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This first posting is meant to provide an introduction
regarding sources and techniques used in the home based production of
unhopped and gruit based ales.
<br>My experiences in attempting to brew these exotic drinks have only
recently come to fruition after roughly 3 years of , mostly, disappointing
experimentation. My intention is that my postings will encourage
others to attempt to use the methods & recipes described. I also
hope that others will help me locate the rather esoteric ingredients required
and share their own experiences. I will provide installments as frequently
as time permits.
<p>I. <u>Sources</u>
<p> My information on these ales have been taken
from two sources. First among these are several old German and English
texts listed below. Secondly, the kindly advice and family
recipes/ techniques provided by friends from the Isle of Man, George
Donnsby, and Matti Sorenson from Gottland. Both are friends
I've acquired over the past 4 years as a result of shared interests.
<p><u>Books</u>:
<p>"The Historical Companion to House Brewing" by Clive La Pens'ee
(1990)
<br>G.S. Amsinck's "Practical Brewing" (1868)
<br>Roy Suggsden's "The Curious & Quaint Ales of Our Forefathers"
(1912)
<br>J.G. Hahn's "Die Hausbrauerei" (1804)
<br>L. Fuchs' "Kreuterbuch" (1543)
<br>R.K. Sykes' "Instructions For Thrifty Ale Wives"
(1797)
<br> My forays into producing ales from these recipes
has depended upon others for translating quantities, measures, terms
and techniques into modern english equivalents. Hence, I feel the
need to warn the reader that that i can't vouch for the historical accuracy
of my renditions of the recipes and methods beyond a rudimentary level.
<br> My descriptions of methods used will be based upon
my actual experiences at making these ales. The originators
of recipes will be stated as either coming from one of the
books listed above or from advice offered by my more experienced brewing
friends mentioned earlier.
<p>II.
<br><u>Mashing and Lautering Methods</u>:
<p> Please note that all of my successful attempts at
making unhopped ales have required mashing and are unsuitable for extract
brewing. Two mash methods have proven themselves applicable to my
attempts at making unhopped ales.
<br> First, when making Juniper based, ex. Sahti
and Gottland Drinka, or various shaving ales I've had best success with
an extremely gradual increase in the mash temperature. This method
was described to me by Matti Sorenson as follows:
<br> "Start with a thick mash of one to one and
one quarter liters of water per half kilogram of grist. In
the beginning the mash should be warm to the touch, although not hot enough
for modern mashing." He guess that the temperature is 120-130 degrees
Fahrenheit at this stage. "The temperature should be gradually increased
over the course of the next three hours by drawing off roughly 750ml
of wort and combining it with about 400ml of water every half hour
or so. The mixture is brought to a boil and mixed back into the main
mash. After continuing in this fashion for three hours the mash is
held for one hour. Lastly, 5 liters of boiling water is added for
each 3500 grams of grist prior to drawing off the liquor."
<br> The second method is a no sparge single stage infusion
method. My efforts using this technique are taken from Suggsden's recommendations.
Generally, I have found that mashing temperatures for antiquarian
style ales are very high by modern standards. Following the instructions
found in his book the single infusion method results in the rests
ranging from 155 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Rests are usually 2 to
three hours long.
<br> Suggsden's recipes call for 1.5 to 2 quarts
of water per pound of grist. with one pound per ten of the grist
ground to flour like constancy with the remainder being courser.
A mash out is then recommended with one quart of boiling water per
<br>pound of grist.
<br> Both forms of mashing are followed by the wort being
drawn off slowly over a period of one to three hours depending upon
the grist composition. Typically, some portion of the hop substitutes
are placed in the collection vessel during this phase of the process.
The collected wort is not recirculated.
<br> My experience has been that these procedures result
in a low yield of high gravity wort. Extraction is typically
around 70%. In order to collect enough wort to produce my customary
6 gallon batches my grist bills are typically 50% to 70% higher then would
be the case for modern ales of comparable gravity.
<br> Finally, these methods are typically used
to produce high gravity ales (1.060 to1.100 O.G.). The resultant
ales range from medium to very thick with great mouth feel. They
also have a pronounced sweetness. The high residual sweetness tends
to counter the sourness often present in hop free ales.
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