1872 Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks (Mixellany)

Burton and Scotch Ales. 93 more inclined to ferment; but hard water makes the best keeping beer, and is less liable to turn sour. Sometimes the water requires to be softened by adding a spoonful of soda to a barrel; some use a handful of common salt mixed with an ounce of salt of tartar. We may add that the water which makes good tea makes good beer. The famed ales of Burton-on-Trent are brewed with hard water, the river Trent containing an unusually large proportion of sulphate of Jime, together with carbonate and muriate of lime. These salts exert a considerable depuritive power on vegetable juices, superseding the necessity for finings ; thus the ale brewed by this water becomes bright and clear almost immediately. Burton ale is the strongest in general use. The Scotch ales are distinguished for the small quantity of hops they contain, and for their vinous flavour. Those of Edinburgh, Prestonpans, and Bel- haven are pre-eminent. Strong ale is mostly made from the best pale malt, and the fermentation is allowed to take place slowly, so that the ferment is exhausted and separated. This, combined with the large amount of undecomposed sugar remaining, enables the liquor to keep long without requiring a large amount of hops.