Put into a large kettle, ten gallons of water, a quarter of a pound
of hops, and a tea-cupful of ginger. Boil them together till all the
hops sink to the bottom. Then dip out a bucket full of the liquor, and
stir into it six quarts of molasses, and three ounces and a half of the
essence of spruce. When all is dissolved, mix it with the liquor in the
kettle; strain it through a hair sieve into a cask; and stir well into
it half a pint of good strong yeast. Let it ferment a day or two; then
bung up the cask, and you may bottle the beer the next day. It will be
fit for use in a week.
For the essence of spruce, you may substitute two pounds of the outer
sprigs of the spruce fir, boiled ten minutes in the liquor.
To make spruce beer for present use, and in a smaller quantity, boil
a handful of hops in two gallons and a half of water, till they fall
to the bottom. Then strain the water, and when it is lukewarm, stir
into it a table-spoonful of ground white ginger; a pint of molasses; a
table-spoonful of essence of spruce; and half a pint of yeast. Mix the
whole well together in a stone jug, and let it ferment for a day and a
half, or two days. Then put it into bottles, with three or four raisins
in the bottom of each, to prevent any further fermentation. It will
then be fit for immediate use.
GINGER BEER.--Break up a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, and mix with
it three ounces of strong white ginger, and the grated peel of two
lemons. Put these ingredients into a large stone jar, and pour over
them two gallons of boiling water. When it becomes milkwarm strain it,
and add the juice of the lemons and two large table-spoonfuls of strong
yeast. Make this beer in the evening and let it stand all night. Next
morning bottle it in little half pint stone bottles, tying down the
corks with twine.
MOLASSES BEER.--To six quarts of water, add two quarts of West India
molasses; half a pint of the best brewer's yeast; two table-spoonfuls
of ground ginger; and one table-spoonful of cream of tartar. Stir all
together. Let it stand twelve hours, and then bottle it, putting three
or four raisins into each bottle.
It will be much improved by substituting the juice and grated peel of a
large lemon, for one of the spoonfuls of ginger.
Molasses beer keeps good but two or three days.
SASSAFRAS BEER.--Have ready two gallons of soft water; one quart of
wheat bran; a large handful of dried apples; half a pint of molasses; a
small handful of hops; half a pint of strong fresh yeast, and a piece
of sassafras root the size of an egg.
Put all the ingredients (except the molasses and yeast) at once into a
large kettle. Boil it till the apples are quite soft. Put the molasses
into a small clean tub or a large pan. Set a hair sieve over the
vessel, and strain the mixture through it. Let it stand till it becomes
only milkwarm, and then stir in the yeast. Put the liquor immediately
into the keg or jugs, and let it stand uncorked to ferment. Fill the
jugs quite full, that the liquor in fermenting may run over. Set them
in a large tub. When you see that the fermentation or working has
subsided, cork it, and it will be fit for use next day.
Two large table-spoonfuls of ginger stirred into the molasses will be
found an improvement.
If the yeast is stirred in while the liquor is too warm, it will be
likely to turn sour.
If the liquor is not put immediately into the jugs, it will not ferment
well.
Keep it in a cold place. It will not in warm weather be good more than
two days. It is only made for present use.