_Of an Artificial Lee for Stout or Stale Beer to feed on_.
This Article, as it is of very great Importance in the curing of our malt
Liquors, requires a particular regard to this last management of them,
because in my Opinion the general misfortune of the Butt or keeping Beers
drinking so hard and harsh, is partly owing to the nasty foul Feces that
lye at the bottom of the Cask, compounded of the Sediments of Malt, Hops
and Yeast, that are, all Clogg'd with gross rigid Salts, which by their
long lying in the Butt or other Vessel, so tinctures the Beer as to make
it partake of all their raw Natures: For such is the Feed, such is the
Body, as may be perceived by Eels taken out of dirty Bottoms, that are
sure to have a muddy taste, when the Silver sort that are catched in
Gravelly or Sandy clear Rivers Eat sweet and fine: Nor can this ill
property be a little in those Starting (as they call it in _London_) new
thick Beers that were carry'd directly from my Brewhouse, and by a Leather
Pipe or Spout conveyed into the Butt as they stood in the Cellar, which I
shall further demonstrate by the Example of whole Wheat, that is, by many
put into such Beer to feed and preserve it, as being reckoned a
substantial Alcali; however it has been proved that such Wheat in about
three Years time has eat into the very Wood of the Cask, and there
Hony-comb'd it by making little hollow Cavities in the Staves. Others
there are that will hang a Bag of Wheat in the Vessel that it mayn't
touch the Bottom, but in both Cases the Wheat is discovered to absorp and
collect the saline acid qualities of the Beer, Yeast and Hop, by which
it is impregnated with their sharp qualities, as a Toast of Bread is put
into Punch or Beer, whose alcalous hollow Nature will attract and make a
Lodgment of the acid strong Particles in either, as is proved by eating
the inebriating Toast, and therefore the _Frenchman_ says, the _English_
are right in putting a Toast into the Liquor, but are Fools for eating it:
Hence it is that such whole Wheat is loaded with the qualities of the
unwholsome Settlements or Grounds of the Beer, and becomes of such a
corroding Nature, as to do this mischief; and for that reason, some in the
_North_ will hang a Bag of the Flower of malted Oats, Wheat, Pease and
Beans in the Vessels of Beer, as being a lighter and mellower Body than
whole Wheat or its Flower, and more natural to the Liquor: But whether it
be raw Wheat or Malted, it is supposed, after this receptacle has emitted
its alcalous Properties to the Beer, and taken in all it can of the acid
qualities thereof, that such Beer will by length of Age prey upon that
again, and so communicate its pernicious Effects to the Body of Man, as
Experience seems to justify by the many sad Examples that I have seen in
the Destruction of several lusty Brewers Servants, who formerly scorn'd
what they then called Flux Ale, to the preference of such corroding
consuming Stale Beers; and therefore I have hereafter advised that such
Butt or keeping Beers be Tapp'd at nine or twelve Months end at furthest,
and then an Artificial Lee will have a due time allowed it to do good and
not harm.
_An Excellent Composition for feeding Butts or keeping Beers with_.
Take a Quart of _French_ Brandy, or as much of _English_, that is free
from any burnt Tang, or other ill taste, and is full Proof, to this put as
much Wheat or Flower as will knead it into a Dough, put it in long pieces
into the Bung Hole, as soon as the Beer has done working, or afterwards,
and let it gently fall piece by piece to the bottom of the Butt, this will
maintain the Drink in a mellow freshness, keep staleness off for some
time, and cause it to be the stronger as it grows Aged.