Take a Peck of Egg-shells and dry them in an Oven, break and mix them with
two Pound of fat Chalk, and mix them with water wherein four Pounds of
coarse Sugar has been boiled, and put it into the Butt as aforesaid.
_To fine and preserve Beers and Ales by boiling an Ingredient in the
Wort_.
This most valuable way I frequently follow both for Ale, Butt-beer and
Small Beer, and that is, in each Barrel Copper of Wort, I put in a Pottle,
or two Quarts of whole Wheat as soon as I can, that it may soak before it
boils, then I strain it thro' a Sieve, when I put the Wort in cooling
Tubs, and if it is thought fit the same Wheat may be boiled in a second
Copper: Thus there will be extracted a gluey Consistence, which being
incorporated with the Wort by boiling, gives it a more thick and ponderous
Body, and when in the Cask, soon makes a Sediment or Lee, as the Wort is
more or less loaded with the weighty Particles of this fizy Body; but if
such Wheat was first parched or baked in an Oven, it would do better, as
being rather too raw as it comes from the Ear.
_Another Way_.
A Woman, who lived at _Leighton Buzzard_ in _Bedfordshire_, and had the
best Ale in the Town, once told a Gentleman, she had Drink just done
working in the Barrel, and before it was Bung'd would wager it was fine
enough to Drink out of a Glass, in which it should maintain a little while
a high Froth; and it was true, for the Ivory shavings that she boiled in
her Wort, was the Cause of it, which an Acquaintance of mine accidentally
had a View of as they lay spread over the Wort in the Copper; so will
Hartshorn shavings do the same and better, both of them being great finers
and preservers of malt Liquors against staleness and sourness, and are
certainly of a very alcalous Nature. Or if they are put into a Cask when
you Bung it down, it will be of service for that purpose; but these are
dear in Comparison of the whole Wheat, which will in a great measure
supply their Place, and after it is used, may be given to a poor Body, or
to the Hog.
_To stop the Fret in Malt Liquors_.
Take a Quart of Black Cherry Brandy, and pour it in at the Bung-hole of
the Hogshead and stop it close.
_To recover deadish Beer_.
When strong Drink grows flat, by the loss of its Spirits, take four or
five Gallons out of a Hogshead, and boil it with five Pound of Honey, skim
it, and when cold, put it to the rest, and stop it up close: This will
make it pleasant, quick and strong.
_To make stale Beer drink new_.
Take the Herb _Horehound_ stamp it and strain it, then put a Spoonful of
the juice (which is an extream good Pectoral) to a pitcher-full of Beer,
let it stand covered about two Hours and drink it.
_To fine Malt Liquors_.
Take a pint of water, half an Ounce of unslack'd Lime, mix them well
together, let it stand three Hours and the Lime will settle to the Bottom,
and the water be as clear as Glass, pour the water from the Sediment, and
put it into your Ale or Beer, mix it with half an Ounce of Ising-glass
first cut small and boiled, and in five Hours time or less the Beer in the
Barrel will settle and clear.
There are several other Compositions that may be used for this purpose,
but none that I ever heard of will answer like those most Excellent Balls
that Mr. _Ellis_ of _Little Gaddesden_ in _Hertfordshire_ has found out by
his own Experience to be very great Refiners, Preservers and Relishers
of Malt Liquors and Cyders, and will also recover damag'd Drinks, as I
have mentioned in my Second Book, where I have given a further Account of
some other things that will fine, colour and improve Malt Drinks: The
Balls are sold at [missing text]