In 6–7 bruage. [f. BREW v. + -AGE: but prob. in its origin associated with F. breuvage (early forms breuage, bruvage) drink, BEVERAGE, whence the original wide sense.]
1. A concocted beverage; a decoction; something that has been brewed, a brewing.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 301 a. The bruage of wyne and the iuice of hemlocke tempreed together was brought vnto hym.
1555. Fardle Facions, II. viii. 166. Their drincke is a bruage … sometyme of Ryze, sometyme of Barlie.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., III. v. 33. Ile no Pullet-Spersme in my brewage.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 63. Malmsey, or some well spic’t bruage.
1827. Blackw. Mag., XXI. 833. She … hated rum as the devil’s own brewage.
1829. Peacock, Misfort. Elphin, 173. The Druids … made … a mystical brewage of carefully-selected ingredients.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 335. A rich brewage made of the best Spanish wine.
b. fig.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe (1871), 35. Neuer since I spouted ink, was I of worse aptitude to go through with such a mighty March brewage.
1821. Blackw. Mag., X. Oct., 269. I got nothing worse from such a brewage of tempest.
1873. Browning, Red Cott. Nt.-cap, 110. When her brewage—love—Was well a-fume about the novice-brain.
2. The process of brewing.
1776. Pringle, Health Mariners, 16. In the space of twenty-four hours their brewage is compleated.
1832. M. Scott, in Blackw. Mag., XXXI. 902. A new brewage of punch took place.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxix. 387. To complete my latest root-beer brewage.
3. A boiling (e.g., of salt).
c. 1550. J. Balfour, Practicks, 87. The hundreth salt browage contenand nine score bollis.
