Sometimes such Fermentations will happen in Drink, by change of Weather, if
it is in a bad Cellar, and it will in a few Months fall fine of it self,
and grow mellow.
It is remarkable, that high-dry'd Malt should not be used in Brewing till
it has been ground ten Days, or a Fortnight, it yields much stronger Drink
than the same quantity of Malt fresh ground; but if you design to keep Malt
some time ground before you use it, you must take care to keep it very dry,
and the Air at that time should likewise be dry. And as for Pale Malt,
which has not partaken so much of the Fire, it must not remain ground above
a Week before you use it.
As for Hops, the newest are much the best, tho' they will remain very good
two Years; but after that, they begin to decay, and lose their good Flavour
unless great Quantities have been kept together; for in that case they Will
keep much longer good than in small Quantities. These, for their better
preservation, should be kept in a very dry Place, tho' the Dealers in them
rather chuse such Places as are moderately between moist and dry, that they
may not lose of their Weight. I cannot help taking notice here of a Method
which was used to some stale and decay'd Hops the last Year 1725, to make
them recover their Bitterness; which was to unbag them, and sprinkle them
with Aloes and Water, which, together with the badness of the Malt of the
same Year's growth, spoil'd great quantities of Drink about _London_; for
even where the Water, the Malt, and the Brewer, and Cellars are good, a bad
Hop will spoil all: So that every one of these Particulars should be
well-chosen before the Brewing is set about, or else we must expect but a
bad Account of our Labour.
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