1. Place the brisket in a deep kettle and add cold water to just cover. 2. Add the beer, onion, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and celery. Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the head and let simmer about 4 hours (about 3/4 to 1 hour per pound of meat) until tender. 3. About 30 minutes before the meat is done, remove and discard the onion and celery. Skim the excess fat from the liquid. Add the potatoes and carrots; simmer 15 minutes. 4. Add the cabbage quarters and simmer an additional 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are done to the desired tenderness. Note: Additional water can replace the beer in this recipe.