Red Top Ale

[hellbender]

After I got interested in homebrewing, my Father and Aunt made it known to me that back in the 1940's/50's my Grandfather was into homebrewing in Southwest VA.. They know this for a fact because they used to secretly partake of his efforts. They indicated that he brewed a concoction called "Red Top Ale". Further research on my part reveals that Red Top Ale was brewed commercially at one time in Cincinatti. Apparently the Red Top Ale Brewery also sold large quantities of liquid malt extract to my Grandfather.

Recently my wife made it known to me that she had discovered a homebrew recipe in a publication whose most recent copyright was 1973 entitled "Old Timey Recipes" and published in Bluefield, West Virginia. Interestingly enough, it features the very same Red Top Ale. I will share it here for your enjoyment:

"You will need a 5 gallon crock or wooden keg, one quart of store-bought Red Top malt, 4 gallons of water, 5 pounds of sugar and two small cakes of Fleishman's yeast. Heat about a third of the water in the crock. Stir the sugar and malt with the heated water until it is dissolved. Cool it down with the cooler water to a milk-warm temperature. Add the two cakes of yeast. Keep in a warm place. It foams and works about three days. Then it stops and the foam goes down and it is ready to bottle."

The same recipe book also has a lovely Parsnip Wine recipe.

 

[tdavisii]

That recipe sounds like some nasty prison hooch.

 

[Blender]

Yep with that amount of sugar and baking yeast I would be real hesitant to make that brew.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

What? That sounds AWESOME

No hops! lots of Table sugar and BREAD yeast!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[hellbender]

What? That sounds AWESOME

No hops! lots of Table sugar and BREAD yeast!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds awful, but (near as I can tell) it was respresenative of homebrewing as practiced in the US in the 40's. It contained alcohol and I imagine it sustained quite a few college students.

 

[Brakeman_Brewing]

Its amazing to see how far the hobby has come since those prohibition days. Although I wouldnt go and make any of these recipes, its interesting to read about.

 

[jeepone]

My father, now 95 years old, made homebrew in Bluefield, VA using this recipe and Red Top malt from long before I was born (1964) until Red Top malt quit being made...probably in the late 1970's. I remember helping him bottle it many many times and was always allowed a taste when he was having one. I guess that is where I acquired my love of beer. But I hate hops! I live in Central VA now where you can't throw a stick without hitting a craft brewery. I always prefer their malty beers over the hoppy ones.

 

[JohnSand]

Thanks for the update.