hist-brewing: Oak leaf in Viking Mead Recipe?

[John Purdy]

OK, I'll bite...

Being a technician in the mundane world I tend to take a rather technical
viewpoint of things.  The recipe in question states : 

*	2 sprigs Pors and about a 3" handful of loose leaves

In common usage only one ingredient would be listed in a sentence/line of a
recipe.  Thereby the leaves called out are that of Pors, or Bog myrtle as
it's called.  Here's another recipe or two which use these leaves...

http://www.breworld.com/homebrew/recipes/s2.html
<http://www.breworld.com/homebrew/recipes/s2.html>  a Heather Ale recipe
page


Wassail!
Mongo

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Eric A. Rhude [SMTP:ateno at panix.com]
	Sent:	Friday, March 12, 1999 12:12 PM
	To:	hist-brewing at pbm.com
	Subject:	Re: hist-brewing: Oak leaf in Viking Mead Recipe?


	Oak Leaves were used in brewing in the 1600's and is 
	well documented.
	Gervase Markhan for one.

	The receipt itself is suspicious, it seems that
	someone just 'threw' some ingredients together
	to make it look like a 1600 receipt.

	I can see the pre-victorian Viking going to the 
	brewing store for: 4 tsp acid blend, 5 tsp yeast nutrient
	and 1/2 tsp Irish Moss.

	Ok enough humor.  I suspect if you
	want to presue this receipe, and good handful is 
	sufficient.  

	I have heard that in quanity oak leaves are poison, but
	the difference between a few for brewing in a 5 gallon
	batch is different than a 6 y/o making a oak leaf sandwich.

	Anybody else?

	Eric Rhude


	Dan McFeeley wrote:
	> I found the post listed below on a gopher server some time ago --
sorry 
	> about the lack of citation, but this was all that was listed.  I
have a
	> few questions on the use of leaves in the recipe.  I'm certain
that
	> the leaves were supposed to be oak, but how much are needed?  It
calls
	> for a "3 inch handful of loose leaves"  but what does this mean?
A 
	> three inch thick handful?  Are dried leaves supposed to be used?
	>            ^^^^^
	> 
	> Does anyone else know about the use of oak leaf in wines and
meads?
	> 
	> Pors is also known as bog myrtle, according to an old discussion
on
	> MLD.  Does anyone know any sources where this can be ordered from?
	> 
	> Thanks in advance for any help?
	> 
	> <><><><><><><><><><>
	> <><><><><><><><>
	> Dan McFeeley
	> mcfeeley at keynet.net
	> 
	> 
	> 
	>
------[snip!]---------------------------------------------------------------
----
	> 
	> Subject: old_mead
	> 
	> Subject: 1600's Mead book w/Viking ingred
	> 1600's Mead recipe w/old nordic (viking) ingredients.
	> 
	>         1 gallon dark clover honey
	>         4 gallons spring water
	>         2 sprigs Pors and about a 3" handful of loose leaves
	>         4 tsp acid blend
	>         5 tsp yeast nutrient
	>         1/2 tsp Irish Moss
	> 
	> (Pors = "Myrtus Brabantica")
	> 
	> To make mead do like you would if you were making wine
	> 
	> 
	> 
	>
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	-- 
	QVI CONVERTERIET HAEC IMMODICE LITTERATVS EST

	
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