1874 The American Bar-Tender or The Art and Mystery of Mixing Drinks by E A Simmons

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the AaiERIC.VN' BAE-TENDER;

' From these combinecl qualities, Ale, if taken in modera tion, proves a refreshing, healthful, and salubrious drink, and is an agreeable and valuable stimulant, and a support to those who have to undergo much fatigue." "Pure Ale,''says Dr. Ure,"is a far more wholesome bever age for the people, when drank in moderation, than the thin,'^ sour wines ofthe Continent." Beewixg, to be successfully practised, can only be learned by experience—no treatise on the art can give thatjudgment that the practised brewer has, which enables him to contend with very many unexpected difficulties, arising from sudden changes of weather, fluctuations of temperature, and other causes which render modifications of treatment necessary, and which no precise rule can guard against. The liquor, as the water used by brewersand others is term ed, is of great importance—soft, or hard water softened by ex posure, is generally preferred, because it makes a stronge^y ex tract, and is more inclined to ferment—but hard water makes the best keeping beer. We may add that the water which makes the best tea makes the best beer. The ales of Burton-on-Trentare brewed with hard water,the river Trent containing an unusuallylarge proportion of sul phate oflime, together with carbonate and muriate oflime. The Scotch ales are distinguished for the small quantity of hops they contain, and for their vinous flavor. Strong aleshould be made from the best Barley Com,and tho fermentation is allowed to take place slowly, so that tho fer ment is exhausted or seperatcd. This combined with the large nount of sugar undecompos- ed remaining,enables the liquor to keep long without requiring a large amount of hops. Brewing is now carried to such perfection in this country, that Ale is produced here that in every respect equals the best brewings ofthe most celebrated British breweries. A.s we have before intimated,even when tho barleyand othe?