In order to keep strong beer in a proper state of preservation, remember that when once the vessel is broached regard must be paid to the time in which it may be finished. If it is likely to be drunk up quickly, it will last good to the end, but if the draught is slow, it is best not to draw off quite half before bottling" the rest, otherwise it will grow fiat, dead, and sour.

In proportion to the quantity of liquor in a cask, it will be a shorter or longer time ripening. A vessel which contains two hogsheads of beer will require twice the time of one that contains only one hogshead to perfect itself, and it is found by experience that it is wise for those who are able, to brew a hogshead at once, instead of a less quantity, as the whole hogshead, if it be fit to draw in a year, will have body enough to keep it good for two, three, or four years, provided it has a sufficient strength of malt and hops.

In order to fine beer, some people who brew with high-dried barley malt put a bag containing about three pints of wheat into every hogshead of liquor, which will fine it and make the beer drink soft and mellow. Or three pints of wheat malt in a bag, put into a hogshead, will have the same effect.

"But all malt liquors, however well they may be brewed, may be spoiled by bad cellaring, which will sometimes make them ferment in the cask, and occasionally turn them thick and sour. When this occurs, the best way to restore the liquor is to open the bunghole of the cask for two or three days, and if that does not stop the fermentation, to put in two or three pounds of oystershells - first washed, dried well in an oven, and then beaten to a fine powder. After putting them in the liquor must be stirred a little, and it will soon settle fine, and lose its sharp taste.

"If this, however, does not prove effectual, draw the liquor off into another vessel, and suspend in it a small bag of wheat or wheat-malt in proportion to the size of the barrel".

"It will sometimes happen that such fermentation takes place from a change of weather. If the cellar is not bad, nothing need be done then; in a few months it will fine of itself and grow mellow".

In some old-fashioned country-houses it is the practice to dip whisks into yeast, then beat it well, and hang up the whisks with the yeast on them to dry. The beating and stirring one of these whisks in new wort will soon raise a fermentation. It is really better to work the wort well in the tun before putting it into the barrels. Some beat the yeast down very often while it is in the tun, and keep it there working two or three days, observing to put it into the barrel just when the yeast begins to fall. This liquor is in general very fine; while, on the contrary, that which is put into the barrel soon after it is brewed will be several months before it comes to a state of perfection.

With respect to the management of small beer, the first consideration should be to make it tolerably good in quality, which will always be found truly economical, as it will keep better and nourish the servants more, It is a known fact that beer saves butcher's meat; a consideration in these days of high prices for it. Servants who do not drink beer require more animal food.

It is advisable, where there is good cellarage, to brew a stock of table beer in March or October, or both months if possible, in hogsheads. The beer brewed in March should not be tapped till October, and that brewed in October should be tapped in March.

It may be as well to observe that, if the cellars are so situated as to be exposed to great heat, the October brewing will be best; for then the liquor will have time to digest before the warm weather comes.

If the cellars are damp and chilly, March is the best month to brew in. Some experienced householders use the pale malt in March and the brown in October, supposing that the pale malt, being then made with a less degree of heat than the brown, will ripen better in summer; and that the brown, which has been made with greater heat, can better stand the winter. But this is a mere matter of opinion.

The temperature of the cellar should be tested by a thermometer hung up in it. The height should be about 55° Fahrenheit.