A NOTE FOR BEER, DRINKERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 316, 2 March 1878, Page 21

A NOTE FOR BEER, DRINKERS.

(From the London Medical Examiner.) A general impression prevails that " ignorance is bliss." This manifestly depends on the nature of the ignorance, and the nature of the bliss ; for example, it cannot be a blissful state to be unacquainted with the following preparations that are advertised, :—" Bavarian Bitters, lib., equals 64lbs. of hops. For adding to_ copper, or when racked." " Bisulphite of Lime, for the prevention of acetous fermentation of beer." " Double Humulin (Aroma), for flavoring mild like pale ales, lib., equal to 321bs. of hops." "Burton Water Crystals, especially recommended to brewers for rendering ales more preservative, improving attenuation, dropping clearer, paler in color more sparkling." The quotations we have given are from the advertisement sheet of a well-known and officially published class journal, and clearly show that ignorance produces at any rate in the beer-drinker, headache, and stomach-ache, rather than the bliss that poets write of. Now, if we could but restore the brewers of England to that condition of ignorance when they could only brew beer with malt and hops, we might fairly regard as a case of ignorance being bliss. As it Fs, however, this age of science has produced brewers that are chemists, and wine merchants that are perfect masters of that mysterious department of knowledge that is euphemistically called " blessing." We can scarcely complain of the danger that has arisen from a little knowledge ; our trouble has clearly come from our drink-makers knowing too much.