1835 WA Beer recipe and yeast selection

[Bruer]

Hi Guys,

I'm an archaeologist and doing some experimental archaeology in brewing a recipe published in a WA paper in 1835. Based on the recipe, the style is either an Old ale or a Mild (about 7.6%ABV, 50 IBU) with a grain bill of 100% pale malt. The recipe (found here: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a.../P/title/6/1835/02/07/page/461/article/641073) is silent on the type of yeast. I'm aware of the Melbourne No. 1 strain, but probably wont be able to get this in time to present the beer at a conference in December.

Given that yeast strains were not isolated until the late 1800s, and given the use of wooden ex-porter barrels i am assuming the a strain of Brett is likely present (probably Brett claussenii). My question is, what strain/s should I use for the primary sacc yeast? I realise that there are lots of possibilities, but I was leaning towards the oldest strain of English ale yeast available. Anyone have any ideas about which one this might be? Alternatively, I'd love to hear any other suggestions about what yeasts I could use.

 

[homebrewnewb]

there's going to be a lot of references to AHB in the bibliography for this presentation, isn't there?

 

[Bruer]

Most likely. And bronzed brews. And shut up about BP

 

[Lionman]

Interesting. What did ale taste like nearly 200 years ago? Will we ever know?

I'm guessing a brewery would reculture from slurry which would contain a blend of different strains, with some being in higher numbers than others. Total guess though.

Maybe blend a London Ale yeast with some Brett Claussenii, mostly clean, some esters and a slight funkiness.

I have a suspicion beer is A LOT more refined today and back then all beer was 'farmhouse' style.

 

[Mardoo]

Wyeast did a blend of an English Sacc yeast with Brett, to imitate how barrelled English brews would have tasted. It was 9097, Old Ale blend. Maybe contact them about that. Give you a different reference

Linky:
http://www.wyeastlab.com/yeast-strain/old-ale-blend

 

[Lionman]

Interesting, doesn't look likes its available anymore. it mentions its a blend of an attenuative Sacc, and a Brett with Pie-Cherry like esters.

Maybe a primary with Wyeast 1318 followed by a secondary of Wyeast 5526 (B. Lambicus) for a few months on oak chips? Sounds like it would be in the ball park of an old world oak cask ale.

I would imagine at that point in time local brewers would be using yeast scavenged from imported casks? It mentions adding "good yeast" Probably need some tasting notes.

By the way, the linked article is a great read. I love the ye olde language in the recipe.

 

[Mardoo]

Yeah, seems to have been a one-off. It was great on a RIS

 

[Stouter]

That link is great reading. I hope this works out well for you.

Interesting price list below it for market prices too. Must go down tomorrow and get me some wild fowl, the swan in particular.

 

[homebrewnewb]

article was okay, however liberal reference to the term "cock." rated PG, may not be suitable for younger readers, or offend prudes.
great use of a false bottom though.
i too am excited to extinguish my next unexpected conflagration with the wonders of STEAM POWER, what an age we live in.

 

[technobabble66]

Very interesting article.
I think the basic quantities seem to be 38.5kg pale malt + 1.47kg mild hops (say, approx EKG or Fuggles by AA%) into 23 gallons (104.56L) pre-boil volume, to give ~20 gallons (90.9L) final batch volume (into serving cask).

Fwiw, running those figures through ianh's spreadsheet (using Fuggles @4.2%) would give OG=1.103, FG=1.025, IBU=77, EBC=14.5, alc%=10.5. That's assuming mash temp is 66*C, and by the look of it the recipe's indicating more like 70*C, which would be more like 10.0% alc, FG=1.025.
It's also assuming 75% attenuation. Likely the yeast used would either be the low attenuation type (eg:1469) or higher type (eg: WLP007). I'd guess low as the yeast health would not be optimal.

Obviously my figures differ quite a lot from the OP. I'm guessing he's done a mountain of extra research on conversion potential of ale malts. I've seen mention (in Bronzed Brews?) of the high protein content & low conversion of local colonial malts (hence the use of sugars in Australia became popular).
Also, I'm guessing the hops AA% would have deteriorated over the long period of time to ship them from the UK.
Definitely into Old Ale territory at 7.5%+, either way you look at it.

Very entertaining looking at old recipes and trying to approximate them! Great work by the OP!

@OP, if you were keen to get Melbourne #1, there should be a few Internet homebrewing suppliers that can ship express and get it to you within a few days (assuming all of them haven't run out of it yet). Worth trying if you haven't already.

PS: Great to see the word "cock" thrown around a bit more, I reckon. See a bit more of our expansive English vocabulary. Rather than just narrow words down to one tittering definition.

 

[yurgy]

http://zythophile.co.uk/2011/06/10/the-mysterious-australian-ale/ this might help check out the sg.