discovered that ale kept in a corked bottle would become bubbly Quite early on, the discovery was attributed to Alexander Nowell, dean of St Paul’s Cathedral Thomas Fuller, in his 1662 History of the Worthies of England, wrote: Without offense it may be remembered, that leaving a bottle of ale, when fishing, in the grass, [Nowell] found it some days after, no bottle, but a gun, such the sound at the opening thereof: and this is believed (casualty is mother of more invention than industry) the original of bottled ale in England By 1700, glass-bottled ale sealed with cork and thread had become popular, along with sparkling Champagne (p 724) But both were largely novelties Most beer was drunk flat, or close to it, from barrels Centuries later, with the development of airtight kegs, of carbonation, and the increasing tendency to drink beer at home instead of at the tavern, bubbly beer became the rule Specialty Malts The 18th and 19th centuries were an innovative time in Britain, and it was early in this period that many of today’s familiar British brewing names — Bass, Guinness, and others — got their start By 1750, the greater control that coke and coal heat gave the maltster made gently dried pale malts possible, and thereby pale ales And in 1817, “patent malt” was developed This was malted barley roasted very dark, and used in small amounts only to adjust the color and flavor of ales and beers, not to provide fermentable sugars Patent and pale malts made it possible to produce a range of dark beers with a combination of light, largely fermentable malt and very dark coloring malt This was the beginning of porter and stout as we know them today: darker and heavier than ordinary brews, but much lighter and less ... Bass, Guinness, and others — got their start By 1750, the greater control that coke and coal heat gave the maltster made gently dried pale malts possible, and thereby pale ales And in 1817, “patent... combination of light, largely fermentable malt and very dark coloring malt This was the beginning of porter and stout as we know them today: darker and heavier than ordinary brews, but much lighter and. .. very dark, and used in small amounts only to adjust the color and flavor of ales and beers, not to provide fermentable sugars Patent and pale malts made it possible to produce a range of dark beers