# Cock Ale



## Doc (14/3/03)

A mate at work (who also home brews) just got sent this old wine/beer/mead making book from his relatives in the UK.
We were skimming the beer section and found this recipe for cock ale. 
The book was first published in 1959 and is a real hoot.

Are you guys too chicken to try out this recipe?

Cheers,
Doc


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## Trev (14/3/03)

OK, I give up!

The part that says ' and put it in a Quart of Canary'.

What the heck is that. Do you know how many Canarys you'll need to put through the blender to get a whole Quart! - although I dare say it will impart a somewhat 'feathery' feel to the mix and probably a beautiful yellow colour  


Trev


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## Linz (14/3/03)

And what the FIRKIN is a FIRKIN :huh:


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## Ic3man (15/3/03)

LOL :lol: What kinda mace is it???.. the kind they give to females to spray people in the eyes.. Now i only need a few young cocks to go into my recipe  Any offers????


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## Doc (15/3/03)

Sorry guys, I can't answer any of your questions.
It was just one of those weird things, that I thought you guys would get a kick out of.
Maybe someone older on the list can provide the answers. 

Beers,
Doc


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## RegBadgery (16/3/03)

Well my decayed nature could do with a bit of restoring this morning. It's a great recipe - anyone fancy putting together a modernised version?

I think a firkin = 9 imperial gallons - it's a pretty old term and appears in the bible.

cheers
reg


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## Moray (17/3/03)

barrel sizing

demi pin = 2.25 gallons = 18 pints

pin = 4.5 gallons = 36 pints

firkin = 9 gallons = 72 pints

kilderkin = 18 gallons = 144 pints

barrel = 36 gallons = 288 pints

hogshead = 56 gallons = 448 pints

puncheon = 72 gallons = 576 pints

websters has a defininiton of canary as being wine made in the canary islands.


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## Moray (17/3/03)

I've also heard the new 9 point goal in the AFL preseason cup called a firkin


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## Doc (19/3/03)

Apparently canary is an old type of sherry.

Cheers,
Doc


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## PMyers (26/3/03)

Well, I was speaking to a friend this morning with whom the cock ale recipe has been a long standing joke for nearly a year (He first heard about it on an old medieval website and then told me about it). He has gathered all the required ingredients (the recipe he saw did not require any firkin canaries) and only got hold of the mace yesterday. He will be marinating the chickens in a sack (thats another term for a strong sweet mead) for a few days and he is actually going to make a cock ale!
I have no idea how it will taste, but I'm adventurous enough to try it when it's done. If I survive the ordeal I will let you all know.

Cock-a-doodle-do,
Pete

:chug:


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## GMK (26/3/03)

PMeyers

What is the chance of bartering a couple of stubbies my almost russian imperial stout - approx 8% ( the best stout i have ever brewed) 

for a couple of stubbies of Cock Ale ?


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## PMyers (26/3/03)

Depends on how many stubbies my mate is willing to part with. If it tastes anything like I think it will, I can't honestly see a problem  

Cheers,
Pete

:chug:


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## Wasabi (27/3/03)

Guys, an English friend of mine told me that meat was quite a common additive to scrumpy.

I had a look on the Cats Meow and found THIS LINK


HMmmmm....no canaries though


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## Doc (23/4/03)

Pete,

How did your mates Cock Ale turn out ?
Actually you haven't been around much lately, maybe you tried some and you have food-beer poisoning ?

Doc


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## PMyers (24/4/03)

Sorry Doc, he hasn't made it yet but promises he will attempt it soon enough. As for my dissapearance, there are just too many things for a man to do these days, and a lot less time to spend on the good things (I haven't made a brew in over three weeks! ! !). Hopefully, now that we have finished moving the store to it's new location, I might have a little more time on my hands.

Cheers,
Pete

:chug:


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## Linz (24/4/03)

what is the new location Pete? :unsure:


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## Doc (24/4/03)

Is it this one?

The address:
1 / 148 Toongabbie Rd, NSW, 2147 
The Phone number:
(02) 9896-1366

Cheers,
Doc


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## PMyers (17/6/03)

Sorry about the long delays between postings these days. Too damn busy.

Doc - Yes thats the address details alright (but I know you already figured that out by yourself)  

Linz - To clarify matters, a firkin is exactly 34.06775 litres (for the imperially challenged)

The cock ale recipe appears to have been put on the back burner - though I can't imagine why? ? ?  Hopefully he will get back to it soon.

Cheers,
Pete

:chug:


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## big d (17/6/03)

i hate to say it but i last year tried a mates adventurous cock ale.hes not a homebrewers backside-still kit and kilo-all the trying in the world cant convince him to give up the sugar.anyway said mate did a coopers lager and kilo of sugar and bunged a freshly cooked chook into the fermenter.
i saw it again before he kegged it and it was not very nice looking.
had a taste down the track and i managed two glasses before i said enough.he thought it was great.i along with the few willing that tried it reckon otherwise.

cheers
big d


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## deebee (18/6/03)

Won't replace his sucrose but doesn't mind a chook in the fermenter?


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## big d (18/6/03)

yep this bloke is bordering on weird.very adventurous with any additive other than sugar.should have seen his mull beer.totally green.would have looked good on st pats day.i never did try it.no idea on how it tasted either

cheers
big d


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## Doc (20/8/03)

Bought a book off eBay last week.
It also has a recipe and info on brewing a Cock Ale.

Do we have any new takers on giving this a go ?

Beers,
Doc


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (4/11/04)

Hi All - even as we speak the Pyssedas Heavy Industrial Brewing Division is undertaking a cock ale - it is a recipe which I have half dreamed up for myself - but hopefully will avoid the worst of the rancidity which could eventuate from some recipes - and also avoids adding raisins to the beer which i just couldn't bear.

For those who wish for more details they can be found at:
www.geocities.com/pyssedas/chicken

Any other thoughts would be most welcomed - if there are any brave souls in Melbourne who would be interested in trying this beast [if feathered things fit into the beast category] feel free to get in touch via the site!
Cheers
DGr


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (2/12/04)

For those interested in this adventure clicking on the site listed in the above post can now find tasting notes and more on this fine brew.

PS - have only just tried it - if i die tomorrow i will leave note in will that wife will post here to warn others of my foolish ways.


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## dreamboat (3/12/04)

Does a "thumbs up" count as a tasting note???
Other details very thin on the ground on that link.....

dreamboat


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (3/12/04)

Good point dreamboat - a mistake on my part for which i apologise- recipe and tasting notes etc here:

http://www.geocities.com/pyssedas/chicken.html

again apologies


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## dreamboat (3/12/04)

Nice Read PHI

Can't wait to hear about the final tasting of the Egg Beer


dreamboat


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## Pyssedas Heavy Industrial (3/12/04)

Well I am proud of my stomach for surviving the chicken beer - but not sure I am up to the egg - have seen it in its bottle fermenting and it looked truly terrible - the reports of the smell defy belief. Think I will have to be well scutted before I attempt that one!


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## kook (9/12/04)

There was actually a small snippet of info about Cock Ale in the Metro (free London newspaper) on tuesday. They quoted the same recipe!

Nice read PHI, its good to see someone actually tried this, nomatter how insane of a recipe it is!


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## Goat (9/12/04)

Hey - who let the Pom in ?!!!! 

How's it going Kook? any chance you'll be at Gl's on the weekend?


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## kook (9/12/04)

Its going great  Working and drinking good beer (no brewing though I'm afraid). I wont be at GLs I'm afraid. I'm taking a day trip down to Brighton to visit The Evening Star (http://www.eveningstarbrighton.co.uk/) for their winter beer festival.


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## big d (9/12/04)

thanks kook
we read it and weep


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## Goat (9/12/04)

Bloody hell - have you looked at the beers they have on tap !?!! ...any chance of a photo of the bar Kook?

Good to see you back online

KOOK : the inaugural AHB Foreign Correspondent


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