[Sca-cooks] Ale with soup consistency

[Terry Decker]

This may be the "plena cervisia" (full bodied ale) referenced in the 
Domesday Book.  You might also check Tacitus to check his comments on beer 
in Germania.  As I recall, he speaks of it being similar to Roman wine 
(which, IIRC, was commonly sweet and thick).

Bear


I was recently given a copy of Georges Duby’s 1961 work, Rural Economy and
Country Life in the Medieval West. Early on in the book, speaking of the
9th and 10th century in England, Duby describes a form of ale that seems,
at best, unusual. ‘Ale had often the consistency of thick soup and so could
be counted perhaps more as a food than a drink’. He doesn't cite any source
for this, but it's an odd enough concept to follow up on.

Thus far, I've found various gruels (often milk based, and not fermented)
and kisiel, a Polish fermented barley soup (but also milk based) - but
nothing I'd really describe as a thick ale.

Now, the 60s weren't a time for rigorous research on topics like this, and
food wasn't Duby's focus. So is he making this up, or repeating hearsay, or
was there actually such an ale?

Le meas,
Aodh