Traditional Nordic Style Beer

[faber]

And you can have that intra-Scandinavian debate with someone from Norway.

Archaeologists have yet to recover any evidence of (early) medieval beer from anywhere in Scandinavia, and organics survive oddly well in the soil there (as well as the inorganics). But there is abundant evidence of trade.

Since ale is mentioned in the literature, in accounts of travel, the conclusion is pretty clear...

And, yes, there is ample arable land in Sweden, but in the Viking period the knowledge and techniques of farming were poor, relative to, say, the Mediterranean basin, or other parts of Continental Europe. Until they brought that knowledge back through extended trade, their knowledge of ale was probably limited to trade and consumption.

I grew up in Europe, too, and went to a school that was over a thousand years old. It wasn't uncommon to find bits of old rubbish in the ground. (I once found a handful of Roman coins.) Never did find an ancient brewery, though

 

[ChrisS68]

My understanding is that, before hops came into vouge, beers from the region often used Creeping Charlie, or Alehoof, as a flavoring and to help clarify the beer. I've wondered about giving it a try, as my yard has plenty. :cross: However, I haven't been able to find any information on how Creeping Charlie should be used in brewing.

 

[Damonic]

A buddy of mine is of Norwegian descent and it'd be fun to brew a traditional brew for him. Seems like there's not any recipes out there though??

 

[cafeviking]

I would imagine that early skandinavisk alcohols were made with potato starches, berries, and herbs. For some reason the use of potato starch seems to be very overlooked and there might be a reason for this that I am unaware of. I think it's probable that there were vegetable additions as well.

Nordic and upper-Euro cultures fed predomnantly on animal meats and bi-products that were largely from domesticated or kept stock. A lot of freshwater fish and shellfish are assumed to have been dietary staples because of their availability and great nutrition. However, there is still enough evidence of agricultural implement to conclude that cereal grains (rye, oats, barley) were in fact cultivated as well as vegetables such as carrots and the like, onion, leek and garlic varieties, mushrooms, beats, peas, legumes, cabbage and local leaves for salads. Berry and fruit use was arguably extensive due to the relative abundance and ease of which it was to dry, pickle, and preserve alongside meats and seafood. It is assumed that seaweeds were also a dietary element and there is an ale called Kelpie that is supposed to mimic an old-world Scottish recipe. There's no reason to believe that techniques were not shared between the sometimes trading and sometimes forcefully integrated Scotland and Norway.

So I would assume that potato starches and various grains would likely have made heavier-bodied, sweet and maybe sour gruit ales. I would find it likely that a dominant strain of yeast came from a specific berry which could have initiated the fermentation process. Perhaps seaweed also contributed to the palette as it was commonly used to fertilize vegetation in Scotland (Kelpie).

As far as the gruit and bittering aspects go, your guess is as good as mine and likely spanned the gamut. Local herbs and spices were abundant; the use and knowledge of their benefits are assumed to be well known. Look at akkevit!

I just did a search on period herbs and came across an archaeological find confirming that hops(!) were a part of the ninth and tenth century viking diet!!

This is getting me inspired. perhaps I will attempt to make an historic viking ale, however speculative! I'm still very new to brewing, though.

Ha det!
Skål!
Eric

 

[faber]

Cafeviking,

If you brew it, post it! I'd love to see your recipe!

.....
There was significant trade and cross-influence between the British Isles, Scandinavia, and northern Europe. Without a question. So if we adopt a more post-structural approach to the question....there is no traditional beer "recipe" in Scandinavia, but there are traditional approaches to production and consumption. Beer was not a pro forma recipe, but a way of making a beverage that was constructed in situ depending on local ingredients. So what was traditional "Nordic" beer of the Viking period? Perhaps not an exact recipe, but a method. And the literary and archaeological record support this.

There rarely are sites that present direct evidence of a single recipe of a beer, e.g. the tumulus at Gordion. In reality, nothing is truly autochthonous.

 

[beenjammin]

I would imagine that early skandinavisk alcohols were made with potato starches, berries, and herbs. For some reason the use of potato starch seems to be very overlooked and there might be a reason for this that I am unaware of.

perhaps the reason your looking for is that potatoes were domesticated in the "new" world? not reaching european mainland until the 16th century, not even gaining prominence in england or spain or holland (let alone in scandinavia) until the 18th.

 

[cafeviking]

Yes, you're right, and I certainly managed to overlook the history of potatoes. I think I even watched a documentary on the topic this summer too. No excuse!

There would have been a few available sources for starches and carbohydrates in beets (sea beets?), other tuberous vegetables and even grasses (other than barley, rye, wheat, oats, etc) that contained sweet starches and sugars. Although my line of thinking was along the availability and quantity of potatoes and I'm not sure if other tubers would have been of sufficient abundance to be functional.

 

[faber]

Yes, you're right, and I certainly managed to overlook the history of potatoes. I think I even watched a documentary on the topic this summer too. No excuse!

There would have been a few available sources for starches and carbohydrates in beets (sea beets?), other tuberous vegetables and even grasses (other than barley, rye, wheat, oats, etc) that contained sweet starches and sugars. Although my line of thinking was along the availability and quantity of potatoes and I'm not sure if other tubers would have been of sufficient abundance to be functional.

Cafeviking,

Are you simply looking for a way to make beer with what is available in Scandinavia?

Or are you looking for how Viking-period ales were made?

Two different things.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

looks like this thread was dug up however for the OP,

Try Randy Moshers Radical Brewing. I do not have it in front of me at the moment but I believe he has some info on tradtional Nordic brews. Possibly a "recipe" of sorts but at least some info to get you going.

 

[BoxofRain]

I found this interesting page on Norwegian Commercial Beers.

 

[pNesh]

This thread is a bit outdated but the latest "Brew Your Own" had features on Nordic brewing.

And Shelton Brothers distributes for Haandbryggeriet, you can check below to see if you can get any.

http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/beerProfile.asp