CHAP. XVIII.


_Of Bunging Casks and Carrying of Malt Liquors to some distance_.


I am sure this is of no small Consequence, however it may be esteemed as a
light matter by some; for if this is not duly perform'd, all our Charge,
Labour and Care will be lost; and therefore here I shall dissent from my
_London_ Fashion, where I bung'd up my Ale with Pots of Clay only, or with
Clay mix'd with Bay Salt, which is the better of the two, because this
Salt will keep the Clay moist longer than in its Original State; and the
Butt Beers and fine Ales were Bung'd with Cork drove in with a piece of
Hop-Sack or Rag, which I think are all insipid, and the occasion of
spoiling great Quantities of Drink, especially the small Beers; for when
the Clay is dry, which is soon in Summer, there cannot be a regular Vent
thro' it, and then the Drink from that time flattens and stales to the
great loss in a Year to some Owners, and the Benefit of the Brewer; for
then a fresh Cask must be Tapp'd to supply it, and the remaining part of
the other throw'd away. Now, to prevent this great Inconvenience, my
Bung-holes are not quite of the largest size of all, and yet big enough
for the common wooden Iron Hoop'd Funnel used in some Brew-houses: In this
I put in a turned piece of Ash or Sallow three Inches broad at Top, and
two Inches and a half long, first putting in a double piece of dry brown
Paper, that is so broad that an Inch or more may be out of it, after the
wooden Bung is drove down with a Hammer pretty tight; this Paper must be
furl'd or twisted round the Bung, and another loose piece upon and around