ENGLISH “PURE BEER BILL.”

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 303, 14 May 1896, Page 9

ENGLISH “PURE BEER BILL.”

The following reasons are excellently given in a circular, issued by the Country Brewers’ Association (England), why the “Pure Beer Bill” should be opposed, from which we give these extracts :—

“ The Bill, if it becomes law, unless accompanied by a protective duty, must tend to increase the use of foreign barley, rather than the produce of the constituents of the members who support the Bill. “If these proposals were given effect to, the whole system of taxation would have to be revised at great cost to the country. Espionage in the brewery would be re-introdueed in the worst form, and one more injurious to the manufacturer than ever existed before.

“ It was urged in the memorial issued by the National Agricultural Union that such a measure might probably benefit ‘both the public health and the cause of temperance.’ Brewers in this country are frequently told that ‘ in the cause of public health and of temperance ’ they should imitate the high quality of foreign lager beers. These beers are often made from a large proportion of material other than barley malt, especially rice. Does Mr Quilter’s Bill exact any declaration of that fact from the foreigner ?

“ Foreign beers, as sent into this country, are brewed from materials other than barley malt. The Pilsener and other lager beers noted for their purity are brewed from rice, maize, and other grain products. These beers would come into this country comparatively unfettered, and the English brewers would be unable to compete against them, inasmueh as pale and light beers, for which there is a growing public taste, cannot be produced from dark-coloured British barley without the addition of foreign barley or other adjuncts. “ Again, the essential ingredients of good uniform beer are maltose and dextrin. The variation in English barleys, due to want of sun and heavy manuring, will not allow of this ratio being maintained in successive brewings. This deficiency is supplied by the use of brewing sugars, so that the continued employment of English barleys is rendered practicable. “ If both sugar and corn malts were prohibited, the farmer would not be a penny the richer. The amount would be made up by the use of foreign barleys, which are better ripened, grown on lighter soils, and contain more sugar when malted. “ The price of English barleys is governed by the price of foreign barleys, and the only way to benefit the English farmer in this direction is to put a protective duty on foreign barley, which one is given to understand, is not the policy of the Government or of the Agricultural Union.

“ On the question of purity of beer there is considerable misconception — e.g., the addition of sugar is supposed to render beer impure. Even if it were the case, and of this there is no proof, gingerbeer and many other teetotal beverages must be ranked as detrimeutal to the public health. Furthermore, special emphasis should be placed upon this practical point, that without the use of some preparation of sugar, much of the home-grown barley would often be useless for malt for brewing purposes.”