18th Century Brewing
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THE LONDON and COUNTRY BREWER 1736
CHAP. XVI.
Of the Cellar or Repository for keeping Beers and Ales.
It's certain by long Experience, that the Weather or Air has not only a
Power or Influence in Brewings; but also after the Drink is in the Barrel,
Hogshead or Butt, in Cellars or other Places, which is often the cause of
forwarding or retarding the fineness of Malt Liquors; for if we brew in
cold Weather, and the Drink is to stand in a Cellar of Clay, or where
Springs rise, or Waters lye or pass through, such a Place by consequence
will check the due working of the Drink, chill, flat, deaden and hinder it
from becoming fine. So likewise if Beer or Ale is brewed in hot Weather
and put into Chalky, Gravelly or Sandy Cellars, and especially if the
Windows open to the South, South-East, or South-West, then it is very
likely it will not keep long, but be muddy and stale: Therefore, to keep
Beer in such a Cellar, it should be brewed in October, that the Drink
may have time to cure itself before the hot Weather comes on; but in
wettish or damp Cellars, 'tis best to Brew in March, that the Drink may
have time to fine and settle before the Winter Weather is advanced. Now
such Cellar Extremities should, if it could be done, be brought into a
temperate State, for which purpose some have been so curious as to have
double or treble Doors to their Cellar to keep the Air out, and then
carefully shut the outward, before they enter the inward one, whereby it
will be more secure from aerial Alterations; for in Cellars and Places,
that are most exposed to such Seasons, Malt Liquors are frequently
disturb'd and made unfit for a nice Drinker; therefore if a Cellar is kept
dry and these Doors to it, it is reckoned warm in Winter and cool in
Summer, but the best of Cellars are thought to be those in Chalks, Gravels
or Sands, and particularly in Chalks, which are of a drying quality more
than any other, and consequently dissipates Damps the most of all Earths,
which makes it contribute much to the good keeping of the Drink; for all
damp Cellars are prejudicial to the Preservation of Beers and Ales, and
sooner bring on the rotting of the Casks and Hoops than the dry ones;
Insomuch that in a chalky Cellar near me, their Ashen broad Hoops have
lasted above thirty Years. Besides, in such inclosed Cellars and temperate
Air, the Beers and Ales ripen more kindly, are better digested and
softned, and drink smoother: But when the Air is in a disproportion by the
Cellars letting in Heats and Colds, the Drink will grow Stale and be
disturbed, sooner than when the Air is kept out. From hence it is, that in
some Places their Malt Liquors are exceeding good, because they brew with
Pale or Amber Malts, Chalky Water, and keep their Drinks in close Vaults
or proper dry Cellars, which is of such Importance, that notwithstanding
any Malt Liquor may be truly brewed, yet it may be spoiled in a bad Cellar
that may cause such alternate Fermentations as to make it thick and sour,
tho' it sometimes happens that after such Changes it fines itself again;
and to prevent these Commotions of the Beer, some brew their pale Malt in
March and their brown in October, for that the pale Malt, having not
so many fiery Particles in it as the brown, stands more in need of the
Summer's Weather to ripen it, while the brown sort being more hard and dry
is better able to defend itself against the Winter Colds that will help to
smooth its harsh Particles; yet when they happen to be too violent,
Horse-dung should be laid to the Windows as a Fortification against them;
but if there were no Lights at all to a Cellar, it would be better.
Some are of Opinion, that October is the best of all other Months to brew any sort of Malt in, by reason there are so many cold Months directly follow, that will digest the Drink and make it much excel that Brewed in March because such Beer will not want that Care and Watching, as that brewed in March absolutely requires, by often taking out and putting in the Vent-peg on Change of Weather; and if it is always left out, then it deadens and palls the Drink; yet if due Care is not taken in this respect, a Thunder or Stormy Night may marr all, by making the Drink ferment and burst the Cask; for which Reason, as Iron Hoops are most in Fashion at this time, they are certainly the greatest Security to the safety of the Drink thus exposed; and next to them is the Chesnut Hoop; both which will endure a shorter or longer time as the Cellar is more or less dry, and the Management attending them. The Iron Hoop generally begins to rust first at the Edges, and therefore should be rubbed off when opportunity offers, and be both kept from wet as much as possible; for 'tis Rust that eats the Iron Hoop in two sometimes in ten or twelve Years, when the Ashen and Chesnut in dry Cellars have lasted three times as long.
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