A Treatise on the Brewing of Beer

by E. Hughes

As I said before, small beer is too frequently neglected, because the master or mistress of a family drink but a small quantity of it. I verily believe there would be less good small beer consumed in a family of servants and workmen, than if it were inferior and bad in its quality. It may be thought strange by adding the name of good to small beer, but it must be acknowleged that there is a great disparity in the quality of ales, and why not in small beer; on the one hand, it certainly depends on what length you draw from quantity of malt.

Small beer should be let down into the tun much warmer than ale; and as soon as it shews an inclination to work it should be cleansed; it will then work well in the casks, and will have a quick, lively taste. Small beer, not having a sufficient strength, cannot support a long fermentation in the tun: for if it is worked cold, and left too long in the tun, it will drink flat and unpleasant.

Now, as I said before, there will be no more good small beer consumed in a family, than if it were ever so bad; for when a workman or servant has occasion for a pot of small beer, if bad, he will, perhaps, drink a part of it, and throw the remainder away, and, very likely, carelessly leave the cock dropping, in order to get rid of such a bad commodity the sooner. Now, on the other hand, if the small beer was good, the consumers would take care to leave the cock, &c. secure, well knowing they should not have a better substitute.

Cleanliness in the Cellar.

Care should be taken to keep the cellar clean, (especially those who are situated near the south aspect; or shallow, where the sun has any power,) by scraping the yeast from the bung-holes of the casks; else in warm weather it will smell offensive, and insects will breed therein, which must be injurious to the beer, if the bung-holes are open.

The dropping of the cock, tap tubs, &c. will cause fulsome smells in the cellar, which frequently require to be washed down; for washing and cleaning your cellar often, will keep your beer in a cool state, and will be the means of preventing mild ale from becoming stale.

Put some hops into your ale and small beer casks a few days before you want to tap them for use; even those hops that have already been used in brewing will be found serviceable in fining your beer, and will not cause it to be too bitter, but will prevent your small beer from becoming sour. Notwithstanding their being used in brewing, they will be found by experience to be very serviceable for the purpose before mentioned. Another advantage will arise, they will serve the use of fresh hops, which, when dear, will be found to be a considerable saving.

Note. They are recommended for beer that is for present drinking, as they cannot be expected to be sufficient for beer intended for a long standing.

Another advantage will be found when a length of ale is brewed, and no small beer made, the hops will then be found of greater utility, as they will contain the same quality as the ale they were brewed with; consequently the ale and small beer they are put into will receive a greater advantage therefrom.

This may not seem consistent, as mild ales and small beer seldom have any hops put into the casks; but when a cask of beer is a considerable time at tap, it will certainly want something to feed on; this is one cause why small beer generally turns sour when it is nearly out; now by using the before mentioned hops it will be found to be a considerable remedy to prevent both mild ales and small beer from being hard and unpleasant.