HERB - Re: Small Beer...

[Pug Bainter]

Friar Galen said something that sounded like:
> >>  Does this mean that England didn't have beer before that date???? I 
> >>  thought it was much older than that. Does anyone have any information?
> On a related note, I've seen references to 'small beer' (which is listed as
> being non-intoxicating) as a large part of the rations available to
> monastics. However, no explanation as to what it is. Can anyone fill me in?

Although only slightly "herbal" discussion. As well, I am only shooting
from the hip here on a foggy Monday morning.

"Small beers" are made in one of two ways.

Less grains are used, thus less sugar to turn into alcohol.

The more common method is after making a beer with regular amounts of
grain, you turn around and make another beer with the same grains. This
means that there is less sugar 'cause it went out with the first brewing.

I would think that this also would lead to less flavor whichever way you
went though. As well, with a lower alcohol content, you would have more
chance of spoilage with long term storage. I haven't *yet* tried making
a small beer after an all-grain, just because it takes 4+ hours to make
the first one.

Btw, there are several brewing lists out there for those interested in
these topics.

The ones I know of are:

bvc at ansteorra.org          (Brewing, Vintning and Cordialing)
mk-bnv at dnaco.net           (Middle Kingdom Brewing and Vintning list)
sca-distilling at tycho.com   (Distilling topics)
hist-brewing at pbm.com       (Historic brewing, not limited to SCA timelines.)
mead at talisman.com          (Mead Lovers digest)
cider at talisman.com         (Cider Lovers digest)

There are also some newsgroups relevant:

rec.crafts.brewing
rec.crafts.winemaking

Btw, just to get a little more on topic, there are also a herbal
newsgroup - alt.folklore.herbs. This doesn't count for all of the
"related" newsgroups such as cooking, textiles, etc.

This was Cc'ed to bvc at ansteorra.org for possible input as well.

Ciao,

-- 
Phelim "Pug" Gervase  | "I want to be called. COTTONTIPS. There is something 
Barony of Bryn Gwlad  |  graceful about that lady. A young woman bursting with 
House Flaming Dog     |  vigor. She blinked at the sudden light. She writes
pug at pug.net           |  beautiful poems. When ever shall we meet again?"
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