The following brewing process was first published by Gervase Markham in The English Housewife in 1615. The English Housewife was reprinted numerous times during and after Markham’s lifetime as part of a larger work titled A Way to Get Wealth. The English Housewife was republished in 1986, as edited by Michael R. Best, from a collation of the 1615, 1623, and 1638 versions [Markham & Best, 1986, pg liv]. The 1657 version of A Way to Get Wealth was reprinted from microfilm of the copy held at Harvard University Library. The following block quote comes from the 1668 version of A Way to Get Wealth which has been scanned into Google Books and can be downloaded through the Internet.
Now for the brewing of the best March Beer, you shall allow to a Hogshead thereof, a quarter of the best Malt well ground; the you shall take a Peck of Pease, half a peck of Wheat, and half a peck of Oats, and grind them all very well together, and then mixt them with your Malt; which done, you shall in all points brew this beer as you did the former ordinary beer; only you shall allow a pound and a halfe of Hops to this one Hogshead: and whereas before you drew but two sorts of beer, so now you shall draw three; that is a Hogshead of the best, and a Hogshead of the second; and half a Hogshead of small beer, without any augmentation of Hops or Malt.
This March beer would be brewed in the months of March or April, and should (if it have right) have a whole year to ripen in: it will last two, three, or four years, if it lye cool; and endure the drawing to the last drop, thought with never so much leisure.
(Markham and Lawson, 1668, Book 2, pg 83)
The Ordinary Beer recipe used one quarter of malt in three hogsheads of volume for the first run of beer. The March Beer recipe uses one quarter of malt to one hogshead producing a much stronger beer that can be cellared for a long time.
Quick conversions:
- 1 quarter (336 lbs barley malt) = 8 bushels (42 lbs barley malt)
- 1 bushel (42 lbs barley malt) = 4 pecks (10.5 lbs barley malt)
- Assume that dried peas, wheat, and oats are all similar to barley in pounds per peck.
Modern recipe for 60 gallons fermenter volume:
- 336 lbs barley malt
- ~ 10 lbs dried peas {just a source of starch; use flaked maize in the calculator}
- ~ 5 lbs wheat or malted wheat
- ~ 5 lbs oats or malted oats
- 24 oz hop
- Single infusion mash with 107 gallons of water at 167 degrees F (42 gallons lost to grain absorption)
- Mash for one hour, then drain the wort {batch sparge later for the second and third runs}
- Boil for one hour with all hops are added at the start of boil. So, all bittering hops and no aroma hops. (3 gallons lost to boil)
- Cool slowly, transfer to fermentation vessel (strain out the used hops for the second run), then pitch yeast.
- Beer is ready in one year
Plugging these numbers into a brewing calculator (at 60% efficiency) we get:
- Original specific gravity 1.135
- Final specific gravity 1.032
- ABV 13.48%
- IBU 21.59 (bitter beer, but not IPA levels)
- SRM (color) 12.22 (light amber)
These numbers match up somewhat with BJCP Category 17D; Strong British Ale; English Barley Wine.
AI invented beer styles when?
Beer was local; made with local grains, local water, and whatever yeast the brewer shared with the baker. There weren’t styles like in modern times.
Wait, so the wife made the beer, as well as cooked and cleaned?
Fuck technology.
so the wife made the beer,
Yes. Part of the kitchen duties.
The word bridal comes from bride ale, which she would make for the wedding party.
Other than the common diseases, that age sounds pretty good.
Fauci wasn’t there to save them with masks.
We went to a local burger joint for birthday dinner tonight. I tried Upper Hand Laughing Fish beer. Brewed in Escanaba. I enjoyed it.
Bright, balanced, and brilliantly fresh, Laughing Fish® is our clean and crushable tribute to the wildlife and waterways of the Upper Peninsula. A no-nonsense beer for the serious business of getting outside.
https://www.upperhandbrewery.com/brands/laughing-fish-summer-ale/
It tastes like duck feet?
ABV 13.48%
Not bad.
battery acid
That is tequila…
I am all for that!
Project Veritas’ latest:
In Part Two of our investigation into the nation’s largest abortion provider, undercover camera has further revealed Planned Parenthood’s nationwide scheme to traffic minors across state lines for secret abortions.
Abby Johnson, a former eight-year employee and Managing Director for Planned Parenthood in Texas, reviewed our footage and further elaborated on how Planned Parenthood works in tandem with the court systems to “rubber stamp” abortions for minors.
This may be a record. 7 comments after 3 hours. 2 of them mine.
It’s been a day and now I’m watching Blue Eye Samurai.
I appreciate these, even if I’m not a beer guy.
Blue Eye Samurai is awesome.
On ep 2 now.
I’m already hooked.
What is Blue Eye Sumarai and why do you reject the Lord’s gift to us?
The Drinker recommends
https://youtu.be/YA2TYAQMhLg
Sorry kinnath. Enjoyed both parts, but was working 16+ hours today and have to get up early tomorrow. Or later today.
It’s not you, it was work. I had a Hemi Ram exhaust leak repair go sideways today and had to push several jobs and push reinstallation to today.
I’m not a beer drinker, so I have even less useful stuff to say than in other posts.
21 IBUs wont be bitter at all in a beer that big. The sweetness will overpower it.
Right. Surprising in the two recipes how low the IBUs are.
Good night all. Chat tomorrow.
It is crazy how many sort of well known people appeared on Baywatch/Baywatch Hawaii. Tonight it was Ansom Williams in a bit part. I did not think he appeared in anything since Happy Days.
Interesting article, thanks. Before I moved to my current shit shack I would brew a couple of batches of beer annually. The only problem I had was having some bottles freeze and blow up in my garage during a Bozeman, MT winter. I moved the remaining bottles closer to an internal wall and all was well.
My kids thought they would like winters and were excited to move to Montana from Tucson. They quickly learned a northern Rockies winter was much more wintery than a German Alps winter.
What are the second and third runs?
Trees down, roads flooded, and here I sit dry and safe.
Good morning. 🌄👀☔
I know i stopped love song Wednesday’s, but here you go anyway:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eRpQpufe110
🎶🎶
Don’t know if there are any issues outside, but the weather says it’s 45 and rainy out.
Windy, too.
Now we get to worry about that Killer Polar Vortex that’s coming next week. Whatever y’all do DON’T PANIC!!!
DON’T PANIC!!!
Silence, comrade. It is your patriotic duty to panic!
Good morning, Sean, U, Ted’S., and Stinky! 36 degrees and 18 mph winds here in SW OH.
Morning.
How’s it going today?
Sleep was patchy, and I left my caffiene in my car, so I now have to walk back to the parking lot to get it.
In the rain?
It is what it is.
At least I’m back at my cube.
I suppose it’s probably been mentioned here but Cindy Morgan aka Lacey Underall died last month:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2024/1/7/24028964/cindy-morgan-dead-age-69-actor-caddyshack-tron
RIP, at least we’ll always have the pool scene.
A DOODIE!!!
Mornin’, reprobates.
We survived the apocalyptic deluge unscathed, some neighboring towns were not so fortunate. Not to worry, another big scare coming for the weekend. Gotta keep the plebes in a constant state of panic.
Good morning, ‘patzie, NA, and R.J.!
We had some lovely snow, now there’s rain. Blah.
On the subject of Netflix anime, I watched the first episode of Pluto. I like it. It’s got a very retro feel — the first half of the episode is Blade Runner and the second half is a bitter old composer living alone in his castle with his robot butler.
Sitting in a 3 hour meeting already. People have virtual avatars with purple bear ears and such. Suppose I could just show my face and claim it’s an avatar?
Do it!
So unprofessional. These people should get a negative performance review.
Purple bear ears? How droll.
I know. I remember when people complained about my fez and I had to take it off.
You’re a shriner?
<==
I mean it was the fez NWA gave me when I visited Los Angeles. It might have said “Fuck Tha Police” on it.
https://imgur.com/Kg8kjyh?r
Ain’t never gonna do it without the fez on.
Morning. We have a few inches of wet heavy snow on the ground from last night. School is closed. I got my little John Deere 318 out last night for a bit to clear the driveway. Worked just fine. Lot’s of slop on the roads. Saw a couple cars in the ditch last night. Be safe out there.
The predicted Death Ice of 2024 is out of the forecast completely now for Dallas. Good.
Just wet and windy here…so like a Vegas monsoon.
Just checked. It almost froze here last night. Should get to the upper 50s today, so pretty much the depths of winter here.
Morning all, No new snow, 18 F, a little cool in the house but I just started the fire in the wood stove, soon to be toasty