Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-07-04
THE BEER DRINKERS PARADISE.

The United States consul at Nuremberg,
Mr.. G. II. Horstmann, has been devoting
his leisure time to an investigation of the
brewing industry in Bavaria, and the result
is before us in the shape of paper in the
current number of consular reports published
by the Government. Mr.. Horstmann tackles
his subject con amore, and manifests an en-
thusiasm which will hardly be
appreciated in these colder parts
of the country where beer-drinking
has not yet been established as a cult &,
Thus in his introduction he says: "The
origin of beer, like that of many of the best
institutions of this world, is lost in the gray
mists of antiquity. 1t is very natural
that wine should have been the beverage to
be first invented, for it is made Of a single
ingredient, which, in its natural state, is
pleasant to the taste. 1t must have been a
fine mind, however, to conceive that in a
combination Of hops and malt, neither of
which is palatable in its separate state, one
of the most delicious beverages should come
to light. Perhaps like macy other great in
ventions it was the result of chance" After
this cheerful introduction our writer pro-
ceeds to marshal his facts. Bavaria is about
the size of Vermont, but has population of
1894, IT'S. The country has 54S2 brewer
| les, or a little more than one to each thou
sand inhabitants. These breweries consume
annually ID 500, 500 bushels of malt, which
are converted into about S,070, 900 barrels of
beer. Nearly the whole amount is consum
cd in the country, only about seven pei
cent OF the product being exported. Mr.
IIorstmann points with pride to the fact
that the average consumption of beer in
Bavaria exceeds that in any other country
of the globe, the record being 260 quarts pei
capita year, against 1926 in Wurtemburg
1865 in Belgium, 1875 in England, 60 If
North Germany, 63 in Denmark, As in the
United States, and % in France. In Munich
the consumption reaches the enormous fig
ure of 470 quarts to each man, woman ant
child, or about one quart and a third day
for each inhabitant. Beer is not regarded a
a stimulant or delicacy, but is often styled
the "liquid bread of the laborer, who gen
orally takes beer for breakfast. The yer,
babies begin drinking beer almost as soon a
they do milk. Making due allowance TO
the comparatively small amount consumed
by infants, and the fact that the draughts O
the female sex are more moderate than thos
of the men, Consul Horstmann estimates tina
each male beyond the age of sixteen mus
drink an average of from two and a half t.
three quarts a day. But three quarts da,
would be considered small allowance BY
many Bavarian, and there are thousand
of men who drink their eight quarts regular
" every day of their lives, not TO speak O
Exceptional cases where an expert "get
away with" ten to twelve quarts at sitting
1t should be said IN partial explanation tina
the percentage of alcohol in Bavarian bee
is less than in any other, being but about 4
per cent. of the winter beer and As per cent
of the summer beer. These figures will tenc
to give our readers an increased respect fo
the capacities Of the human stomach, if no
for the intellectual powers of the thirsty Ba
yarians