d
number_. The custom of brewing at home has so long ceased amongst
labourers, and, in many cases, amongst tradesmen, that it was necessary
for me fully to state my reasons for wishing to see the custom revived. I
shall, in my next, clearly explain how the operation is performed; and it
will be found to be so _easy a thing_, that I am not without hope, that
many _tradesmen_, who now spend their evenings at the public house, amidst
tobacco smoke and empty _noise_, may be induced, by the finding of better
drink at home, at a quarter part of the price, to perceive that home is by
far the pleasantest place wherein to pass their hours of relaxation.

35. My work is intended chiefly for the benefit of _cottagers_, who must,
of course, have some _land_; for, I purpose to show, that a large part of
the food of even a large family may be raised, without any diminution of
the labourer's earnings abroad, from forty rod, or a quarter of an acre,
of ground; but at the same time, what I have to say will be applicable to
larger establishments, in all the branches of domestic economy: and
especially to that of providing a family with _beer_.

36. The _kind of beer_, for a labourer's family, that is to say, the
_degree of strength_, must depend on circumstances; on the numerousness of
the family; on the season of the year, and various other things. But,
generally speaking, beer _half_ the strength of that mentioned in
paragraph 25 will be quite strong enough; for that is, at least, one-third
stronger than the farm-house "_small beer_," which, however, as long
experience has proved, is best suited to the purpose. A judicious labourer
would probably always have some _ale_ in his house, and have small beer
for the general drink. There is no reason why he should not keep
_Christmas_ as well as the farmer; and when he is _mowing_, _reaping_, or
is at any other hard work, a quart, or three pints, of _really good fat
ale_ a-day is by no means too much. However, circumstances vary so much
with different labourers, that as to the _sort_ of beer, and the number of
brewings, and the times of brewing, no general rule can be laid down.

37. Before I proceed to explain the uses of the several brewing utensils,
I must speak of the _quality_ of the materials of which beer is made; that
is to say, the _malt_, _hops_, and _water_. Malt varies very much in
quality, as, indeed, it must, with the quality of the barley. When good,
it is full of flour, and i