The addition of sodium bicarbonate is resorted to in order to increase the effervescing power of the beverage, and, possibly in some instances, to neutralise the acids formed by the souring of new and hastily prepared beer.[73] One of the chief objections to which certain inferior varieties of American lager beer are open is that they are not allowed to “age” properly. The apparent gain to the brewer of such beer consists in an economy of time and ice; he is also enabled to turn over his invested capital sooner than the more scrupulous manufacturer, who is thus placed in a disadvantageous position so far as trade competition is concerned. It is stated that some of the beer made in the neighbourhood of New York is sent out for consumption two weeks after its brewing.[74] Beer of this character would be apt to contain abnormally large proportions of dextrine, dextrose, etc., as well as be contaminated with unchanged yeast and other products of imperfect fermentation. It is said to be the practice to submit it to a process of clarification by means of isinglass and cream of tartar, and then impart additional life to the product by adding sodium bicarbonate, which is used in the form of cartridges or pills, and in a proportion of two ounces of the salt to the keg of beer.[75] Such a beverage obviously possesses very little claim to the name “lager” beer. It is, perhaps, to this reprehensible practice that many of the deleterious effects on the digestive organs which sometimes follow the consumption of considerable quantities of _poor grades_ of lager beer are to be ascribed; and it is often asserted to be the fact that beer drinkers who have daily drunk from 20 to 25 glasses of German beer with apparent impunity, experience disagreeable results from the habitual consumption of much smaller quantities of some varieties of American lager. It should be remarked, in this connection, that the brewer is by no means responsible for all of the sophistications to which beer is exposed, as after it leaves his hands it may be watered by the retailer as well as allowed to deteriorate in quality by careless methods of preservation. From all procurable information, it would appear that the only questionable features of beer brewing, as now generally carried on in the United States, are the following:-- 1st. The use of corn and other meals, and of artificial glucose as substitutes for malted barley. 2nd. The use of sodium bicarbonate, to impart additional life to the beer, and the occasional use of common salt.