OF ABYSSINIAN ALE. 345 



Among other employments that occupied Wal- 

 derheros and his wife two or three days every 

 fortnight, was that of brewing, which was no 

 trifling affair, as a fresh jar of ale, holding at least 

 four gallons, was broached every day. The pro- 

 cess is simple enough as performed in Shoa, and 

 instead of being obliged to stand some time after 

 it is made, five or six days is the time that is 

 required to ripen and fine the beverage, which, if 

 made well, is agreeable and very strong, with a 

 slight acidity, that reminded me of the oldest ale I 

 had ever drunk in England. 



The ingredients are various, sometimes wheat or 

 barley, or jowarhee grain, but in the kolla or low 

 countries the latter is preferred, and as I also 

 found some useful medical effects resulting from 

 its use, my ale most frequently was made from this 

 grain. The jowarhee is the durra of the Arabs, and 

 is largely grown in India, where I think English 

 residents might, by following the Abyssinian method, 

 always have home-brewed ale in their houses. 



When barley is employed for the purpose of 

 brewing, it is first well dried in the sun, and after- 

 wards broken in a mortar to divest it in some mea- 

 sure from the coarse outer skin, and which is 

 separated by the usual process of fining through a 

 grass made sieve. The prepared grain is then 

 placed in a large earthenware saucer, at least two 

 feet in diameter, and in the centre about six inches 

 deep. This being raised upon three supports over 



