HOME-BREW ALE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1931, Page 2

HOME-BREW ALE

A GROWING INDUSTRY. NO HOPE OF CHEAPER BEER. Home brewing of ale, it was learned by a “Dominion” reporter on Thursday last, has attained a wide vogue in Wellington City. It is qujte an easy undertaking, Grocers are selling cartons containing all the necessary ingredients for making ale and stout, All that is required is a utensi) in which to boipthe compound. For the expenditure of about lOs on hops, majt, sugar, and yeast a man can brew about 60 bottle#, and grocers report a thriving trade- in these commodities. Generally a copper boiler is used, hut all peop.e are not so fastidious. Quite palatable brews of aje have been turned out lately in kerosene tins. Anmng different little groups of amateur brewers a keen rivalry has developed, and when friends meet at their respective homes the rituaJ of “tasting” is gone through. Any improvement or variation is eagerly discussed, and the recipes sometimes changed. The new industry has resulted in a sudden passion for bottle collecting, the representative of a local wine and spirit firm said yesterday that his firm had recently supplied a few dozen bottles of ale for a social gathering, When he called next morning to collect the “empties” he was informed that one of the guests had requested permission to take the bottles, as he had some ala to put in them, Ironmongers report good business in the sale of clip tops for bottles. “I do not, think there will be any alteration in the retail prices of liquor in Wellington to meet home-brewing, which is certainly reaching alarming proportions,” said Mr Percy Coyle, secretary of the New Zealand Licensed Victuallers’ Association, when the subject was referred to him. “This is consistent," he said, “with what has taken place in other countries, where the natural product, owing to heavy duties, has been replaced by queer concoctions, very often with disastrous results. Few people realise the enormous overhead charges that are associated with the conduct of licensed hotels. For the four cities in New Zealand, with a total of 190 hotels, the local body rates alone amount to £52,358 6s Bd, •Wellington, with 47 hotels, contributing £21,055 13s 9d, an average of £447 19s 2d. This is just one of the items. “Home-brewing is resulting in a serious decrease in the revenue derived from excise,’’ Mr Coyle added. “Since the last increase in excise, the amount up to March 31 was over £45,000 less than for the previous year. I think reductions in the price of liquor can only be considered when business increases and the duty is reduced.”