omparatively low price of wages rendered the
people too poor and miserable to be able to brew at all. A Correspondent
at Bristol has obligingly sent me the model of utensils for _brewing on a
small scale_; but as they consist chiefly of _brittle ware_, I am of
opinion that they would not so well answer the purpose.

60. Indeed, as to the country labourers, all they want is the ability to
_get the malt_. Mr. ELLMAN, in his evidence before the Agricultural
Committee, said, that, when he began farming, forty-five years ago, there
was not a labourer's family in the parish that did not brew their own beer
and enjoy it by their own fire-sides; and that, _now, not one single
family did it, from want of ability to get the malt_. It is the _tax_ that
prevents their getting the malt; for, the barley is cheap enough. The tax
causes a monopoly in the hands of the maltsters, who, when the tax is
_two_ and _sixpence_, make the malt, cost 7_s._ 6_d._, though the barley
cost but 2_s._ 6_d._; and though the malt, tax and all, ought to cost him
about 5_s._ 6_d._ If the tax were taken off, this _pernicious monopoly_
would be destroyed.

61. The reader will easily see, that, in proportion to the quantity wanted
to be brewed must be the size of the utensils; but, I may observe here,
that the above utensils are sufficient for three, or even four, bushels of
malt, if stronger beer be wanted.

62. When it is necessary, in case of falling short in the quantity wanted
to fill up the ale cask, some may be taken from the small beer. But, upon
the _whole brewing_, there ought to be no falling short; because, if the
casks be not _filled up_, the beer will not be good, and certainly will
not _keep_. Great care should be taken as to the _cleansing_ of the
_casks_. They should be made perfectly _sweet_; or it is impossible to
have good beer.

63. The cellar, for beer to keep any length of time, should be cool. Under
_a hill_ is the best place for a cellar; but, at any rate, a cellar of
good depth, and _dry_. At certain times of the year, beer that is kept
long will ferment. The vent-pegs must, in such cases, be loosened a
little, and afterwards fastened.

64. Small beer may be tapped almost directly. It is a sort of joke that it
should _see a Sunday_; but, that it may do before it be two days old. In
short, any beer is better than water; but it should have some strength and
some _weeks_ of age at any rate.

65. I cannot conclude this Essay withou