BEER OR ALE

O, Peggy, Peggy! when thou goest to brew, Consider well what you’re about to do; Be very wise, very sedately think That what you’re now going to make is drink; Consider who must drink that drink, and then What ’tis to have the praise of honest men; For surely, Peggy, while that drink does last, ’Tis Peggy will be toasted or disgraced. Then if thy ale in glass thou wouldst confine, To make its sparkling rays in beauty shine, Let thy clean bottle be entirely dry, Lest a white substance to the surface fly, And floating there disturb the curious eye; But this great maxim must be understood, “Be sure, nay very sure, thy cork be good.” Then future ages shall of Peggy tell, That nymph that brewed and bottled ale so well! King. Twelve bushels of malt to the hogshead for beer, eight for ale; for either, pour the whole quantity of water, hot, but not boiling, on at once, and let it infuse three hours, close covered; mash it in the first half hour, and let it stand the remainder of the time. Run it on the hops, previously infused in water; for beer, three quarters of a pound to a bushel; if for ale, half a pound. Boil them with the wort, two hours, from the time it begins to boil. Cool a pailful; then add three quarts of yeast, which will prepare it for putting to the rest when ready next day; but, if possible, put together the same night. Sun, as usual. Cover the bunghole with paper, when the beer has done working; and when it is to be stopped, have ready a pound and a half of hops, dried before the fire; put them into the bunghole, and fasten it up. Let it stand twelve months in casks, and twelve in bottles before it be drank. It will keep, and be very fine, eight or ten years. It should be brewed in the beginning of March. Great care must be taken that bottles are perfectly prepared, and the corks are of the best sort. The ale will be ready in three or four months, and if the vent-peg be never removed, it will have spirit and strength to the last. Allow two gallons of water, at first, for waste. After the beer or ale is run from the grains, pour a hogshead and a half for the twelve bushels; and a hogshead of water, if eight were brewed. Mash, and let stand; and then boil, &c.

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