History of the Week

Alcohol History Links August 5 - 12
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The story behind the 'Cream' in Cream Ale

Some more fascinating research on beer additives in the 1800s.

“In this collection of documents from the State Assembly of New York in 1886, it was said brewers try to shorten 8-12 weeks of aging time by artificially clarifying and carbonating the beer. This was done by adding bicarbonate of soda and if the acidity in the beer was not high enough, cream of tartar or another acid was added. It was not just to mix with isinglass: some brewers added cream of tartar to help carbonate the beer faster.”

Further on, Gary postulates an interesting (and fairly convincing) idea on the origins of ‘cream’ in ‘cream ale / cream beer / cream soda’.

Brief history of brewing in Sidney

A quick interview with historian Mark Dunn on the history of (James Squire, John Boston) brewing in Sydney.

Beer museum at the Astor House

Efforts for starting a beer museum are underway at the Astor House in Golden, Colorado.
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Beer Museum on the road

Another beer museum! Thanks to Stan Hieronymos for finding the story.
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Munchies does Sahti

Not the most in-depth article (there are no tasting notes, for one), but it at least highlights some sahti brewers.
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“This used to be the pigsty,” says Petteri while offering me a glass of sahti in a small tasting room. “I worked in the military at the time and was looking for a change of scenery. I read in the paper a story about retiring entrepreneurs who didn’t have anyone to continue their business. That’s where I saw Finlandia Sahti. I had some experience with brewing beer at home and after talking with my wife I decided to leave from the Finnish Defence Forces and become a sahti brewer.”

Bell Beaker Earthworks

A new Bell Beaker (2,600 to 2,200 BCE) ‘earthwork enclosure’ has been discovered in southern Spain. There have been some evidence (and strong arguments for) the Bell Beaker culture were brewing, and I wouldn’t be very surprised if some evidence for brewing was found in future digs, Especially given that:

[the site] “...consists of several circular trenches with entrance-like openings at regular intervals. In the center was a deep, circular hole some 19 meters wide. In it, the archaeologists found large clay bricks with burn marks on it which may have served a ritual purpose. But they did not find human remains or indications of continuous settlement after the Copper Age -- suggesting the site was used intensively for a relatively short period.”

​Sounds like a potential malting and / or brewing facility, to me.