PRISONERS AS BREWERS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 823, 14 December 1905, Page 25

PRISONERS AS BREWERS.

The Tokio correspondent of the “Express” relates a striking example of the resourcefulness of some Russian prisoners who were found in a drunken condition. A search of their quarters revealed the fact that they had set up a miniature beer brewery. With the flour supplied them from the kitchen they mixed a quantity of hops and crushed potatoes. This was laid aside for a week in order to ferment, and was finally brewed, producing what the correspondent describes as an excellent beer.

We always feel virtuous when we give our friends the benefit of the doubt. According to the Bureau of Statistics at Washington, the order of nations in respect of their smoking capacitv is: — Belgum, 6.211 b; United States" 5.40; Germany, 3.44; Austria, 3.02; Canada, 2.74; Australia, 21.59; Hungary, 2.42; Frami?, 2.16: Uivted Kingdom, 1.95; Mexico, 1.39; Russia-, 1.10. The man who is the picture of good health should be provided with a good frame.

An attempt to introduce ’.nto London tlm American Quick Service system of restaurants has resulted in failure.

In the British Isles are now produced 2508 newspapers, to which total London alone contributes 496, while there are also published a variety of magazines and reviews to the number of 1540.

It may be hoped that the report which the beer judges at the late Brewers’ Show have just made to the Directors of the Exhibition regarding the quality and purity of the beers entered this year for competition will disabuse the mind of the public that beer to-day is largely made from hop substitutes and other ingredients rather than from malt and hops (says the “Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette”). 'I he entries numbered 215, and as they were sent from all parts of the kingdom they may be said to fairly re present the character of the national beverage as supplied to the consumer throughout the country. This is what the judges say :

“We are unanimously of opinion that the standard of quality attained this year has never been surpassed. With few exceptions all beers were brilliant and pos-

sessed an aroma, flavour, and palatability which left nothing to be desired. These results could only have been obtained by the use of good sound materials, malt and hops, and careful attention to every detail necessary to the brewing of a good sound beer of high quality.”

Over and beyond this report of the judges the official analyst to the Exhibition—Mr Matthew M. Cannon—has also testified to the purity of the beers sent in. He is very emphatic : “Of the purity of the beers exhibited there can be no possible doubt ; they are free from preservatives, hop substitutes, or other deleterious compounds. In fact, my experience is that beer maintains a standard of purity and freedom from added chemicals which I would desire to have other beverages attain to. The exhibits included some of the finest trade beers that, in my opinion, I have ever had under mv notice.”

There can be no doubt, as Mr Cannon says, that each brewer throughout the United Kingdom fully recognises that with stress of present day competition quality and purity alone will satisfy the customer.

Engl and is a beer-dr nking country, and however chesp clare. may become it is not likely that the working classes will ever give up their “ glorious beer” in favour of cheap Continental or even colonial wines. According to a writer in the Daily Ma:l, there is a distinct “revival in claret,” and it is even hinted, though not “ seriously suggested,” that ' he entente cordietle has had something to do in changing the fashion in wines. The spread of education and the refinement of ideas may possibly induce many neople to take wine with their meals instead of malt liquor, but the brewers of. the United Kingdom will undoubtedly continue to flourish as of old. No one -an dispute the fact that as regards value 'or money Bordeaux claret is alt the pre"nt time far and away the cheapest beverage derived from the grape, while it is certainly one of the most wholesome.

and the wine merchants of this country who have been suffering from bad trade for a considerable time past will only be too glad if this “revival of claret” has come to stay. That it would be helped by some such reciprocal arrangement as that which M. Yves Guyot, the famous French economist, is now advocating, namely, the abolition of the surtax d entrepot by France and a reduction in the duty on wines by England, goes without saying. After all, the entente cordials may prove of some practical value to the wine trade.