from being told by those quacks that the great London houses do the same. We can assure these mistaken persons, however, that no great London house uses, now-a-days, any ingredient disallowed by law; and that no other flavour is given than what is produced by malt and hops.
When harmless ingredients are used for giving flavours, they cannot be particularly condemned: they however subject the brewer, when discovered, to the penalties of the law; and on every account are rather to be avoided. When such drugs as cocculus Indicus, opium, tobacco, &c. &c. are used for giving a stupifying quality to the beer, every brewer using them must know, that besides subjecting himself to heavy penalties, he is doing gross injustice to the public.
It is generally supposed that the finest ale cannot be brewed without flavouring matter. This, however, is quite a mistake. The flavour of the finest Burton, Scotch, and other ales, proceeds chiefly from the care taken in selecting the best malt and hops, and the high gravities of the worts. These ales are from forty to forty-five lbs. per barrel gravity, by Long’s instrument, or 1.111 to 1.125 specific gravity, by Allan’s or Bates’. Whenever the gravities of worts exceed forty, a much richer flavour is produced than at lower densities. This accounts for the superiority of high-priced ales.
Any brewer using ingredients disallowed by law,
