Beer

The standard recipe to make beer has undergone dramatic changes over centuries reflecting the political and social climate of the times. The Reinheitsgebot or German Beer Purity Law of 1516 is popularly believed to have been passed with the intention to protect consumers and regulate industry (and, obviously, to make the beer spiritually pure. No, really). It stated that only water, barley, and hops could be used in the making of beer. In part this law was to ensure that the limited supply of wheat and rye went to bread making, not beer (let them eat, not get drunk. Questionable priorities, yes?). This law also severely limited the ingredients that could be used in beer making. It eliminated a quite long list of herbs that were commonly used in beer throughout Europe, including lemon balm, henbane, rosemary, sage, lavender, coriander, ginger, mandrake, licorice, st. john’s wort, heather, juniper, etc, etc. These days writers about beers might refer to these ingredients as “questionable,” but a brewer from the 13th century would strongly disagree. The uses of these herbs in brewing had a pagan, ancient history and were used with specific purposes. Herbs were used to medicate, to create highly inebriating beverages, and for spiritual significance (would you rather have an herbal tea, or an herbal beer? Incidentally, many herbs are more soluble in alcohol than water, making the effective aspects of herbs more available in beer. Celestial Seasonings, move over bitch). By the 16th century the history of these herbs began to clash with the change and “progress” happening in a society with increasingly centralized political, economic, and religious powers.
The use of herbs and foods in beer also reflected specific regional ingredients. Regions developed their own unique brews featuring a taste of the land from which it grew. The Scandinavian countries were known for using juniper, Celts used heather, the natives of South America and Mexico used the sweet juice of agave and corn to make pulque and chicha, and millet was used to make Kaffir in Africa and Chang in Asia (everyone loves beer!). However, the German Purity Law seemed to hit on a nerve in the European mindset. Though no other countries passed such regulations, nearly all European countries followed suit in using hops as the primary herb for making beer from the 16th through the 18th centuries. A market standard was born.
Some, though in truth not many, believe this regulation had very little to do with consumer protection, and quite a lot to do with religious history (There is definitely a lack of people that write on this topic. I blame this on a lack of beer historians. Why is there a lack of these people, I have no fucking idea.). At this time in Germany and across Europe Protestantism was on the rise challenging the Catholic Church on many religious points as well as its proclivity for luxury, excess, and lavishness. The effects of some of the beers of the 16th century appeared to the Protestant eye to fall into this culture of indulgence. Thus in a culture with heightened influence from a Protestant worldview, beers brewed with herbs that had highly inebriating effects fell out of favor (very big bummer). With power struggles between Catholics and Protestants, all Christian sects took a stance against what was termed as “witchcraft,” often as a means to establish religious power. The era from 1550-1650 is now known as “The Burning Times” when those suspected of witchcraft, heresy, and deviance were burned at the stake at the highest numbers in history (do you think we could follow this example and call our century “The Prozac Times” in recognition of what happens to deviants in our day?). This sort of culture of witch hunting perhaps had something to do with the abandonment of practices associated with pagan ancients for fear of being identified as a witch. There was an imminent threat associated with holding on to ancient traditions of brewing. The political, religious, and social climate dictated a change in beer making.
So, what’s so great about hops that they became the standard herb used in beer? Well, most beer people explain that hops came to wide use in beer because hops are an effective preservative. However, many herbs possess qualities that would aid in preserving beer. Herbs are used to fight infections in people for a really good reason and would serve the same function in beer. So, there must be some other reason for the wide use of hops. As an herb hops cause one to become very tired (hops pillows were once a popular remedy for sleeplessness, but left one feeling rather groggy in the morning), diminishes one’s sexual desire, and are a powerful diuretic. Compared to herbs such as sage, yarrow, and wormwood that when fermented cause inebriating and stimulating effects, hops seem quite tame and indeed taming (let’s get real, hops are fucking boring). A few (myself included) believe something about these particular qualities of hops appealed to the mindset of the times. There was something appealing and convenient about drowsy, sexually diminished, peeing individuals in the midst of a time when political, economic, and religious powers were being centralized and expanded by the few in positions of privilege, often with the abuse and oppression of much of the populace. Hopped-up beer drinkers were less likely to resist or complain. They could go to the bar and rest rather easily (you know, it’s only our rights, livelihood, and quality of life at stake), though with the mild disturbance of having to get up to go to the bathroom more frequently (sound familiar? Try the Happy Hour at the local watering hole – lots of bitching, lots of sitting on uncomfortable stools, not much sharp thinking).
As a brewer of beers I have broken nearly all the conditions of the Purity Law and the market standards that go with it, except for the one about using water. I don’t use fancy terms, I don’t buy special stuff from a brew supply store, I don’t sterilize, I don’t filter, I (often) don’t use malted grains, I don’t buy fancy yeast strains, and I don’t buy any fucking hops. The beers we have come to expect grow out of learned tastes from the likes of an industrialized brewing system dating back to the Dark Ages (very appropriately named). Their tastes and recipes invade our sensibilities and expectations of what beer should be and its effects (you know, that familiar hoppy lull). Incorporating herbs and other different ingredients into beer creates a unique drinking experience. Not only is the taste different, but the effects of drinking are also distinctive. A good beer, depending on what herbs are used, can make you feel vital, healthy, mentally sharp, calm, or perhaps have highly stimulating effects (drinking this shit would be much more revolution-friendly. Healthful, alert, and inspired individuals would be much more effective at changing things than smoggy ones who are on the verge of a good snore). I love making these crazy, uncommon brews full of ingredients, tastes, and effects that sharply deviate from the market standard - really fucking delicious, muddy-watered, sweetly intoxicating beer. Impure as it gets by the Purity Law’s standards.

How I Make Beer:

Equipment I Use:
some sort of jug – now I have a two 3 gallon fermenting jugs that I have named Sandor Katz and Sydney Greenstreet. For 1 ½ years I used recycled ½ gallon beer growlers which I purchased from microbreweries.

an airlock sort of thing – now I have a small airlock that fits into a bung for the fermenting vessel. Before I used a latex balloon fitted over the top of the growler.

a large pot or pots – large enough to fit the water I need to boil. When I make 3 gallons of beer I split the water, herbs, and sugar between two large soup pots.

a bucket – a plastic food safe bucket where the beer can ferment a bit.

a fine strainer

cheesecloth or pillow case – keep the bugs out

Measuring cup – to measure out gallons and to pour beer into bottles (I have a pyrex measuring cup that is pour-friendly)


Ingredients I Use:
1 – 3 gallons of water
½ - 1 ½ ounces of each preferred herb or herbs
1 pound brown sugar per gallon of water
yeast

What I Do:
1) I usually make beer in 1 - 3 gallon batches. I boil however much water as beer I am going to make. When I am doing 3 gallons I have to split the water between two pots. I add a couple of extra cups of water to make up for what is going to boil off. Once it comes to a boil I add whatever herbs* I’d like for that particular batch of beer. I usually do ½ - 1 ½ ounces of each, depending on their strength and what kind of taste I’d like to add to the beer.

*I like to be creative with the herbs. You can use nearly anything. I use herbs for their taste and medicinal qualities. Some favorites I have made include: ginger beer (delicious, invigorating, and very refreshing!), “root” beer with ginger, licorice, and burdock root (ginger is good for the circulation, licorice is great against colds, and burdock is a liver purifier), and my favorite was a “happy” beer (st. john’s wort, lemon balm, and lavender). I just made a sage beer which was quite an interesting experience to drink (sage has a rather inebriating effect).

2) Now I add the sugar source to the boiling water. You can use malt extract, white sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, malted grain, molasses, agave, or any sort of sugar source. For beer I almost always use brown sugar since it is easy to get, cheap, and makes some good beer. I use 1 pound of brown sugar per gallon of beer.

3) Now I let everything simmer for about a ½ hour. After a ½ hour I turn off the burner and let everything cool.

4) Once it’s at room temperature, I pour the beer through a fine strainer into a plastic bucket. Then I add the yeast. I have always used bread yeast. When I started brewing I made lots of bread so it’s what I had on hand. Now I probably make more beer than bread and I still use bread yeast. I guess it’s a habit now. But it’s always tasted delicious and it’s simple. I use about 2 ½ tsp of yeast for making anywhere between ½ gallon to 3 gallons of beer and it’s always worked out. I’m sure I am making some beer brewers squirm with these directions. I sprinkle in the yeast and stir it in. If it doesn’t quite all dissolve, don’t worry. Cover the bucket with a cheesecloth or pillow case.

5) For the next 2 – 3 days I keep the fermenting brew covered with the cloth over the bucket. I stir it about 2 times a day. It is always wonderfully bubbly. Once the bubbling has subsided a bit (after 2 – 3 days) I put the beer in my fermenting vessel. I usually use a pyrex measuring glass to for this process (I don’t have a funnel or piping to siphon). I dip the measuring cup into the brew and pour that brew into the fermenting vessel and repeat until it’s all in the jug.

6) I top the jug with whatever I am using as an airlock – either a balloon or an airlock from a brewer’s supply store. The brew quickly begins glugging away, either filling the balloon or getting the airlock to bubbling.

7) After about a week, the beer is done. I pour the beer from the 3 gallon vessel into a bucket and from there I pour with a measuring cup into the ½ gallon growlers. If I fermented in the growlers, I just go ahead and cap them (I keep the twist caps). Then I put it in the fridge to chill.

8) I take it out of the fridge, give it a good shake, pour into my trusty mug, and voila! Homebrew!

How I Make Mead:
Mead is made by a very similar process, with just a few small differences.

1) The sugar source is honey. I usually use raw honey. So when I add the honey, I wait until the water has cooled a little, but is still very warm. This way the honey will easily stir into the water and herb mixture, but the boiling water won’t make the raw honey loose all its benefits. I use three pounds of honey per gallon of water to make mead.

2) The fermenting period with an airlock is longer for mead, usually about three weeks before it is ready. After three weeks I bottle and chill it. I hear mead is very good when corked and aged (lay it on its side if you do this), but I am too impatient to do this. Pour into trusty mug…cheers!