SC - Cordials

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Jenne Heise wrote:
> 
> > I was rather surprised when there was a class on cordials
> > offered by a peer that features a recipe from a modern
> > magazine - Ladies Home Journal or something.  Now, the
> > cordial wasn't bad, but , um, splutter splutter, do we
> > really want that sort of thing taught at an A&S?
> 
> I believe the standards of strictness among the brewers are a bit
> different than those among the cooks.

That's part of it, but I also think standards of authenticity vary from
brewer to brewer. I've seen a fair amount of this, having dealt with a
lot of brewers in connection with a brewing Laurel elevated this past
12th Night. A common viewpoint seems to be something like, "They brewed
in period, therefore brewing is a period art, therefore anything I brew
is period, and nineteenth-century stout recipes are the easiest to
find." Probably not too dissimilar to the attitude of some fighters that
says that if infantrymen had had access to aircraft aluminum shields,
they'd have used them.

Then of course you have the other end of the spectrum (e.g. Master Ateno
of Annun Ridge) where the idea is more like, "We wear period clothes,
and enjoy learning about the differences and similarities between them
and modern ones. Ditto fighting methods, food and dance (sometimes). Why
is brewing any different. Why shouldn't we try to learn about and enjoy
period brews?"

Now, this also requires a different approach when tasting and judging.
Just as it is unfair to find fault with period foods for _not_ being
Caesar salad, shrimp fra diavolo, or a hamburger, it's unfair (and
frankly, ignorant) to dismiss a brew for not being Bass Pale or Guinness
Stout, and I've seen people who consider themselves competent judges do
that countless times. "Not bitter enough!", they say. "Not clear
enough!" Never mind that almost nobody ever drank ale from a glass or
other non-opaque container (so how would you tell if it's clear?), and
that the months required to fully clarify it would have resulted in malt
vinegar, that chocolate and black patent malts were essentially unknown,
and that hops were not an industrial and home standard until the
nineteenth century.

The best approach I've found, when seeing people making a face at period
brews, is to say, "Wait. Remember you're drinking a medium-dry mead made
from malt sugar and herbs, not Lone Star [or whatever]." Usually this
gets the brew a second chance with an open mind, and most of the time a
positive response.

Adamantius  
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com