighteen hours. In fourteen days it will 

 be good sound fine beer, quite equal in strength to London porter or good 

 ale. The 9 gallons of beer will cost : — 1 peck of barley, 1*. 3d. ; 7 lbs. of 

 molasses, Is. 6d. to 2s. ; 4 oz. of hops, 3d. : in all, 3s., or, at most, 3s. 6d. 



2. Malt and Molasses. Pour 8 gallons of water at 175° on a bushel of 

 malt. Mash well ; let it stand three hours ; draw it off, and add 8 gallons 

 more water at 196°. Mash, and let it stand two hours : add 8 gallons of 

 cold water to the grain, and let it stand three hours and a half. Mix 

 28 pounds of West India molasses in 20 gallons of water, and boil the 

 whole with 2 pounds of hops for two hours. When the liquor is cooled 

 down to 85°, add half a pint of yeast ; cover it with a sack, stir it well, 

 and let it ferment twenty-four hours. In proper time you will have 36 gal- 

 lons of good ale for — 1 bushel of malt, 9*. ; 28 lbs. of molasses, 6s. to 

 85.; 2 lbs. of hops, 2s. : in all, 17s., or, at most, 19s. 



3. West India Molasses only. Mix 14 pounds of West India molasses 

 with 11 gallons of water; boil it for two hours with 6 ounces of hops. 

 Let it become quite cool ; add a teacupful of yeast, stir it up, and cover it 

 over with a sack, to keep it warm. Let it ferment sixteen hours, put it 

 into a cask, and keep it well filled up ; bung it down in two days, and in 

 seven days it will be fit to drink, and be stronger beer than London porter. 

 This is the simplest of all ; a washing copper and a tub, or even a large 

 tea-kettle, only being requisite. Thus 9 gallons of beer can be made: — 

 14 lbs. of molasses, 3s., or, at most, 4s. ; 6 oz. of hops, 4^. : in all, 3s. 4Arf., 

 or, at most, 4s. 4J</. 



A small quantity of copperas, or vitriol of iron, about as much as will 

 lie on the point of a small knife, is in general use, to give beer a head, and 

 make it drink pleasant and lively. It is not necessary, but it is not unwhole- 

 some in any respect. — Y. A. B. 



