‘You cannot put stinking fish into beer’

[Feldon]

FYI...
For those with an interest in the history of brewing, or just want to walk in the shoes of brewers past, the National Archives of the UK is putting on a free webinar on the development of brewing science in 19th century Britain.

It’s on this coming Friday, 14 Aug, at 2pm British Standard time (which is 11pm AEST).

Note that although free you must book ahead of time (see link below) and that some browsers and mobile phone operating systems are not supported.

Details:

‘You cannot put stinking fish into beer’: the controversies of brewing science around 1800

14 August | 14:00 to 15:00

James Sumner (Manchester University) discusses the challenges that brewers faced in promoting new innovations to an often justifiably suspicious public.

Link: Events

 

[Feldon]

A recording of the above webinar is now available for viewing on The National Archives’ website at: What’s Online: Stinking fish, beer and brewing controversies around 1800 | The National Archives

(I say ‘viewing’ but it is really an audio podcast with a few static maps, pictures and text panels to support the narrative)

The presenter is an academic who uses archive documents to underpin his observations on London brewing in the 1800s, particularly with regard to the Golden Lane Brewery. He covers the oversight of the dreaded excise inspectors, changes to legislation that impacted brewers (including at one time a technical ban on the use of water and yeast!), the exploitation of celebrity scientists and engineers to sway the judges in the law courts, and the importance that brewers placed on PR and reputation management.

There are also a few interesting passing comments on how yeast was packaged for transport in the 1800s (in casks covered with straw), grain bills (use of unmalted barley) and Beer Doctors (who used chemicals to resurrect unpalatable old sour beer into a saleable product).

Its 34 mins long, and worth a listen.