Drink may be most excellent, and better at nine Months Age, than at nine
Years, for Health and Pleasure of Body. But to be truly certain of the
right Time, there should be first an Examination made by Pegging the
Vessel to prove if such Drink is fine, the Hop sufficiently rotted, and it
be mellow and well tasted.




CHAP. XX.


_Of the Pleasure and Profit of Private Brewing, and the Charge of buying
Malt Liquors_.


Here I am to treat of the main Article of shewing the difference between
brewing our own Ales and Beers, and buying them, which I doubt not will
appear so plain and evident, as to convince any Reader, that many Persons
may save well towards half in half, and have their Beer and Ale strong,
fine and aged at their own Discretion: A satisfaction that is of no small
weight, and the rather since I have now made known a Method of Brewing a
Quantity of Malt with a little Copper and a few Tubs, a Secret that has
long wanted Publication; for now a Person may Brew in a little Room, and
that very safely by keeping his Wort from Foxing, as I have already
explained, which by many has been thought impossible heretofore; and this
Direction is the more Valuable as there are many Thousands who live in
Cities and Towns, that have no more than a few Yards Square of Room to
perform a private Brewing in. And as for the trouble, it is easy to
account for by those who have time enough on their Hands, and would do