1903 The Flowing Bowl by Edward Spencer

64 THE FLOWING BOWL stitute for wine might be expressed from grain and water. Hops were undoubtedly known in England before the conquest, but do not appear to have been regularly used in brewing before the beginning of the sixteenth century. It is probable, therefore, that they were employed as medicine—and there is no better tonic than your hop. The Germans would seem to have brewed with the "wicked weed" before the Englanders did, according to the omniscient Pliny. The horny-handed son of toil, who can put away his four or five gallons daily during harvest- time, without falling off the waggon, may not know it, but it is only the female hop which is used by the brewer of to-day. The character istics of the he-hop are not known to the writer, or whether he plays any part in aiding to relieve the thirst of the lieges ; but the female is said to exercise "a purifying, a pre servative, and an aromatic influence over the wort." It used to be a popular fallacy that the beer made at Burton-on-Trent was brewed from Trent water, instead of, as was and is the case, from spring-water, which is eminently suited to the purpose. The chief industry at Burtonwas, originally, cotton-spinning, but fifty years ago this industry was discontinued owing to the triumphal march of John Barleycorn. Why spin cotton when the manufacture of beer is not only a much healthier occupation but is far more lucrative ? So Burton stuck to its beer- making, a trade which was originally established