Shut up about Barclay Perkins - Casks in the 18th century
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Just a small text this time. One discussing the preparation of casks in the 18th century.
Why have a reproduced it? The main reason is cask lining. Or pitching the inside. There's been some disagreement about whether British casks were ever lined. This piece gives us our answer: sometimes.
"The casks should be got in perfect good order by the time the wort will be fit for putting into them ; and this is easily done, because we know perfectly when they will be wanted. Every thing should be of the best kind for this excellent sort of drink, and consequently the casks for keeping it should be of good stuff, and well made. No wood is proper but heart of oak : and they should be so well made, that the inside being true, and smooth, no foulness can lodge. It they have been painted some time, they will keep the drink the better, for the paint stops up the pores most perfectly, and by that means confines the spirit, of the drink much better than plain wood : but this ought to be done in time, and they must be very well freed of scent, by standing in the air, before they are used; for the abominable smell of fresh paint would certainly affect the beer while it was in so delicate a state as working. Never put this fine beer into a new cask : the true way to prepare the vessels for it, is to scald them very well, over and over, and then keep one or two brewings of good small beer in them. These will thoroughly season the cask ; and after this nothing will be required, but such through good cleaning as may be given by boiling water, and a little hard broom. When casks are. painted, this should be at the time of their first seasoning, that, if any flavour of the paint should be troublesome, it may be in the small beer, and not in such as is of this value."
"The complete English brewer" by George Watkins, 1773, pages 101-103.
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