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I stay'd for a moment to pull off my boots, and, holding them in my left hand, crept up the stairs. In the kitchen, the girl was singing and clattering the glasses together. Behind the door, at the head of the stairs, I heard voices talking. I slipp'd on my boots again and tapp'd on the panel. "Come in!" Let me try to describe that on which my eyes rested as I push'd the door wide.
For strong brown Ale brew'd in any of the Winter Months, and boiled an Hour, one Pound is but barely sufficient for a Hogshead, if it be Tapp'd in three Weeks or a Month. If for pale Ale brewed at that time and for that Age, one Pound and a quarter of Hops; but if these Ales are brewed in any of the Summer Months, there should be more Hops allowed.
In the Butt there is a Cork-hole made about two Inches below the upper Head, and close under that a piece of Leather is nailed Spout-fashion, that jetts three Inches out, from which the Yeast works and falls into a Tub, and when the working is over the Cork is put closely in, for the Bung in the Head of the upright Cask is put in as soon as it is filled up with new Drink: Now when such a Cask is to be broach'd and a quick Draught is to follow, then it may be tapp'd at Bottom; but if otherwise, the Brass Cock ought to be first put in at the middle, and before the Drink sinks to that it should be Tapp'd at Bottom to prevent the breaking of the Head of Yeast, and its growing stale, flat and sour.
Secondly, They alledge for beating the Yeast into Wort, that it gives it a fine tang or relish, or as they call it at London, it makes the Ale bite of the Yeast; but this flourish indeed is for no other reason than to further its Sale, and tho' it may be agreeable to some Bigots, to me it proves a discovery of the infection by its nauseous taste; however my surprize is lessen'd, when I remember the Plymouth People, who are quite the reverse of them at Dover and Chatham; for the first are so attach'd to their white thick Ale, that many have undone themselves by drinking it; nor is their humour much different as to the common Brewers brown Ale, who when the Customer wants a Hogshead, they immediately put in a Handful of Salt and another of Flower, and so bring it up, this is no sooner on the Stilling but often Tapp'd, that it may carry a Froth on the Top of the Pot, otherwise they despise it: The Salt commonly answered its End of causing the Tiplers to become dryer by the great Quantities they drank, that it farther excited by the biting pleasant stimulating quality the Salt strikes the Palate with.
"Bravissimo! More, Master Carter more!" "O mammy, O nunky, here's cousin Jack Frog With a fa-la " I lifted my knuckles and tapp'd on the pane; whereon Prince Maurice starts up with an oath, and coming to the window, flings it open. "Pardon, your Highness," said I, and pull'd myself past him into the room, as cool as you please. 'Twas worth while to see their surprise.
But notwithstanding all that can be said that relates to this Subject, there are so many Incidents attending Malt-liquors, that it has puzled several expert Men to account for their difference, though brewed by the same Brewer, with the same Malt, Hops and Water, and in the same Month and Town, and tapp'd at the same time: The Beer of one being fine, strong and well Tasted, while the others have not had any worth drinking, now this may be owing to the different Weather in the same Month, that might cause an Alteration in the working of the Liquors, or that the Cellar may not be so convenient, or that the Water was more disturbed by Winds or Rains, &c.
That Master Tingcomb rested under the coffin lid, I did not believe, in spite of the terrifying fit that I could vouch for. But this, if driven to it, we could discover at the grave. As eleven o'clock sounded, therefore, I tapp'd on Billy's wall; and finding that Matt. Our rooms were on the first floor, over a straw yard; and the distance to the ground an easy drop for a man.
In some Places in the Country when they brew Ale or Beer to send to London at a great Distance, they let it be a Year old before they Tap it, so that then it is perfectly fine; this they put into small Casks that have a Bung-hole only fit for a large Cork, and then they immediately put in a Role of Bean-flour first kneaded with Water or Drink, and baked in an Oven, which is all secured by pitching in the Cork, and so sent in the Waggon; the Bean-flour feeding and preserving the Body of the Drink all the way, without fretting or causing it to burst the Cask for want of Vent, and when Tapp'd will also make the Drink very brisk, because the Flour is in such a hard Consistence, that it won't dissolve in that time; but if a little does mix with the Ale or Beer, its heavy Parts will sooner fine than thicken the Drink and keep it mellow and lively to the last, if Air is kept out of the Barrel.
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.
Some therefore are of Opinion, that strong Beer brewed in October should be Tapp'd at Midsummer, and that brewed in March at Christmas, as being most agreeable to the Seasons of the Year that follow such Brewings: For then they will both have part of a Summer and Winter to ripen and digest their several Bodies; and 'tis my humble Opinion, that where the Strength of the Beer, the Quantity of Hops, the boiling Fermentation and the Cask are all rightly managed, there Drink may be most excellent, and better at nine Months Age, than at nine Years, for Health and Pleasure of Body.
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