"Bronzed Brews" Home brewing old Australian Beers

[Bribie G]

One thing that puzzles me about the use of sugar is that, several times in the book, the original sources state that pre-war Australians preferred a sweeter beer, as provided by the malt - sugar beers as opposed to all malt beers.

I would have thought that the sugar would have dried out the flavour - are they referring to maybe a caramel character as opposed to just sugary sweetness?

 

[Jack of all biers]

I think it has to do with the method bribie. High temp mashing to produce body and higher residual complex sugars post fermentation. Cane sugars for financial savings and to balance the full body effect of the high temp mashes.

 

[Barry]

I think the reason was that malts grown/used in Australia up to the 1950's were fairly low in attenuation so the sugars were used to increase ADA. The higher malt temps are to compensate for the higher attenuation of modern malts. The use of modern malts, high percentages of sugar and the usual mash temps would create beers with much lower FG's than the brewing logs indicated. So this the is reason higher mash temps and yeasts with lower ADA's are used to recreate the old recipes. This is broad generalisation, Pete could give more precise reasons.
Hope this helps.

 

[GABBA110360]

got my copy yesterday and after a light browse through there is some interesting material in there well worth buying

 

[nosco]

I guess this is the follow up to bronzed brews. "6 oclock brews.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/peter-symons/6-oclock-brews/paperback/product-23403094.html

 

[Barry]

Yes, it is new book, Peter had so much left out of the first book, plus lots of news research material, he felt he had to write another book. I have read most of my copy already. The recipes have been tried and in some cases adjusted. One recipe I tried out for the first book was very ordinary both times I brewed it so it never made it in print (40% sugar, and that was the commercial recipe). Lots of Coopers recipes in this book. I get no commission but I it is must for anyone interested in Australian brewing history and the beers of the past.