and Yeast, that are, all Clogg'd with gross rigid Salts, which by their
long lying in the Butt or other Vessel, so tinctures the Beer as to make
it partake of all their raw Natures: For such is the Feed, such is the
Body, as may be perceived by Eels taken out of dirty Bottoms, that are
sure to have a muddy taste, when the Silver sort that are catched in
Gravelly or Sandy clear Rivers Eat sweet and fine: Nor can this ill
property be a little in those Starting (as they call it in _London_) new
thick Beers that were carry'd directly from my Brewhouse, and by a Leather
Pipe or Spout conveyed into the Butt as they stood in the Cellar, which I
shall further demonstrate by the Example of whole Wheat, that is, by many
put into such Beer to feed and preserve it, as being reckoned a
substantial Alcali; however it has been proved that such Wheat in about
three Years time has eat into the very Wood of the Cask, and there
Hony-comb'd it by making little hollow Cavities in the Staves. Others
there are that will hang a Bag of Wheat in the Vessel that it mayn't
touch the Bottom, but in both Cases the Wheat is discovered to absorp and
collect the saline acid qualities of the Beer, Yeast and Hop, by which
it is impregnated with their sharp qualities, as a Toast of Bread is put
into Punch or Beer, whose alcalous hollow Nature will attract and make a
Lodgment of the acid strong Particles in either, as is proved by eating
the inebriating Toast, and therefore the _Frenchman_ says, the _English_
are right in putting a Toast into the Liquor, but are Fools for eating it:
Hence it is that such whole Wheat is loaded with the qualities of the
unwholsome Settlements or Grounds of the Beer, and becomes of such a
corroding Nature, as to do this mischief; and for that reason, some in the
_North_ will hang a Bag of the Flower of malted Oats, Wheat, Pease and
Beans in the Vessels of Beer, as being a lighter and mellower Body than
whole Wheat or its Flower, and more natural to the Liquor: But whether it
be raw Wheat or Malted, it is supposed, after this receptacle has emitted
its alcalous Properties to the Beer, and taken in all it can of the acid