Historical Ales

Devon White Ale and 2 hopped variants.

Yield - 1 gallon
4 lbs. Pilsener Malt
3 oz wheat flour
.2 oz kosher salt
1 egg white
3 tsp ground coriander
.25 tsp ground ginger
.12 tsp caraway seed
flieschmann's bread yeast

for the 2 variants (Devon Hopped Ale and Devon IPA) I added 1/4 oz Northern Brewer hops for bitterness on both and 1/2 oz UK Challenger hops on the IPA.

If anybody is interested in the details, let me know. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Why the open fermentation? Or is that part of the "historical" brewing?

I let it sit overnight open and then put airlocks on them this morning. The foam would have just blown them off if I put them on overnight anyway. But some of the stuff I read about Devon White Ale said to let it sit 12 hours in an open container before you pitch yeast. I pitched and then let it sit overnight

Ok, just curious if you were doing an open ferment or not. Pretty interesting!

Thanks for sharing man!
Keep us posted.

Good stuff! I've been wanting to try historic brews since I got Radical Brewing... actually just finished the segment on Devon White. Be sure to let us know how it turns out. I'm curious how the bread yeast will affect it.

Also, don't be afraid to brew some more historical brews for our further education

Reno_eNVy_446 said:

Good stuff! I've been wanting to try historic brews since I got Radical Brewing... actually just finished the segment on Devon White. Be sure to let us know how it turns out. I'm curious how the bread yeast will affect it.

Also, don't be afraid to brew some more historical brews for our further education

Click to expand...

Yep, that's where I got the idea! I looked around online and couldn't find that anybody had actually brewed it, so hey why not right?

pg. 281 - Stone beer. I think it's worth a try.

What you think about adding cinnamon spice?

What's the rationale for the egg white?

HokieBrewer said:

What's the rationale for the egg white?

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Actually, I have no idea. I know they used to brew with eggs in the past but don't really know what it adds to the brew. Breakfast beer?

Maybe adds the rich body? This ale looks YUMM, must give it a try someday.

TONS of body if I had to guess - that's all protein!

That recipe made me salivate - it sounds like a Dogfish Head project, in a good way. Let us know how it turns out! I'm a big fan of seeing brewers split batches into variants, so let us know how the combos work out for you. Looks like your yeasts sure love your wort from the looks of it...

Sooooo, any up-to-date?

Very cool. I've been wanting to try some historical brews for quite a while. Let us know how it turns out.

interesting, keep the info coming

Here are some more pictures after primary fermentation. I lost a lot of volume but more on the two hopped varients. I racked them after 14 days. I'll probably bottle them this week.

I really like the color of the three. The two hopped varients have a pale look like a normal pilsner. The Devon White, no boil, no hops, looks... well... white! Ok, white-ish I guess. Let me know what you think!

Devon IPA is going on my list

Thanks for the update, cant wait to see how it will look in the glass!!
Cool carboys between, love the handle.

So due to some film and mold looking stuff growing on these ales I delayed and racked them a few times before bottling them today. I ended up with 6 bottles of the Devon IPA, 7 bottles of Devon Hopped Ale, and 9 bottles of Devon White Ale.

Will post some in-glass pictures when its ready.

You'll have to let us know how they taste!

When I bottled them I tasted the samples. The Devon white ale was extremely sour. The hopped ale was also sour but a little more balanced. The IPA had a bit of bitterness to it but I wouldn't call it good. I'm receiving judgement for when they are carbonated and cold. I'll post the final judgement then!

Well when you say "extremely sour" is that a 'WOO that's sour!!' or 'Ewww, that's sour' extreme? I know that Mosher says most historic brews are going to be sour. But I can't wait for the final judgment.

I'm about to brew a couple no-boil historical brews found in a diary that someone shared with me. How did it turn out?

I guess this guy is history.....a victim of his own historical brew....