Prohibition Ingredients

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Bootlegger

Bootlegger

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Hi all!
I'm new here, have never brewed beer, and need some help.

I have recently inherited my Great Grandfathers beer recipe. He was supposedly a bootlegger in Texas during prohibition. The recipe was given to my father from my Great Aunt, after my Great Uncle was diagnosed with Alzheimers. My Great Uncle and Grandfather helped my Great Grandfather brew the beer underground. The handwriting is very shaky; but, I have deciphered most of it. I think it is incomplete as there are no instructions for heating other than "warm water".

One of the ingredients I can't seem to figure out; and, it's not listed in the mixing instructions.
The cursive handwriting appears to say Budweiser "red", or "rid", or "recl", or "ricl", or maybe "rice" if a "c" and over-sized "e" were ran together. If the "r" was an "i" it could say "ied", or "iecl", or "iece".

This ingredient would most likely have been purchased at a grocery store, hardware store, or feed store in a centrally located, very small Texas town. My Great grandfather probably learned brewing in Illinois and would seek the ingredients he was familiar with. On the 1930 US Census my Great grandfather is listed as a "Carpenter" previously from "Illinois".

Many thanks to anyone that can help me figure this ingredient out.
 
Bootlegger said:
I really want to figure the recipe out before I share.
Click to expand...

On the other hand, an experienced brewer will probably have a lot easier time reading/deciphering the actual writing than relying on " "red", or "rid", or "recl", or "ricl"". And it's not like the 1930's hold a big secret to creating beer nirvana. In general, bootleggers used the cheapest ingredients possible, with the goal to create something drinkable.

There are plenty of successful commercial brewers who will tell you exactly how to make their beer.
 
It's no secret for sure. This web post is basically my family recipe. Here is a picture of the recipe.
In hopes to purchase some Malt Extract, I contacted Premier Malt since they are the successor to "Blue-Ribbon". The lady that answered the phone told me "We don't sell Malt Extract". I replied, "It's listed on your website". She confirmed my story and told me she would pass my request on to a salesman. That a'int happening. Which product would be the closest match to the "Blue Ribbon" from my recipe? Does anyone know where to purchase Premier Malt Extract? Does anyone know of a suitable replacement?
They list:
Natural Hopped Flavor - Light (1kg) Code #70261-00002
Natural Hopped Flavor - Dark (1kg) Code #70261-00003
Natural Hopped Flavor - Pale Dry (1kg) Code #70261-00006
Natural Hopped Flavor - Extra Pale (1kg) Code #70261-00001
Natural Hopped Flavor - Plain (1kg) Code #70261-00004

BeerRecipePg1.jpg
 
Metalhead_brewer said:
Budweiser rice?
blue ribbon malt?
yellow corn?
8 lbs of sugar?
Click to expand...

I believe that is Blue Ribbon Malt, yellow can
blueribbon200.jpg


Probably the closest substitute would be Coopers English Bitter canned extract.

I think the line above reads "Budweiser Red". You could sub this with Coopers Lager canned extract.
7e111a079f5b0f49b953365173380703.jpg
 
didn't look like rice to me, either... and you can't really use rice by itself in an extract recipe....

I'd say that it's definitely 2 cans of malt extract... for a 10 gallon batch... The Budweiser red makes perfect sense. The red can is hopped, the yellow can is not hopped....

Mix with warm water and pitch yeast... no boil needed...


so that's 6lbs of malt extract & 8 lbs sugar in a 10g batch...
 
jtratcliff said:
didn't look like rice to me, either... and you can't really use rice by itself in an extract recipe....

I'd say that it's definitely 2 cans of malt extract... for a 10 gallon batch... The Budweiser red makes perfect sense. The red can is hopped, the yellow can is not hopped....

Mix with warm water and pitch yeast... no boil needed...


so that's 6lbs of malt extract & 8 lbs sugar in a 10g batch...
Click to expand...

That's really good info. So what would be the 2017 substitute for these 2 extracts? My Great Uncle said the closest beeer "in taste"was Michelob. But, the home brew was better.
 
  • 10 gallons of pure water, no chlorine (would that even be a thing in 1930's?)
  • Budweiser Red (don't know what that means, maybe they sold malt extract or rice syrup)
  • Blue Ribbon malt, yellow can (I remember those, they were 3 pounds in the 1970's, not 2.2 like today)
  • 2 flat (pat?) of yeast
  • 8 pounds sugar
The malt syrup was available with or without hops. The yeast sounds to me like cakes of bread yeast.

Edit: while I was typing Bleme posted a picture of the Bud Red. It was definitely malt extract
 
any malt extract would do... There are several different brands... Probably fewer choices for the pre-hopped variety but they are available... Do you have a home brew shop nearby? Stop by there, they may have all you need in stock..

If not, look at online homebrew stores like morebeer, northern brewer, or whichever big e-shop is closest to you. The big shops usually have more selection and lower prices but shipping often makes your local shop competitive for small orders.

But unless you want to boil and add hops yourself, you'll definitely want at least one can to be pre-hopped, or as @6midgets says, it'll be way too sweet.

You can even buy stuff off of amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GVSV3M8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 but that's not usually the most economical option.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have a friend whose dad is still alive and brews beer. I'll ask him what he knows about the extracts.
 
If you find hopped light malt extract (I think Cooper's and Munton's still make it), please don't make a whole 10 gallon recipe. The malt is hard to find and expensive, and beer made this way is terrible. It is worth making a small batch one time just to try it; kind of a history lesson

If I recall correctly, (the 60's were a long time ago) it was typically one (3 pound) can of Blue Ribbon hop-flavored light malt syrup and one syrup can of sugar, plus water to make 5 gallons. That's actually really close to your recipe divided by 2. Yours might have a little more sugar. The sugar is there because we were too poor to use 2 cans of malt.

The resulting beer was very "cidery" and would give you a headache far beyond what it should from the alcohol content. It was recognizable as beer. I never did figure out what causes the headache, maybe acetaldehyde?
 
z-bob said:
If you find hopped light malt extract (I think Cooper's and Munton's still make it), please don't make a whole 10 gallon recipe. The malt is hard to find and expensive, and beer made this way is terrible. It is worth making a small batch one time just to try it; kind of a history lesson
Click to expand...

I agree with @z-bob ... don't do 10 Gallons!

typically pre-hopped extract batches aren't quite as good as doing the hops yourself... and this recipe is over 50% sugar...presumably sucrose (cane sugar) and not dextrose (corn sugar) but I don't know that it would make much difference. The primary affect of the sugar will be to boost the ABV without adding much flavor or body. Often too much sugar leads to "cidery" flavors as already mentioned.

So I wouldn't expect anything made with this recipe to taste all that great. It'll be beer. And it'll get you drunk. But won't be especially tasty.

You'd probably have better luck following a budweiser clone recipe such as this:

https://byo.com/mead/item/342-budweiser-clone

which is similar enough to yours but uses dry malt extract (DME) and honey instead of liquid malt extract (LME)... LME and DME can be swapped but not 1 to 1 (see How to Brew for the conversion)... It also calls for a boil with hops instead of using pre-hopped LME, which generally gives better results.

The ale yeast called for would be much superior to bread yeast as well. Even Saflager 34/70 would be a good choice for lager-like characteristics at warmer Ale fermention temperatures. I'm assuming you have no way to control fermentation temperatures...
 
I would make the original recipe as close as you can get it, but scale it down to 3 gallons. That will work with a 2.2 pound can of malt extract the way it's sold now.

It will taste like poverty, but that's not altogether a bad thing :) I think that's why old people like things like lutefisk (look it up if you don't know.) It reminds them of the "good old days"
 
z-bob said:
If you find hopped light malt extract (I think Cooper's and Munton's still make it), please don't make a whole 10 gallon recipe. The malt is hard to find and expensive, and beer made this way is terrible. It is worth making a small batch one time just to try it; kind of a history lesson

If I recall correctly, (the 60's were a long time ago) it was typically one (3 pound) can of Blue Ribbon hop-flavored light malt syrup and one syrup can of sugar, plus water to make 5 gallons. That's actually really close to your recipe divided by 2. Yours might have a little more sugar. The sugar is there because we were too poor to use 2 cans of malt.

The resulting beer was very "cidery" and would give you a headache far beyond what it should from the alcohol content. It was recognizable as beer. I never did figure out what causes the headache, maybe acetaldehyde?
Click to expand...

This is good advice. Fortunately, I had no intention of making 10 gallons. Probably, 4 gal. in a 5 gal bucket.

Taste is relative. I'm not saying your wrong, but, it's your opinion. Fact, home brews developed a bad reputation for taste during prohibition. My great uncle said their brew tasted like Michelob.

As for headaches, Anheuser-Bush products have always given me a headache. I hope my home brew doesn't.

I need to find the closest match to these prohibition malted extracts. I believe both were hopped. However, I'm disappointed the exact ingredients can't be obtained anymore.
 
Premier supposedly still makes Blue Ribbon malt extract with hops. It's sold in 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) cans now, but one can would be about right for a 3.5 or 4 gallon batch. I haven't seen the stuff in years, and their web site isn't much help finding it. Good luck.
 
z-bob said:
Premier supposedly still makes Blue Ribbon malt extract with hops. It's sold in 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) cans now, but one can would be about right for a 3.5 or 4 gallon batch. I haven't seen the stuff in years, and their web site isn't much help finding it. Good luck.
Click to expand...

I could only find one online retailer who carried it, and they showed it all out of stock which leads me to believe it has probably been discontinued.
 
z-bob said:
Premier supposedly still makes Blue Ribbon malt extract with hops. It's sold in 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) cans now, but one can would be about right for a 3.5 or 4 gallon batch. I haven't seen the stuff in years, and their web site isn't much help finding it. Good luck.
Click to expand...

No response from Premier :(

Thanks everyone, y'all are posting before I can finish a "reply". So my replies are somewhat out of order. Awesome!

I'm thinking about mixing Coopers English Bitter canned extract & Coopers Lager canned extract as per @bleme. I haven't done the math on the ratios needed.
Does anyone know if the 2017 Extracts are the same concentration as the 1930's?
 
Maybe get some unhopped malt extract (light or amber) from Northern Brewer or Midwest Supply (about $20 for 6 pounds) and add hops tea yourself for bitterness.

The main points of your recipe are not-dark malt extract, a little bittering hops, a buttload of sugar, and a cake of yeast (probably bread yeast).

Good or bad, it's not gonna taste anything like Michelob. Your uncle's memory is playing tricks on him ;)

I am really temped to brew a small batch of sugar beer with bread yeast like this. (all grain instead of extract, to get it really cheap) Just to bring back memories. I made a gallon of wine using bread yeast a few months ago and actually turned out good.
 
The question seems to be: during Prohibition, did Budweiseer sell rice, to make up for lost beer sales? If so, then it makes sense. Otherwise, there would be an amount of rice (2 pounds, or whatever).

Another possibility: maybe this recipe makes a beer that is like "Budweiser with the red label?"

I don't know - just throwing a couple of thoughts out there.

[EDIT]Whoops, I should have read the entire thread![/EDIT]
 
Bootlegger said:
:off: Get this. The water used in this recipe was more than likely from the Hickory Aquifer which now we know contains Radium. Maybe my Great Grandfather was brewing Radioactive beer.
Click to expand...

Back then (well, maybe a bit before Prohibition really), radium was the key to health.

radium-chocolate.jpg


radioactivewater.jpg


Plenty other of adverts like that if you google image search "Radium toothpaste" or similar. Including some eye-opening ones...
 
I get about a 8% beer when I put 6lb of extract and 8lb of sugar into beersmith.
Cut that 50/50 with more water and you have a modern light beer. Maybe your granddad was the inventor of bud lite.


In the early 80s my first few batches were made with a can of hopped extract and few cups of sugar(don't remember exact numbers). 2 cases of beer for 7 bucks was a good deal on a students budget.
 
No
Stealthcruiser said:
Just like Grandpa!
Click to expand...

you gotta decide if you're gonna make a beer "just like Grandpa" made or
make a decent beer based on Grandpa's recipe... Lot's of new knowledge in homebrewing has arrived since prohibition...

You can make a decent prohibition-style extract beer using more up to date methods and yeasts, or you can make a crappy bathtub brew following Grandpa's notes....

Either one is a valid choice, but you need to to temper your expectations accordingly...

And don't let the results of choice #2 (if that's your choice... and it seems to be) prevent you from trying choice #1 at a later time.
 
I did one much like this though with slightly less specific ingredients. I had my grandfather's hand written recipe to go by as well. It even had a prohibition date on it. I don't have out in front of me for the details but it was...

1 can of malt
X lbs sugar
1 cake yeast.

I don't remember much more instruction but there was a little.

It was brewed in a glass bottle according to stories so I assumed it was for a 5 gallon batch and the malt and sugar matched that size batch.

I used a hopped liquid malt extract and us-05 yeast and it still was not the most easily drinkable product.
 
I have done some research on prohibition malt extracts if you are interested in getting it as close as possible. American brewers during prohibition used 6 row barley as it grew much better in America at the time than the traditional 2 row barley to make malt extract. During this time period they also used cluster hops to flavor the malt extract as other traditional hops did not grow well. Both Blue Ribbon and Budweiser came in cans and weighted 3 lbs each. The malt extract type was sold as either light or dark. Terms like amber, and pale malt were introduced to the public some time after prohibition. Since Texas is a hot climate your great-grand father probably used the light version. Blue Ribbon sold itself as pure malt extract without adjuncts. The problem with pure 6 row malt extract is that it is full of protein that can cloud a beer (many prohibition beers were cloudy/hazy). Budweiser added adjuncts like rice (you can also use corn syrup) to help clarify the beer. I have read that adjuncts at this time could make up around 10 to 30 percent of the malt extract. This may be why your Great-grand Dad added the more expensive Budweiser malt extract to the cheaper Blue Ribbon malt extract - to clarify the beer or he just like the taste of combining them together. You should be able to buy the 6 row malt extract, cluster hops, and processed adjuncts (rice or corn) from a home-brew supply store. Prohibition beer was mildly/moderately hopped, not more than 2 oz of cluster hops for a 5 gallon batch (bittering hops only - no finishing hops). I would recommend a liquid ale yeast with a neutral flavor. Good luck, this sounds like a fun project, and don't let anyone talk you out of it.
 
Hey guys, it's been a while. I have the necessary equipment and a fermentation refrigerator(must have in TX) set to go. I decided to try the recipe 2 different ways.
Recipe #1 (5 Gal): Blue Ribbon alternative: Muntons Liquid Malt Home Brew Extract- Amber Hopped (1.5lbs)& Budweiser Red alternative: Muntons Export Pilsner (1.5lbs)
Recipe 2 (5 gal): Blue Ribbon alternative: Same as above(1.5 lbs); Budweiser Rice alternative: Rice Solids (I have 4lbs but don't know how much to use)

Questions:
1. How much Rice Solids in Recipe 2 for 5gal batch?
2. How do I use the Rice Solids in the Recipe?
3. Fermentation temp?
4. Recommended yeast?

5. The process:
1. Recipe says to mix extracts & sugar in a pan w/ water and bring to warm.
a. How much water?
b. How much is warm? (Temp?)
2. Dissolve yeast in warm water:
a. How much water?
b. What is "warm" temp? (Same as above, I would assume as to avoid shocking the yeast)
3. Pour into crock and top off w/ water.
a. At what rate? I would guess very slowly. Is it ok to pour hot liquids in my carboy?
b. Room temp water in TX will be 80F+ in my shop. Is this ok?
(This seems backwards, I would normally already have water in my carboy, then add wort to it?)
 

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1. 2lbs rice should give similar abv. If using 2 lbs of sugar for each batch, you'll be in the mid 5%
2. Same as you would extract.
3. mid 60s no do not use 80+ shop.
4. US-05
51a. as much as you can boil. Top off to 5.5 gal in the fermenter with clean non chlorinated water.
51b. warm enough to desolve extract. No bring to boil add hops? Missing this part of recipe?
52a. just enough to cover the yeast, and then some.
52b. 90F
53a. No, put in calculated cool top off water first. Cool the wort down as much as possible in ice bath.
53b. NO
 

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