Nokitchen
Well-Known Member
I've decided that for my next brew I'm going to try to replicate the Viking heath-beer they drank in Ireland, as discussed in this article, whose protagonists relied in turn on the article which starts on page 219 of this journal. (is the internet awesome or what?)
Through various boilings I'm pretty close to determining the amount of heather and bog myrtle I'm going to use, though I still have yet to get my hands on any Barret herb. And I'm pretty convinced that Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale is the right yeast -- it's derived (eventually) from naturally-occurring Irish yeast, it has a high alcohol tolerance, and it adds flavorful esters at the higher temperatures I'll be using to simulate the non-fridge-having Vikings.
I need advice on the grain bill. I'll be using extract, but what should I use to fill it out? I'm having a tough time imaging that the Vikings were malting barley with anywhere near the precision that we see today. Should I throw in some roasted and other bitter malt in there to reflect that? That would also help with the fact that this won't be as bitter as a hopped beer.
Any thoughts? Any insight as to the malt bill used by the gentlemen in the article? How would you make a Viking ale which is reputed to have gotten them all fierce for battle?
Through various boilings I'm pretty close to determining the amount of heather and bog myrtle I'm going to use, though I still have yet to get my hands on any Barret herb. And I'm pretty convinced that Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale is the right yeast -- it's derived (eventually) from naturally-occurring Irish yeast, it has a high alcohol tolerance, and it adds flavorful esters at the higher temperatures I'll be using to simulate the non-fridge-having Vikings.
I need advice on the grain bill. I'll be using extract, but what should I use to fill it out? I'm having a tough time imaging that the Vikings were malting barley with anywhere near the precision that we see today. Should I throw in some roasted and other bitter malt in there to reflect that? That would also help with the fact that this won't be as bitter as a hopped beer.
Any thoughts? Any insight as to the malt bill used by the gentlemen in the article? How would you make a Viking ale which is reputed to have gotten them all fierce for battle?