Beers and Breweries of Britain
This is the time of year for roaring fires and a good, dark beer :
(can be purchased here - http://crimsonbooksinc.storesecured.com/items/book-publishers/shire/crafts-hobbies/beers-and-breweries-of-britain-srpsli434-detail.htm )
Beers and Breweries of Britain - Roger Putnam
“Beer has been known for around six thousand years and has been an integral part of the culture in man civilizations, including the British.”
Early beer, which date back to at least the Egyptians, was probably made using old bread, water and little else. By the medieval period (prior to widespread use of hops), brews were flavored with fruits, spices and even small amounts of certain poisons. The last no doubt lead to many an unrepeatable drinking experience. Because of the proteins and vitamins found in beer it was treated more as a foodstuff than a drink, and as a necessary comfort to the peasant class.
In the 18th Century beer went from being a local or homemade product to one of the first mass produced commodities in England. The first widely marketed ale was a porter, and experts looking at the recipe think that it was not wildly different from the typical British porter of today. Part of the reason for its great success was the government’s support of the beer industry and beer drinking as a way to combat the growing popularity of gin amongst the poor. Gin was considered unhealthy and more likely to lead to violence and dissolute behavior than beer.
The development of the railway system, the end of the British tax on glass, and the creation of more bitter, lighter and durable styles like IPAs (and a new law making it easier get a license to sell beer) all contributed to the great beer boom of the 19th century. So huge was the beer industry at once point prior to World War I Guinness employed over a quarter of Dublin’s workers.
In addition, as European brewers became more accepting of new technologies they also grew more open to sharing their knowledge, and shared the secrets of making lagers with British brew masters. If this is a good thing or not probably depends on your own taste in beer. While lagers were less complicated in flavor than traditional ales, they were easy to make high in alcohol content, and were deeply refreshing for those looking for a drink at the end of long day of labor.
While not specifically about the beers of the past B&BoB has many wonderful period drawings and photos for anyone studying pre-twentieth century life. It also has, somewhat inadvertently, very good information for home brewers, explaining ingredients, how fermentation for different brews work, and even how to make grains into malt. But the chapter on actual brewing will only help those who have professional scale equipment.
As with all Shire books this is not for the expert, but is an excellent start for anyone looking for a concise source of information, good images and, in this case, a fine list of rare British beers to try with excellent tasting notes.
“Beer is a drink with a long history that is totally interwoven into the culture of the land; we should raise our glasses (beer, of course) and respond to the toast ‘beer is best!’ “
(can be purchased here - http://crimsonbooksinc.storesecured.com/items/book-publishers/shire/crafts-hobbies/beers-and-breweries-of-britain-srpsli434-detail.htm )
Beers and Breweries of Britain - Roger Putnam
“Beer has been known for around six thousand years and has been an integral part of the culture in man civilizations, including the British.”
Early beer, which date back to at least the Egyptians, was probably made using old bread, water and little else. By the medieval period (prior to widespread use of hops), brews were flavored with fruits, spices and even small amounts of certain poisons. The last no doubt lead to many an unrepeatable drinking experience. Because of the proteins and vitamins found in beer it was treated more as a foodstuff than a drink, and as a necessary comfort to the peasant class.
In the 18th Century beer went from being a local or homemade product to one of the first mass produced commodities in England. The first widely marketed ale was a porter, and experts looking at the recipe think that it was not wildly different from the typical British porter of today. Part of the reason for its great success was the government’s support of the beer industry and beer drinking as a way to combat the growing popularity of gin amongst the poor. Gin was considered unhealthy and more likely to lead to violence and dissolute behavior than beer.
The development of the railway system, the end of the British tax on glass, and the creation of more bitter, lighter and durable styles like IPAs (and a new law making it easier get a license to sell beer) all contributed to the great beer boom of the 19th century. So huge was the beer industry at once point prior to World War I Guinness employed over a quarter of Dublin’s workers.
In addition, as European brewers became more accepting of new technologies they also grew more open to sharing their knowledge, and shared the secrets of making lagers with British brew masters. If this is a good thing or not probably depends on your own taste in beer. While lagers were less complicated in flavor than traditional ales, they were easy to make high in alcohol content, and were deeply refreshing for those looking for a drink at the end of long day of labor.
While not specifically about the beers of the past B&BoB has many wonderful period drawings and photos for anyone studying pre-twentieth century life. It also has, somewhat inadvertently, very good information for home brewers, explaining ingredients, how fermentation for different brews work, and even how to make grains into malt. But the chapter on actual brewing will only help those who have professional scale equipment.
As with all Shire books this is not for the expert, but is an excellent start for anyone looking for a concise source of information, good images and, in this case, a fine list of rare British beers to try with excellent tasting notes.
“Beer is a drink with a long history that is totally interwoven into the culture of the land; we should raise our glasses (beer, of course) and respond to the toast ‘beer is best!’ “