for a long time suffered great Prejudices from unwholsome and unpleasant
Beers and Ales, by the badness of Malts, underboiling the Worts, mixing
injurious Ingredients, the unskilfulness of the Brewer, and the great
Expense that Families have been at in buying them clogg'd with a heavy
Excise, has moved me to undertake the writing of this Treatise on Brewing,
Wherein I have endeavour'd to set in sight the many advantages of Body
and Purse that may arise from a due Knowledge and Management in Brewing
Malt Liquors, which are of the greatest Importance, as they are in a
considerable degree our Nourishment and the common Diluters of our Food;
so that on their goodness depends very much the Health and Longevity of
the Body.

This bad Economy in Brewing has brought on such a Disrepute, and made our
Malt Liquors in general so odious, that many have been constrain'd, either
to be at an Expence for better Drinks than their Pockets could afford, or
take up with a Toast and Water to avoid the too justly apprehended ill
Consequences of Drinking such Ales and Beers.

Wherefore I have given an Account of Brewing Beers and Ales after several
Methods; and also several curious Receipts for feeding, fining and
preserving Malt Liquors, that are most of them wholsomer than the Malt
itself, and so cheap that none can object against the Charge, which I
thought was the ready way to supplant the use of those unwholsome
Ingredients that have been made too free with by some ill principled
People meerly for their own Profit, tho' at the Expence of the Drinker's
Health.

_I hope I have adjusted that long wanted Method of giving a due Standard
both to the Hop and Wort, which never was yet (as I know of) rightly
ascertain'd in Print before, tho' the want of it I am perswaded has been