beer, past the Art of Man to Cure, because this, like Cyder made from
Apples directly off the Tree, that never sweated out their phlegmatick
crude juice in the heap, cannot produce a natural Liquor from such
unnatural management; for barley certainly is not fit to make Malt of
until it is fully mellowed and sweated in the Mow, and the Season of the
Year is ready for it, without both which there can be no assurance of good
Malt: Several instances of this untimely making Malt I have known to
happen, that has been the occasion of great quantities of bad Ales and
Beers, for such Malt, retaining none of its Barley nature, or that the
Season of the Year is not cold enough to admit of its natural working on
the Floor, is not capable of producing a true Malt, it will cause its
Drink to stink in the cask instead of growing fit for use, as not having
its genuine Malt-nature to cure and preserve it, which all good Malts
contribute to as well as the Hop.

There is another damage I have known accrue to the Buyer of Malt by
Mellilet, a most stinking Weed that grows amongst some Barley, and is so
mischievously predominant, as to taint it to a sad degree because its
black Seed like that of an Onion, being lesser than the Barley, cannot be
entirely separated, which obliges it to be malted with the Barley, and
makes the Drink so heady that it is apt to fuddle the unwary by drinking a
small quantity. This Weed is so natural to some Ground that the Farmer
despairs of ever extirpating it, and is to be avoided as much as possible,
because it very much hurts the Drink that is made from Malt mixed with it,
by its nauseous Scent and Taste, as may be perceived by the Ointment made
with it that bears its Name: I knew a Victualler that bought a parcel of
Malt that this weed was amongst, and it spoiled all the Brewings and Sale
of the Drink, for it's apt to cause Fevers, Colicks and other Distempers
in the Body.