_England_, and many thousand Quarters of this Malt has been formerly used
in _London_ for brewing the Butt-keeping-beers with, and that because it
sold for two Shillings _per_ Quarter cheaper than the Straw-dryed Malt,
nor was this Quality of the Wood-dryed Malt much regarded by some of its
Brewers, for that its ill Taste is lost in nine or twelve Months, by the
Age of the Beer, and the strength of the great Quantity of Hops that were
used in its Preservation.

The Fern-dryed Malt is also attended with a rank disagreeable Taste from
the smoak of this Vegetable, with which many Quarters of Malt are dryed,
as appears by the great Quantities annually cut by Malsters on our
Commons, for the two prevalent Reasons of cheapness and plenty.

At _Bridport_ in _Dorsetshire_, I knew an Inn-keeper use half Pale and
half Brown Malt for Brewing his Butt-beers, that, proved to my Palate the
best I ever drank on the Road, which I think may be accounted for, in that
the Pale being the slackest, and the Brown the hardest dryed, must produce
a mellow good Drink by the help of a requisite Age, that will reduce those
extreams to a proper Quality.




CHAP. V.


_Of the Nature of several Waters and their use in Brewing. And first of
Well-waters_.