threepence) of the Egg-shel must Swim above the
Liquor ; which then put again into your Copper to
boil. It will be some while, before it boil, (perad-
venture a good quarter of an hour) but all that while
scum will rise, which skim away still as it riseth ;
and it should be clear scummed by then it boileth :
which as soon as it doth, turn up an hour Glass,
and let it boil well a good hour. A good quarter
before the hour is out, put to it a pound of White-
Ginger beaten exceedingly small and searsed(which
will sever all the skins and course parts from the
fine) which having boiled a quarter of an hour, so
to make up the whole hour of boiling, pour out
the Liquor into wide open Vats to cool. When it
is quite cold, put a pottle of New-ale-barm into a
Pipe or Butt, standing endwise with his head out,
and pour upon it a Pail-full of your cool Liquor✪ Mr. Pierce's Excellent White Metheglin
out of one of the Vats ; which falling from high
upon it with force, will break and dissipate the barm
into atoms, and mix it with the Liquor. Pour im-
mediately another pail-ful to that, continuing to do
so, till all the Liquor be in. Which by this time and
this course will be uniformly mixed with the barm,
and begin to work. Yet scoop and lade it well a
while, to make the mixtion more perfect, and set the
working well on foot. Then cover your But-head
with a sheet onelyin Summer, but blankets in Win-
ter; and let your Liquor work about 24 hours or
more. The measure of that is, till the barm (which
is raised to a great head) beginneth a little to fall.
Then presently scum of the thick head of the barm,
but take not all away so scrupulously, but that there
THE CLOSET OPEU^jED 49
may remain a little white froth upon the face of the
Liquor. Which scoop and lade strongly, mingling
all to the bottom, that this little remaining barm
may by this agitation be mixed a new with the
whole. Then immediately Tun this Liquor into
two hogsheads that have served for Spanish-wine
(be sure to fill them quite full) and there let it work
two or three days ; that is to say, till you see that
all the feculent substance is wrought out, and that
what runneth out, beginneth to be clear, though
a little whitish or frothy on the upperside of the
stream thatruns downalongtheoutsideof thehogs-
head. (If there should be a little more then to fill
two hogsheads, put it in a Rundlet by it self.) Then
take some very strong firm Paper, and wet it on
one side with some of the barm that works out,
and lay that side over the bung to cover it close.
The barm will make it stick fast to the hogshead.
This covering will serve for a monethortwo. Then
stop it close with strongCork fitted to the hole, with
a linnen about it, to press it fast in : But let a little
vent with a peg in it be made in hogshead, in some
fit place above. This may be fit to broach in five or
six moneths ; but three weeks or a moneth before
you do so, put into each hogshead half an ounce of
Cinnamon ; and two ounces of Cloves beaten into
most subtile powder. (Sometimes he leaves out the
Cloves) which will give it a most pleasant flavor ;
and they (as the Ginger did) sink down to the bot-
tome and never trouble the Liquor. If they be put
in long before (much more if they be boiled) they
loose all their taste and Spirits entirely. This will
so SIR KENELMS DIGBIS
Page 45 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
threepence) of the Egg-shel must Swim above the Liquor ; which then put again into your Copper to boil. It will be some while, before it boil, (peradventure a good quarter of an hour) but all that while scum will rise, which skim away still as it riseth ; and it should be clear scummed by then it boileth : which as soon as it doth, turn up an hour Glass, and let it boil well a good hour. A good quarter before the hour is out, put to it a pound of White- Ginger beaten exceedingly small and searsed(which will sever all the skins and course parts from the fine) which having boiled a quarter of an hour, so to make up the whole hour of boiling, pour out the Liquor into wide open Vats to cool. When it is quite cold, put a pottle of New-ale-barm into a Pipe or Butt, standing endwise with his head out, and pour upon it a Pail-full of your cool Liquor out of one of the Vats ; which falling from high upon it with force, will break and dissipate the barm into atoms, and mix it with the Liquor. Pour immediately another pail-ful to that, continuing to do so, till all the Liquor be in. Which by this time and this course will be uniformly mixed with the barm, and begin to work. Yet scoop and lade it well a while, to make the mixtion more perfect, and set the working well on foot. Then cover your But-head with a sheet onelyin Summer, but blankets in Winter; and let your Liquor work about 24 hours or more. The measure of that is, till the barm (which is raised to a great head) beginneth a little to fall. Then presently scum of the thick head of the barm, but take not all away so scrupulously, but that there
may remain a little white froth upon the face of the Liquor. Which scoop and lade strongly, mingling all to the bottom, that this little remaining barm may by this agitation be mixed a new with the whole. Then immediately Tun this Liquor into two hogsheads that have served for Spanish-wine (be sure to fill them quite full) and there let it work two or three days ; that is to say, till you see that all the feculent substance is wrought out, and that what runneth out, beginneth to be clear, though a little whitish or frothy on the upperside of the stream that runs down along the outside of the hogshead. (If there should be a little more then to fill two hogsheads, put it in a Rundlet by it self.) Then take some very strong firm Paper, and wet it on one side with some of the barm that works out, and lay that side over the bung to cover it close. The barm will make it stick fast to the hogshead. This covering will serve for a monethortwo. Then stop it close with strongCork fitted to the hole, with a linnen about it, to press it fast in : But let a little vent with a peg in it be made in hogshead, in some fit place above. This may be fit to broach in five or six moneths ; but three weeks or a moneth before you do so, put into each hogshead half an ounce of Cinnamon ; and two ounces of Cloves beaten into most subtile powder. (Sometimes he leaves out the Cloves) which will give it a most pleasant flavor ; and they (as the Ginger did) sink down to the bottome and never trouble the Liquor. If they be put in long before (much more if they be boiled) they loose all their taste and Spirits entirely. This will
Records on this page
Mr. Pierce's Excellent White Metheglin