lve in bottles, before it be drank; and if well
brewed, it will keep and be very fine for eight or ten years. It will
however be ready for use in three or four months; and if the vent-peg be
never removed, it will have strength and spirit to the very last. But if
bottled, great care must be taken to have the bottles perfectly sweet
and clean, and the corks of the best quality. If the ale requires to be
refined, put two ounces of isinglass shavings to soak in a quart of the
liquor, and beat it with a whisk every day till dissolved. Draw off a
third part of the cask, and mix the above with it: likewise a quarter of
an ounce of pearl ashes, one ounce of salt of tartar calcined, and one
ounce of burnt alum powdered. Stir it well, then return the liquor into
the cask, and stir it with a clean stick. Stop it up, and in a few days
it will be fine. See BEER, BREWING.

ALE POSSET. Beat up the yolks of ten eggs, and the whites of four; then
put them into a quart of cream, mixed with a pint of ale. Grate some
nutmeg into it, sweeten it with sugar, set it on the fire, and keep it
stirring. When it is thick, and before it boils, take it off, and pour
it into a china bason. This is called King William's Posset. A very good
one may however be made by warming a pint of milk, with a bit of white
bread in it, and then warming a pint of ale with a little sugar and
nutmeg. When the milk boils, pour it upon the ale; let it stand a few
minutes to clear, and it will make a fine cordial.

ALEGAR. Take some good sweet wort before it is hopped, put it into a
jar, and a little yeast when it becomes lukewarm, and cover it over. In
three or four days it will have done fermenting; set it in the sun, and
it will be fit for use in three or four months, or much sooner, if
fermented with sour yeast, and mixed with an equal quantity of sour ale.

ALLSPICE, used as an essence, is made of a dram of the oil of pimento,
apothecaries' measure, mixed by degrees with two ounces of strong
spirits of wine. The tincture, which has a finer flavour than the
essence, is made of three ounces of bruised allspice, steeped in a quart
of brandy. Shake it occasionally for a fortnight, and then pour off the
clear liquor. A few drops of either will be a grateful addition to a
pint of gravy, or mulled wine, or in any case where allspice is used.

ALMOND BISCUITS. Blanch a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, and pound
them fine in a mortar, sprinkling them from time