59. A Correspondent at _Morpeth_ says, the whole of the utensils used by him are a twenty-gallon _pot_, a mashing-tub, that also answers for a tun-tub, and a shallow tub for a cooler; and that these are plenty for a person who is any thing of a contriver. This is very true; and these things will cost no more, perhaps, than _forty shillings_. A nine gallon cask of beer can be brewed very well with such utensils. Indeed, it is what used to be done by almost every labouring man in the kingdom, until the high price of malt and comparatively low price of wages rendered the people too poor and miserable to be able to brew at all. A Correspondent at Bristol has obligingly sent me the model of utensils for _brewing on a small scale_; but as they consist chiefly of _brittle ware_, I am of opinion that they would not so well answer the purpose.
60. Indeed, as to the country labourers, all they want is the ability to _get the malt_. Mr. ELLMAN, in his evidence before the Agricultural Committee, said, that, when he began farming, forty-five years ago, there was not a labourer's family in the parish that did not brew their own beer and enjoy it by their own fire-sides; and that, _now, not one single family did it, from want of ability to get the malt_. It is the _tax_ that prevents their getting the malt; for, the barley is cheap enough. The tax causes a monopoly in the hands of the maltsters, who, when the tax is _two_ and _sixpence_, make the malt, cost 7_s._ 6_d._, though the barley cost but 2_s._ 6_d._; and though the malt, tax and all, ought to cost him about 5_s._ 6_d._ If the tax were taken off, this _pernicious monopoly_ would be destroyed.
61. The reader will easily see, that, in proportion to the quantity wanted to be brewed must be the size of the utensils; but, I may observe here, that the above utensils are sufficient for three, or even four, bushels of malt, if stronger beer be wanted.
62. When it is necessary, in case of falling short in the quantity wanted to fill up the ale cask, some may be taken from the small beer. But, upon the _whole brewing_, there ought to be no falling short; because, if the casks be not _filled up_, the beer will not be good, and certainly will not _keep_. Great care should be taken as to the _cleansing_ of the _casks_. They should be made perfectly _sweet_; or it is impossible to have good beer.