Porter!

a pamphlet published in 1798 begins as follows:

To the PUBLIC

It has always been the fate of Persons, who, despising private interest, had no object in view but the public good, to meet with a host of enemies : prejudice, interest, influence and a thousand other obstacles oppose their endeavlours, and nothing but the conviction of truth could effectually secure their success. The author of this small tract, cannot ther fore expect to escape his share of obloquy and defamation, for exerting his small abilities to serve the labouring part of mankind, and, to render their situations more comfortable by a considerable reduction to their domestic expences.

what inflammatory, revolutionary idea is he to propose? read on...

The natural constitution of man, requires a portion of liquid aliment to assist digestion and nutrition ; and the hard-working branches of the Community receive from it support, spirit, and strength ; it is no wonder then, the ingenuity of man has exerted to produce liquors at once pleasant to the palate, reviving to the spirit, and productive of support. Gin, Brandy, Rum, Wine, Ale, Cyder, Mum, Perry, &c. &c. are proofs of the amazing invention of man to supply the defects of nature ; but, perhaps Porter for celebrity, universal use and estimation has not been equalled by any other liquor. The method of producing this beverage, and the ingredients of which it is composed, have been long kept an impenetrable secret ; if we consider the immense profits accruing from this secrecy, which perusal of this Treatise will prove incontrovertibly to any one, it will only be matter of wonder that any person should disclose it to the public ; and indeed had the author a private interest to serve, he could more profitably promote it by allowing the public still to be blinded, and the veil of mystery to remain unremoved from the art of Porter Brewing; but regardless of interested censure, or prejudiced dislike, he determines to exert his small powers, for the general benefit of society, and particularly for the lower classes.

The intention of this Treatise, is to induce the Tradesman, the Artizan, and the Mechanic, to turn their attention to the possibility of supplying themselves and families with a beverage much cheaper, and more nutritive than Porter, and yet retaining all its good qualities, and excluding its noxious ones. This may be done in the smallest families, in the smallest quantities and with the fewest conveniences, at little more than one-third of the present expence of Porter.