[Sca-cooks] brown ale

[Terry Decker]

>> I keep on thinking of the Robin Hood and other ballads where they  seem 
>> to refer to 'nut brown ale'. But of course those were recorded  somewhat 
>> later....
>
> Yes. It may be a little like the Old England of "The Roast Beef of Old 
> England" being 1825 or so...
>
> Yes, it's old. No argument there. However...
>
> Now you've made me want to look really closely at the ballad, "The Nut- 
> Brown Maid"... you don't suppose it could be a drinking song, huh?
>
> Adamantius

IIRC, the earliest written occurence of a Robin Hood ballad is 15th Century 
with others appearing over the next several centuries. before being 
collected by Child in the 19th Century.  For a more definitive answer, one 
needs to know the precise ballad and its history.

Bear