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BEER, ALE AND STOUT
"DEER and Ale are light beverages used mostly as thirst
-^quenchers, and with meals in which cheese and rye or
other bread are predominant.
The grain best suited to brewing Beer is Barley, and this
must be converted into Malt. The process of malting is per
formed as follows: The barley is first steeped in water and
afterwards spread out on large drying floors. With its own
warmth and moisture, it begins to sprout. When it has
reached a certain length it is dried in the kilns and becomes
"malt". Ifdried at alow temperature it is"Pale Malt"from
which Pale Beer is brewed; but if roasted at a greater heat it
becomes "Brown Malt" suitable for Dark Beer.
The malt is next crushed and put into the mash tub, where
it is mixed with water. The resulting liquid, now called
"wort",is then strained off, hops are added, and the mixture
brought to a boil in the brew kettle for several hours. It is
then rapidly cooled in refrigerators. Fermentation is started
by adding pure yeast, which by its marvelous power trans
forms the lifeless wort into sparkling beer. Beer is aged from
three to nine monthsin storage casks,and then bottled for the
market. It is always served cold.
The best qualities of Ale,such as Dog's Head and others,
are still imported from England, where the hard water is
suitable in making this famous beverage.
Guinness Stout,dark Ale,isimported from Dublin,Ireland.
The well known Pilsener and Wurzburger Beer comes from
Germany.
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