time in the Copper. And if they are boiled too long, they will then
thicken (for one may boil a Wort to a Salve) and not come out of the
Copper fine and in a right Condition, which will cause it never to be
right clear in the Barrel; an _Item_ sufficient to shew the mistake of all
those that think to excel in Malt Liquors, by boiling them two or three
Hours, to the great Confusion of the Wort, and doing more harm than good
to the Drink.

But to be more particular in those two Extreams, it is my Opinion, as I
have said before, that no Ale Worts boiled less than an Hour can be good,
because in an Hour's time they cannot acquire a thickness of Body any ways
detrimental to them, and in less than an Hour the ramous viscid parts of
the Ale cannot be sufficiently broke and divided, so as to prevent it
running into Cohesions, Ropyness and Sowerness, because in Ales there are
not Hops enough allowed to do this, which good boiling must in a great
measure supply, or else such Drink I am sure can never be agreeable to the
Body of Man; for then its cohesive Parts being not thoroughly broke and
comminuted by time and boiling, remains in a hard texture of Parts, which
consequently obliges the Stomach to work more than ordinary to digest and
secrete such parboiled Liquor, that time and fire should have cured
before: Is not this apparent in half boil'd Meats, or under-bak'd Bread,
that often causes the Stomach a great fatigue to digest, especially in
those of a sedentary Life; and if that suffers, 'tis certain the whole
Body must share in it: How ignorant then are those People, who, in tipling
of such Liquor, can praise it for excellent good Ale, as I have been an
eye-witness of, and only because its taste is sweetish, (which is the
nature of such raw Drinks) as believing it to be the pure Effects of the
genuine Malt, not perceiving the Landlord's Avarice and Cunning to save
the Consumption of his Wort by shortness of boiling, tho' to the great
Prejudice of the Drinker's Health; and because a Liquid does not afford