CHAPTER VIII.
THE DECREASED ALCOHOLIC
CONTENT OF BEER WILL
INCREASE DRUNKENNESS
The decree of President Wilson that beer brewed henceforth in the United States during the pendency of the war shall not contain more than 2.75 per cent alcohol by weight, which is equivalent to 3.4 per cent by volume,[Footnote: This does not include ale and porter, the alcoholic content of which is permitted to remain considerably in excess of that of beer.] and that the amount of grain used in its manufacture shall be reduced to approximately seventy per cent of the volume used heretofore, will not decrease intoxication, but it has caused intense jubilation among the brewers. They pronounce it a great victory over the "dry" forces, and they have lost no time in again broadly proclaiming the virtues of their product and its "food" value.
The slightly reduced alcoholic content of beer will still be ample to produce a high state of intoxication if, as is usually the case, it is consumed immoderately. In substantiation of my contention I need but cite the irrefutable fact that a barrel of beer holding 31 gallons would still contain a whole gallon of alcohol.
Where the great danger lies is that the widely heralded reduction of the alcoholic content and the claim of the brewers that beer is now to be classed as a true temperance drink will tend to greatly deceive the public and thus largely increase its consumption, in most cases to cause "the same intoxicating effect as before."
Besides, it has already become a common practice among many misguided drinkers to produce the desired "kick" by pouring whiskey, and even plain alcohol into the beer.
In my opinion, therefore, the reduced alcoholic content will make the consumption of beer still more harmful than before, because, instead of diminishing drunkenness, it will have the opposite effect--and the brewers will be the big gainers because the new order of things will not only largely increase their output, but it will also reduce the cost of production without cutting the selling price. And, by reason of their increased output, they will use the same amount of grain as before.
Even with the reduced alcoholic content the beer drinker will consume more alcohol than the whiskey drinker.
CHAPTER IX.
BREWERS' GRAINS ARE
CONSIDERED DANGEROUS
FOR COWS' MILK
As an argument against the extermination of the breweries the claim is made that a part of the grain used in brewing is converted into a cattle feed which is a great "milk producer."
Brewers' grains are the residue of barley malt and corn grits. They consist principally of barley hulls.