319 Yo Brewing Book - Inherited

[davewaldo]

Hi everyone!

I thought I'd share this little gem. Sadly my Grandfather passed away in England almost exactly 1 year ago. He was a war hero and a great man.

He was also a keen wine maker.

My mother gave me this book tonight which they found in his bedside drawer last month. Its a book called "A new art of brewing beer, ale, and other sorts of liquors".

It was published in 1691! Yep 319 years old. My grandfather had it rebound which will make it basically worthless I'm sure to a collector but that really isn't an issue as I would never sell it. But other than that its in great condition.

Its an amazing book and I'll post more info here once I've had a read.

What I know so far is that in the 17th century only 2 books about brewing were published in English. And this is one of them.

I can't wait to try a few recipes. It has instructions and recipes.

Will post more as I discover it

Cheers,

David.

 

[manticle]

As both a brewer and someone who's soon to be professional interest is the conservation of culturally significant works on paper and related materials* can I just say that is ******* awesome?

(*Just over 3/4 the way through an MA in cultural Materials Conservation, specialising in paper)

By the way - many old books have been rebound over the years - doesn't make them worthless in the slightest. Value (both cultural and financial) of such an item will have much more to do with rarity (first and foremost) and condition (secondly). If it did still have its original bindings it would be more valuable than one that didn't (all other things being equal) but it it isn't the defining factor.

If it's paper, it's probably cotton/rag paper which lasts really, really well. Parchment also lasts well - looks like skin and has a thick texture. I'm guessing it's rag paper.

Apologies for long-winded sentences and non-brewing related nerd trivia.

 

[marksfish]

condolences for your grandfather, you are one lucky brewer.

 

[chappo1970]

Wow Dave how great and precious is that? I would keen to see more of what's in it. You'll have to scan some pages and post them up. I'm sure the copyright Nazi's wouldn't mind. Any notes in it?

Sorry about your Grandfather mate but at least he gave you great memories.

Chap Chap

 

[bradsbrew]

Thats some pretty awesome stuff Dave. Glad your family seen to pass on some family brewing history to yourself a keen brewer....Enjoy and remember mate.

Cheers Brad

 

[Mearesy]

Thats gotta be one of the coolest things ive seen Dave. Awesome book!

 

[davewaldo]

Thankyou everyone! It truly is a precious item for me, for so many reasons.

Thanks Manticle, I'd love to hear your thoughts as to how I should best preserve it / store it. It sounds like you're the man in the know. I feel like I should be wearing gloves!

Thanks Chappo, I'm like a giddy shcoolboy, its a facinating book. Its written by a medical doctor and is written from a perspective to make healthy drinks. Funnily though he is against hops so doesn't seem to use them much in recipes. He thinks the hops and bitterness is bad for the health. Even though by this stage bitter beer was becoming the norm (IPA?). I think I will photograph each page, coz I'm going to want to look alot at it and I don't want to ruin it.

Its a wonderful momento. I asked my family in England to keep an eye out for any of my grandfather's old brewing notebooks, I didn't expect to see this.

Also, I found a copy of this book which has also been rebound, for sale for $3K... ouch! But again, its worth FAR more than that to me!

Oh and it smells GREAT! :lol:

 

[manticle]

If you want advice, feel free to ask.

Worth a lot more than cash this kind of thing. Making a digital copy (by photography or similar - not flatbed scanning) is a great idea as over/poor handling can lead to easy deterioration. That said these things are of most value when they are enjoyed and appreciated and locking it up in a cupboard forever defeats that purpose in my eyes. I'm sure there's many a colleague who would disagree with me.

Just don't leave it open next to you while your'e mashing and boiling with a beer in hand.

 

[Screwtop]

..............Holy Shit...................

That is one very special text

Screwy

 

[davewaldo]

Thanks Manticle, I agree, I want to use and enjoy it. But I will be VERY careful too.

Thanks to my uni access to ancient book texts online I've found a full transcript. If anyone is interested to see it PM me. Its not as fun as reading the real thing but the same words are there.

Screwy - my thoughts exactly.

 

[komodo]

I love things like this and it interests me that your grandfather had an interest in brewing. I wonder where he got it from. Was it handed down the generations?

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

once yo do make that digital copy make sure you post it up here!

 

[chappo1970]

once yo do make that digital copy make sure you post it up here!

+1

I would love to get a copy of the photo's Dave rather than a transcript. It just wouldn't be the same, yeah?

 

[davewaldo]

As for how this book came to my grandfather I have no idea. And I fear I will never know. You can see that "In Hilary" is written up the top of the first page. I'll have to see if I have any relatives called Hillary on that side of my family.

A few more things... There are no illustrations alas, and also no notes I have noticed yet.

The contents page promises interesting reading!



THe Design of the Author in publishing this Treatise.
Page 1
The Office of the Stomach, and several digestions described.
4
The evil Effects of Excess in Eating and Drinking, as to Quantity and Quality.
7
Concerning the generating the Stone and Gravel, Gout, Consumption, &c.
13
The Boiling of Hops, Wort, Bear, &c. very injurious.
15
Firmented Drinks much better new than Stale.
18
Rules for the well-brewing and making good wholsom Bear and Ale.
21
An Experiment demonstrating the Prejudice that Water receives by Boiling.
24
The Mischief of making Drink by a third Infusion of the Malt with hot Liquor.
25
The Quantity of Hops proposed for Brewing.
29
About Ordering your Brewing Vessels.
30
Circumstances to be observed in Cooling and Firmenting your Beer or Ale
34
Of the Nature of Hops.
38
An Objection against unboiled Bear and Ale, answered.
40
Many Herbs and Vegitations that will serve in Bewing, as well or better than Hops.
48
The best Drinks to prevent the Generation of the Stone.
55
Of cold Gruel.
57
The way of infusing Herbs or Seeds, &c. to the best advantage.
62
Cautions against certain Foods that generate the Stone and Gravel, &c.
67
A good Drink against the Stone and other Stoppages.
74
A good, profitable, and wholsom way to make Wine of Cherries, Goosberries, &c.
79
An Appendix shewing the Natural Causes why Fruit-Trees do so frequently fail Bearing, and offering Expedients to make Orchards almost constantly fruitful.
88, 105
VVith a new Experiment of preserving Eggs sweet and good for several Months.
131
The Natural way how every one may in the Spring and Fall purge themselves, with Ease and Pleasure, to considerable Advantage
135

 

[fcmcg]

Mate..
I'm sorry to hear your news...
That is one very,very special memory.....

 

[Lilo]

Sad to hear about your Grandfather, what better way to remember him than to brew some bits from the book.

Look forward to hearing some titbits from it, especially after reading the contents page.



Lucky Bugga

 

[praxis178]

+1 on the photos, something special like that deserves a special delivery method!

Really am very sorry to hear of your loss......

As an aside I'm the custodian in my family of several old family recipes (the brewing ones are: a mead and a stout) and such, most date back to ~1350, as does the family arms/title (which will be my responsibility in due course), so I understand the way you feel about this tome, truly a special gift.....

 

[Bribie G]

Hope your Grandad had a good innings, mate. Just a thought but maybe Google Books could scan it and put it out in public domain? I'm sure with something so old and precious they would send someone out in a GoogleHelicopter or whatever

 

[jyo]

Amazing mate.
A great way to remember him.
Keep us posted.
Cheers, john.

 

[white.grant]

Nice one. I love an old book and this one is both old and useful.

There's a copy of that in the Bodleian which makes it pretty special. Apparently it has been microfilmed and is available in that format from the NLA.

Just out of interest the last time that book came up for auction that i can find, was in 1998 and it sold for 1500 pounds. I know you don't want to sell it, but it gives you an idea of what it's worth.

cheers

grant