How did our forefathers controll the brewing process?

[Joerg]

After viewing several videos and reading up on it, the brewing process
has two critical parameters aside from which hops to add when and so
forth. #1 is sterilization which is fairly easy these days. #2 is
temperature which is less easy to control for the home brewer.

How did the Vikings do that? They lived in frosty climates and heating
methods were very primitive, essentially just a big fire. They didn't
have yeast but used a "magic stick" that still had the magic bacteria
from grandpa on it. They could not walk to the next hardware store to
buy iodophor.

How did the early settlers in the Southwest do it? When it's 105F in
Arizona it's 105F and there is nothing they could do about it. No A/C
and not every village had a cave handy yet the cowboys wanted their
beer. Train tracks weren't widely existing so even if they had Amazon it
wouldn't have worked.

[Ecnerwal]

There is no sterilization in brewing, unless you are pressure-canning
wort for starters - there is only sanitization (and only needs to be.)
Boiling will do that.

For temperature control, cave, or as close as can be managed - beer was
fermented in the cellar, not the attic. Not sure that it merited the
expense of ice, though it could certainly be fermented in a structure
attached to the ice-house if there was one.

I expect that beer quality was often highly variable, and also Hobson's
Choice (take it or leave it) since you couldn't walk down to the 7-11
and pick up a beer you preferred, either. Certainly descriptions of
Viking beer tend towards the sour style.

[Joerg]

Post by Ecnerwal
There is no sterilization in brewing, unless you are pressure-canning
wort for starters - there is only sanitization (and only needs to be.)
Boiling will do that.
For temperature control, cave, or as close as can be managed - beer was
fermented in the cellar, not the attic. Not sure that it merited the
expense of ice, though it could certainly be fermented in a structure
attached to the ice-house if there was one.

I meant places like this:

Loading Image...

No basements, no ice house, no caves, but lots of thirsty souls back in
the days.

Post by Ecnerwal
I expect that beer quality was often highly variable, and also Hobson's
Choice (take it or leave it) since you couldn't walk down to the 7-11
and pick up a beer you preferred, either. Certainly descriptions of
Viking beer tend towards the sour style.

AFAIK they didn't even use hops. Must have been a weird taste. Probably
their main concern was that there's enough alcohol content to get them
into the mood for tomorrow's battle :-)

[c***@gmail.com]

Post by Joerg
After viewing several videos and reading up on it, the brewing process
has two critical parameters aside from which hops to add when and so
forth. #1 is sterilization which is fairly easy these days. #2 is
temperature which is less easy to control for the home brewer.
gdfdc
How did the Vikings do that? They lived in frosty climates and heating
methods were very primitive, essentially just a big fire. They didn't
have yeast but used a "magic stick" that still had the magic bacteria
from grandpa on it. They could not walk to the next hardware store to
buy iodophor.
How did the early settlers in the Southwest do it? When it's 105F in
Arizona it's 105F and there is nothing they could do about it. No A/C
and not every village had a cave handy yet the cowboys wanted their
beer. Train tracks weren't widely existing so even if they had Amazon it
wouldn't have worked.
--
Regards, Joerg
http://www.analogconsultants.com/

[Joerg]

Post by Joerg
After viewing several videos and reading up on it, the brewing process
has two critical parameters aside from which hops to add when and so
forth. #1 is sterilization which is fairly easy these days. #2 is
temperature which is less easy to control for the home brewer.
gdfdc
How did the Vikings do that? They lived in frosty climates and heating
methods were very primitive, essentially just a big fire. They didn't
have yeast but used a "magic stick" that still had the magic bacteria
from grandpa on it. They could not walk to the next hardware store to
buy iodophor.
How did the early settlers in the Southwest do it? When it's 105F in
Arizona it's 105F and there is nothing they could do about it. No A/C
and not every village had a cave handy yet the cowboys wanted their
beer. Train tracks weren't widely existing so even if they had Amazon it
wouldn't have worked.
--
Regards, Joerg
http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Probably you wanted to comment something but the comment lines didn't
make it. Can you post again?

Still haven't brewd my first batch yet, on account of a serious poison
oak cae. Right arm doesn't work yet :-(

[baloonon]

Post by Joerg
Still haven't brewd my first batch yet, on account of a serious poison
oak cae. Right arm doesn't work yet :-(

Off topic, but the best treatment for the itch I know is soak in the
hottest water you can stand without burning yourself. Test the temperature
first on skin that isn't affected, and don't do it on any part that is
weeping. I think the highest recommended hot water heater temperature is
120F, so maybe 110F is a good temperature. Keep it soaking for as long as
you can stand it but obviously don't risk a burn. It should feel really
hot at first and then suddenly you'll get relief for an hour or more.

[Joerg]

Post by baloonon

Post by Joerg
Still haven't brewd my first batch yet, on account of a serious poison
oak cae. Right arm doesn't work yet :-(

Off topic, but the best treatment for the itch I know is soak in the
hottest water you can stand without burning yourself. Test the temperature
first on skin that isn't affected, and don't do it on any part that is
weeping. I think the highest recommended hot water heater temperature is
120F, so maybe 110F is a good temperature. Keep it soaking for as long as
you can stand it but obviously don't risk a burn. It should feel really
hot at first and then suddenly you'll get relief for an hour or more.

Yes, I read about that. The itch wasn't the main problem. The pain and
swelling was. I could not even lift anything and my right had would not
close.

It's healed up ok now but I still have itch episodes over the whole body
and I guess that may go on another week or two. Still can't sleep
through the night.

But now it got too hot around here and the only way to brew is to rig a
fridge for 65-70F operation. The 40-80F adjustable thermostat I ordered
to allow me to build that kludge hasn't arrived yet. I just hope our
pool will stay cool enough for a few more weeks so I can use it to chill
the wort by setting the pot in there on the first step.

During my first bike ride after the poison oak case yesterday I picked
up the last other missing item, Star San. So pretty soon I should be
brewing again after a 35 year hiatus.