Converting historic recipes

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Bennypapa

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I'm interested in converting a historic recipe to modern ingredients and possibly modern methods.
I'm starting with a recipe found here: http://www.bjcp.org/docs/NHC2014-kycommon-handout.pdf

This beer was brewed with a cereal mash that was added to a malt mash.

cereal mash
1300 lbs malt
4800 lbs corn grits

malt mash
6500 lbs malt
200 lbs black malt
250 lbs of caramel malt

total
7800 lbs malt 59.77%
4800 grits 36.78%
200 lbs black malt 1.53%
250 lbs of caramel malt 1.91%

total
13050 100%
 
You could try this recipe...I'm not really sure how to link it but if you search for it, it should come up...looks like what you may be looking for.

Revvy's "Kiss Yer Cousin" Rye Kentucky Common Ale

Some pretty cool info too, good luck!
 
There are a lot of facets of this beer that will require translation into modern homebrewing.
Lets start with the grains.

There are lots of types of corn from yellow to white to pop. What type would have been available then? What is the modern equivalent? Can the homebrewer substitute flaked corn and forego the cereal mash without ill effect?

The malt is listed as 6 row. I've not brewed with it. Is there a noticeable difference between 6 row and 2 row?

The black malt is assumed to be patent. Has patent malt changed much in the last 100 years? Even if it has, the amount is very small. I'm not sure I could taste the difference.

The caramel malt is another mystery to me. I have no idea what they had a hundred years ago. What would be the modern equivalent? We have such a range of caramel malts these days. Im sure things were different back then.
 
6-row has more enzymes for converting adjuncts like corn or rice. You'd have to find out what Lovibond the caramel malt might be rated at versus today's? Might use some rice hulls with the grits to keep from getting a stuck sparge?
 
A cereal mash is not hard or complicated it is just a separate mash using some of the original strike water. I use a cereal mash all the time in a stepped mash process. Taking the info posted for percentages and running it into my recipe spread sheet set up for my equipment and process here is what I came up with:

2 Row Malt 69 LBS 56%
Crystal 60L .75 LB 5%
Black Malt .75 LB 5%
6 Row Mall 1.5 LBS 9%
Flaked Corn 4 LBS 25%

I added the 6 Row to the cereal mash so it can start to convert the corn. That is a lot of corn and this would be a big beer as I think it would be an OG 1.070; at least on my system.
Setup your strike water and then pull 6 quarts of it and put it in a separate pot with the crushed 6 row and corn and heat to 126 and let it rest for 30 minutes (protein rest). Meanwhile setup your main mash with the rest of the grain and heat your water to achieve about 135F to 138F.
Now bring the cereal mash to 151 and rest 30 minutes. Then bring the cereal mash to a boil and boil for 10 to 15 minutes then add to the main mash and that should get you to about 149 or 151.
This is going to be about 25 SRM so it is about as dark as a real dark brown ale.

The article discussing it being a "sour" and possible use of lactic bacteria .. do not like sour beers and do not drink beers with any type of lactate in them as I am severely lactose intolerant.
 
Thanks BrewerinBR.
I think the original beer was a bit lower in gravity but your description of the process helps a lot.

How do you determine the water to grain ratio for the cereal mash?
 
The article discussing it being a "sour" and possible use of lactic bacteria .. do not like sour beers and do not drink beers with any type of lactate in them as I am severely lactose intolerant.

Not to get too off of the OP, but lactate and lactic acid are not related to lactose. Unless you have another condition or the food you are consuming also contains lactose you should be able to consume it just fine.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/362457-lactic-acid-lactose-intolerance/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/361244-lactate-lactose-intolerance/

As far as sour or not, Revvy's kiss your cousin clone thread goes into it a bunch. If I recall correctly, he opted for not sour.
 
I'm interested in converting a historic recipe to modern ingredients and possibly modern methods.
I'm starting with a recipe found here: http://www.bjcp.org/docs/NHC2014-kycommon-handout.pdf

This beer was brewed with a cereal mash that was added to a malt mash.

cereal mash
1300 lbs malt
4800 lbs corn grits

malt mash
6500 lbs malt
200 lbs black malt
250 lbs of caramel malt

total
7800 lbs malt 59.77%
4800 grits 36.78%
200 lbs black malt 1.53%
250 lbs of caramel malt 1.91%

total
13050 100%


While not addressing your specific questions about this recipe, I received this book for Christmas.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592538827/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It is written by the guy who writes this blog.

http://barclayperkins.blogspot.jp/

It has a lot of great information about brewing older beers but is mainly focused on the 1800s in Europe. It does get into techniques and malts of the era so it may be of some help.
 
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At homebrew club tonight i had the opportunity to talk with a friend who works in the distilling industry about corn. I asked what modern corn would similar to the grits used in the original recipe. He suggested yellow corn meal.
 
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