Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-02
MALT AND BEER.
Statistics on the Consumption Of Malt and
Beer by Mexico and the spanish
American Republics.
Correspondence Of the Gazette.

| Correspondence OF the Gazette.
! WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S.-An interest,"
| ing book has been issued by the depart
ment of state on the consump tion of malt
and beer in Mexico and the Spanish
| American republics. Consul General
| Warner p. Sutton of Mexico gives the
| following information regarding beer:
Beer Is not generally used in Mexico.
There are several breweries in principal
cities, but only one or two of these pro-
duce what judges call Il good article. As
the various beverages made from the
| maguey (agua miel, pulque, mescal,
etc. } are so cheap and well liked by the
great mass OF the people but little native
peer is used, except i'll a few cities. The
Europeans resident in the country, as also
our own couutrymen, and such
Mexicans as prefer beer, de-
mand better article than
the native beers. They may use less be-
cause of the expense, but insist on u
good quality. Many of these beer drink
ers use it at meals and on the road and
prefer it in bottles. 1t Is more difficult
to sell glass of beer for fifteen cents
than to sell pint bottle for thirty-ons
cents. This latter is the lowest rate
decent beer can be retailed at in the III
terror, and anything above this quality
sells for thirty-seven and half cents for
pint bottle.
In bottles, especially pints, it can be
more handily carried on Journeys and
kept fresh for use as needed. So tar as
l am aware there are only few places
in all Mexico where beer is kept on
draught. / have stated that it might be
sold in the interior ut from thIrty-one TO
thirty and half cents in Mexican
money for pint bottles. To show the eX-
penses which brings the cost TO this
amount | give the items:
One barrel of ten dozen pints will cost
from IS to SIS. 80 IN ST. Louis, Chicago or
Milwaukee. Freight to the border is
about 81 more, or, say, $40 United
States coin at the frontier. There are
small costs for brokerage, permits, etc.
from 8 cents to 10 cents per barrel,
according to amount of shipment. Ten
dollars United States coin may be stated
at S13 Mexican coin. On this barrel the
duties are 20 cents per kilogram net,
without allowance for breakage and by
custom house weights this barrel is held
to weigh net, A TO 40 Kilograms, causing
duty of, say, 50. Add to this per
cent on the duty as liquor tax and two
additional duties of . per cent and the
total duties are brought up to about
So 10. The freight from here to San
Luis Potosi ia about ST.. 30 per barrel, SO
that the total cost there would be, in
round numbers, nearly S25 Mexican coin.
One hundred and twenty pint bottles for
SIS would be about 81 cents each. The
small loss by breskage, with unenume-
rated incidental charges, may fairly run
the price up to 90 cents per pint. Some
al --fza
and expenses vary, so that, speaking
generally, the retail price is from 20
cents to 3715 cents for good beer. The
figures l have given above are generally
for carload lots. Lesser shipments
would usually cost considerably more.
The kinds most suited for sale here are
those made by the SchlitZ and Auheuser-
Busch companies of Milwaukee aud St.
Louis, although there are many other
kinds which have very good acceptation.
In some places the Pilsener is well liked
The large German population in Mex
leo, of course, prefer the beers of their
own country, such as Welner, MUNICH
ener, Hofbrau, etc. while considerable
quantities of the cheaper grades, Elb-
schloss, Loewendran and Stettin, have
been imported. Alsop's and Bass ale
are the favorite drinks in this line OF the
English speaking Europeans anu, lu
addition TO this, fine and cheap, but
rather thin, Swedish beer is much liked
by some.
The cheaper grades of European
beers are losing ground here, and
we are gaining in all except the highest
grades.
While the import duty is nearly or
quite 80 per cent of the Invoice cost We
can not hone to rapidly incI ease our
trade. Our dealers might perhaps secure
the privilege, by concessions, of holding
beer in kegs in bonded cold storage, but
the limited sales, cost of ice and freight
transport in refrigerator cars would, at
present at least, rather oyerbalance the
saving in duties.