SC - alcohol content in beer

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Heather Law wrote:
> 
> As beer was drunk daily by children, pregnant women, and nursing
> mothers, one hopes it had a very low alcohol content
> Caroline

Evidence suggests that ales, which tended to be infusion mashed, would
have a low alcohol content: infusion mashes tend to be fairly hot at
first, since they are made with boiling water. This causes the starches
in the malt to be converted to dextrins (heavy, non-fermentable complex
sugars) rather than sinple maltose. Only as the mash cools do the
fermentables come though. You'll find literary references to stale ale,
old ale, and strong ale; these might be said to have a somewhat higher
alcohol content. In general, though, you're right, the average beer was
chewier and heavier until the twentieth century, when a great change in
styles occurred...

I'm generalizing here, of course.

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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