Way back to brewing basics

Orfy has gotten me excited about getting back to basic brewing and minimizing the use of modern technology and techniques. I have done a little research - using the internet which I think provides a little irony here. I have decided to recreate a Medieval brew session to produce a Strong Beer (4.5 gallons) and a Weak Ale (4.5 gallons). I am going to use my cooler (mash tun), lb scales, pencil, paper, sundial, propane burner and 20 gallon Al pot since near equivalents were all used at the time. I will not use a thermometer, hydrometer, timer, gm scale, mash calculator or wort chiller etc.

Here is the recipe I have planned for Saturday (somewhat dependent on what I have on hand and I think they would have done the same):

8 lbs Maris Otter
8 lbs German Lager
4 lbs Rolled Oats

- Place crushed grains in mash tun (it appears they would have used used a flour mill with grist stones set slightly farther apart to crush the grains. I'll leave this project for another weekend).

- Bring 9.0 gallons of water to boil.

- Ladle 1.5 gallons boiling water evenly over grain slowly from a moderate height (Idea is to let water cool a bit in flight) and let sit for 10 minutes - no stirring.

- Ladle more water (about 1 gallon) until some water remains on top and let sit for 20 more minutes - again no stirring.

- Stir it up (should be like thick porridge) and put the lid back on for 2 to 3 hours. Relax, Don't Worry and Have a Home Brew (or 4) and maybe a nap.

- Add another 3 gallons, stir and cover for 30 minutes.

- Add the remaining boiling water, stir.

- Drain the wort into a kettle at moderate rate. I should collect about 5.0 gallons of "first runnings" for the Strong Beer.

- Bring another 4.5 gallons to a boil. Pour over grain and stir well.

- Boil the "Strong Ale" wort for 60 minutes.

- Add a small handful of random Hops (I think Fuggles, but label came off in freezer) a little after the boil starts.

- Add another handful of Hops a little while before the end of the boil.

- Transfer (hot wort) to primary and lot cool overnight.

- Collect "second runnings" from mash tun in another primary and let cool overnight as well for the Weak Ale. That's right - boiling the wort is reserved for Hop extraction and the Ale doesn't get any. This stuff needs to be consumed young. In some places the law said within 4 days!

- Pitch dry yeast in Beer and Ale.

I don't have any exact plans for timing before I bottle, but imagine it will be within a few days. I have ordered a couple of Corny's and I hope they get here early next week. I'm also thinking about letting my Brew Buddy (son) take temperature and hydrometer readings, that he won't share with me until we've finished.

Wish me luck!

P

Good luck!!!

I have to admit though, that it was amusing to read sundial and propane burner side by side. But I know, we gotta do what we gotta do.

Keep us posted!! This is interesting.

So basically you are doing a Partigyle, except you aren't gonna do the math ahead, and use the sun, as your timer...

Cool!

have you read any of the old brewing recipes that say "boil the wort for the time it takes to walk across the field and back...?" They're interesting.

Your way kinda remings me of this guy.

[youtube]mAU4bhjCB08[/youtube]

Revvy said:

have you read any of the old brewing recipes that say "boil the wort for the time it takes to walk across the field and back...?" They're interesting.

Click to expand...

Brewing and excersise? Are you fooling with my head!?

Revvy said:

So basically you are doing a Partigyle, except you aren't gonna do the math ahead, and use the sun, as your timer...

Cool!

have you read any of the old brewing recipes that say "boil the wort for the time it takes to walk across the field and back...?" They're interesting.

Click to expand...

Revvy,

That's cool. I was actually thinking about walking once around the block for each 10 minute interval, but then realized that a probably shouldn't be carrying a beer. (I imagine near the end of the brew session I won't even be able to hold one). That's when the sundial idea came to mind. I am a little concerned about cloud cover and getting finished before dark, but think I will muddle along. Fortunately time becomes less critical as you get farther along in the recipe (e.g. mash for 2 to 3 hours).

I figure the math is my substitute for experience. Maybe I will try again from memory sometime in the future if it works out OK.

P

OhioBrit said:

Brewing and excersise? Are you fooling with my head!?

Click to expand...

Brewing exercise is my mash timing method. I do bicep curls with my pint glass until I have emptied two pints, that's how I know the mash is done.

Trying things the way they "used to do it" interests me, even if just to try it once. After reading about molasses recipes and the seeing the old George Washington recipe I decided to try an all molasses recipe. Well, you guys are right it doesn't make the best tasting beer but it is beer and it does give you a buzz. It does get a bit better with age and I intend to age some for quite a while just to compare the change. I also noticed the first sip made me cringe a bit but by the second glass my taste buds got over the shock and it wasn't too too bad, meaning I could drink it. It actually reminded my first brew from a cheap kit I did a long time ago. I plan on trying another but this time steeping in some wheat for some flavor and body and maybe hopping more.