CHAPTER I.Suppression of Beer-shops in Egypt 2,000 B.C.?—?Brewing in a Teapot.?—?Ale Songs.?—?Distinctions between Ale and Beer.?—?Ale-Knights’ objection to Sack.?—?Hogarth and Temperance.?—?Importance of Ale to the Agricultural Labourer.?—?Sir John Barleycorne introduced to the Reader ...1
CHAPTER II.Origin and Antiquity of Ale and Beer ...25
CHAPTER III.Home-brewed Ales.?—?Old Receipts.?—?Historical Facts.?—?Dean Swift on Home-brew.?—?Christopher North’s Brew-house ...45
CHAPTER IV.Use and Importance of Hops in Beer: Their Introduction and History.?—?Hop-growers’ Troubles.?—?Medicinal Qualities.?—?Economical Uses.?—?Hop-pickers ...65
CHAPTER V.Ancient and Curious Laws relating to the manufacture and sale of Ale and Beer ...96
CHAPTER VI.Brewing and Malting in Early Times.?—?The Ale-wives.?—?The Brewers of Old London and the Brewers’ Company.?—?Anecdotes.?—?Quaint Epitaphs ...120
CHAPTER VII.Various Kinds of Ales and Beers.?—?Some Foreign Beers.?—?Receipts.?—?Songs.?—?Anecdotes ...151
CHAPTER VIII.Ale houses: Their Origin.?—?Hospitality in MediÆval Times.?—?Old London Inns and Taverns.?—?Anecdotes of Inns and Inn-keepers.?—?Curious Signs.?—?Signboard and Ale-house Verses.?—?Signboard Artists.?—?Ale-house Songs and Catches ...182
CHAPTER IX.Ancient Merry-makings, Feasts and Ceremonies peculiar to certain Seasons, at which Ale was the principal Drink.?—?Harvest Home, Sheep-shearing, and other songs ...232
CHAPTER X.The Ales.?—?Ale at Breakfast.?—?Bequests of Ale.?—?Drinking Customs.?—?A Sermon on Malt.?—?Excesses of the Clergy.?—?Anecdotes ...266
CHAPTER XI.Old Ballads, Songs and Verses relating to Ale and Beer ...294
CHAPTER XII.Brewing in the Present Day.?—?Anecdotal and Biographical Account of some representative London, Dublin, Burton and Country Brewing Firms.?—?Edinburgh Ales ...331
CHAPTER XIII.Porter and Stout.?—?Circumstances which led to their Introduction.?—?Value to the Working Classes.?—?Anecdotes.?—?“A Pot of Porter Oh!” ...365
CHAPTER XIV.Beverages compounded of Ale or Beer, with a number of Receipts.?—?Ancient Drinking Vessels.?—?Various Uses of Ale other than as a Drink ...378
CHAPTER XV.Old Medical Writers on Ale.?—?Adulteration of Ale.?—?Advantages of Malt Liquors to Labouring Classes.?—?Temperance versus Total Abstinence.?—?Anecdotes.?—?Gay’s Ballad ...408
