Halloween (was Re: SC - Hello out there.)

[Butterfield, Margaret]

Hi there!

The following is the text from the URL on the Rheinheitsgebot mentioned
by Nanna. I had asked about exceptions like wheat beer... 

> posted to rec.crafts.brewing by Fred Hardy
> 
> GERMANY"S PURITY LAW
> 
> 
> Following is an English translation of the Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law) adopted in 1516, the oldest provision still
> enforced to protect the consumer. This is taken from the article "History of German Brewing" by Karl J. Eden, published in
> 'zymurgy' magazine, Vol. 16, No. 4 Special 1993. 
> 
> "We hereby proclaim and decree, by Authority of our Province, that henceforth in the Duchy of Bavaria, in the country as
> well as in the cities and marketplaces, the following rules apply to the sale of beer: 
> 
> "From Michaelmas to Georgi, the price for one Mass [Bavarian Liter 1,069] or one Kopf [bowl-shaped container for fluids,
> not quite one Mass], is not to exceed one Pfennig Munich value, and 
> 
> "From Georgi to Michaelmas, the Mass shall not be sold for more than two Pfennig of the same value, the Kopf not more
> than three Heller [Heller usually one-half Pfennig]. 
> 
> "If this not be adhered to, the punishment stated below shall be administered. 
> 
> "Should any person brew, or otherwise have, other beer than March beer, it is not to be sold any higher than one Pfennig
> per Mass. 
> 
> "Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets and in the country, the only ingredients used for the
> brewing of beer must be Barley, Hops and Water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses upon this ordinance,
> shall be punished by the Court authorities' confiscating such barrels of beer, without fail. 
> 
> "Should, however, an innkeeper in the country, city or markets buy two or three pails of beer (containing 60 Mass) and sell
> it again to the common peasantry, he alone shall be permitted to charge one Heller more for the Mass of the Kopf, than
> mentioned above. Furthermore, should there arise a scarcity and subsequent price increase of the barley (also considering
> that the times of harvest differ, due to location), WE, the Bavarian Duchy, shall have the right to order curtailments for the
> good of all concerned." 

Interesting! For all its fame, the Rheinheitsgebot, the world-renowned
"Strict German Purity Laws" turn out to be nothing more than a rehashing
of the older English Assizes of Ale, with the sole exception of the line
about using only barley, hops, and water.

I don't know what went into period German March beer, but March Beer in
England in the early 17th century (the earliest recipe I've seen)
contained both peas and unmalted wheat and oats (and Markham's recipe is
actually extremely good, BTW) in addition to barley malt. On the other
hand, while modern Marzen is based on barley malt only, there are German
wheat beers of relative antiquity that would seem to conflict with the
intent of the Rheinheitsgebot. Or does that sound like an ordered
curtailment for the good of all concerned? Curiouser and curiouser!

As I say, I've heard it said that the Rheinheitsgebot was intended not
to protect consumers from price-gouging or adulteration in the beer
industry, but from the effects of an unstable wheat and rye market due
to widespread use in brewing. Whether that's true I don't know; I read
it on a Web site advertising a commercial German wheat beer distributed
in Britain, which I found after doing a Web search for
"Rheinheitsgebot".     

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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