THE LONDON and COUNTRY BREWER
1736CHAP. XV.
Of several pernicious Ingredients put into Malt Liquors to encrease their Strength.Malt Liquors, as well as several others, have long lain under the disreputation of being adulterated and greatly abused by avaricious and ill-principled People, to augment their Profits at the Expence of the precious Health of human Bodies, which, tho' the greatest Jewel in Life, is said to be too often lost by the Deceit of the Brewer, and the Intemperance of the Drinker: This undoubtedly was one, and I believe the greatest, of the Lord Bacon's Reasons for saying, he thought not one Englishman in a thousand died a natural Death. Nor is it indeed to be much wondered at, when, according to Report, several of the Publicans make it their Business to study and practise this Art, witness what I am afraid is too true, that some have made use of the Coculus India* Berry for making Drink heady, and saving the Expence of Malt; but as this is a violent Potion by its narcotick stupifying Quality, if taken in too large a degree, I hope this will be rather a prevention of its use than an invitation, it being so much of the nature of the deadly Nightshade [belladonna, very toxic], that it bears the same Character; and I am sure the latter is bad enough; for one of my Neighbour's Brothers was killed by eating its Berries that grow in some of our Hedges, and so neatly resembles the black Cherry, that the Boy took the wrong for the right.
There is another sinister Practice said to be frequently used by ill Persons to supply the full quantity of Malt, and that is Coriander Seeds: This also is of a heady nature boiled in the Wort, one Pound of which will answer to a Bushel of Malt, as was ingenuously confess'd to me by a Gardener, who own'd he sold a great deal of it to Alehouse Brewers (for I don't suppose the great Brewer would be concern'd in any such Affair) for that purpose, purpose, at Ten-pence per Pound; but how wretchedly ignorant are those that make use of it, not knowing the way first to cure and prepare it for this and other mixtures, without which it is a dangerous thing, and will cause Sickness in the Drinkers of it. Others are said to make use of Lime-stones to fine and preserve the Drink; but to come off the fairest in such foul Artifices, it has been too much a general Practice to beat the Yeast so long into the Ale, that without doubt it has done great Prejudice to the Healths of many others besides the Person I have writ of in the Preface of my Second Book. For the sake then of Seller and Buyer, I have here offered several valuable Receipts for fining, preserving and mellowing Beers and Ales, in such a true healthful and beneficial manner, that from henceforth after the Perusal of this Book, and the knowledge of their worth are fully known, no Person, I hope, will be so sordidly obstinate as to have any thing to do with such unwholsome Ingredients; because these are not only of the cheapest sort, but will answer their End and Purpose; and the rather, since Malts are now only twenty Shillings per Quarter, and like to hold a low Price for Reasons that I could here assign.
I own, I formerly thought they were too valuable to expose to the Publick by reason of their Cheapness and great Virtues, as being most of them wholsomer than the Malt itself, which is but a corrupted Grain. But, as I hope they will do considerable Service in the World towards having clear salubrious and pleasant Malt Liquors in most private Families and Alehouses, I have my Satisfaction.
*Anamirta cocculus is a climbing plant of India and Southeast Asia. Its berry, Cocculus indicus, is a source of picrotoxin, a poisonous alkaloid with stimulant properties. In the lines following the use of the term, the author comments on how unhealthy it is (calling it "narcotick") and relating it to Deadly Nightshade.
