I'm stubborn, I can't help it. I'M A GINGERRRRR. And, it's the only thing that has gotten me this far, and it is what will get me through a doctorate. If I can ever get to WRITING. It is amazing to me that I can sit here and natter away about silly things, but when it comes to academic writing, nothing. Blocked. Or even semi-academic writing. I started an article for a non-academic historical journal a year ago, and it is still sitting on my hard drive, a paltry two paragraphs long. I stayed up late trying to type last night, didn't get much done. Needed caffeine to function this morning. I ordered my usual chai latte, and I was very excited that it was extra foamy, I like foam. My coworker said that is not a chai latte, that is a chaippuccino. I think she's right. Is that a thing?
Maybe I have spring fever. Maybe I need a mental break. A nice hiking vacation. Or a spa vacation! Or to hike to a spa vacation....yeeesss....Oh! A spa vacation with a masseuse! I bet you can guess who can give me a rub down.
Could it be....
This guy??? (clearly already cupping a hand full of massage oils. I know what else he can cup...while we have genteel discussions on philosophy or theatre or whatevs)
Or perhaps....this guy??? (look at that stern look. He's taking me to task for not getting massaged more often. Oh please sir, don't punish me...no...really...I mean it....)
Both? I can do both. I am up to the challenge. Yessir, that is an Oreo I would gladly volunteer to be the cream filling for.
Yes, I just ended a sentence in a preposition. DEAL WITH IT.
Yeah, so, speaking of spring..at the end of February/beginning of March, it rained, snowed, and did a weird combo of both for pretty much 2 weeks straight. I got super excited and ordered a BIG RED London Fog umbrella (I must be a grown up now, I have a real umbrella) and these nifty (and obviously very reserved and classically styled) wellies for splashing around:
It rained right through the morning of the 6th. They were delivered the afternoon of the 6th. Hasn't rained a drop since. Seriously?? I am very restless. To vacation and to wear boots. I am pretty sure this was all brought on by receiving my information packet for the postgrad archaeology program at the University of Leicester. That stubbornness is going to have to come into play again soon, I *AM* going to make that happen. I love KC, but I have wanderlust.
So, again, I had a purpose for being here. Here being this blog, not the huge, omnipresent, philosophical here. I still don't know what that purpose is, except to study old, dead people and dusty things. And old dusty people.
I watched a documentary not too long ago about the real Vikings, and at one point the talking head (my ultimate goal in life, to be a talking head on a documentary. Soooo not kidding!) attached himself to the rest of his body and visited a researcher who had recreated an alcoholic drink that was found at a Viking burial, based on the little bit of sludge that was in one of the vessels. Because, as historians, we have a strict mistress in Clio. Although she loves her children and just wants us to be happy, she makes us anal retentive. We can't just say, "Old beer. Cool." We have to spend vast time and resources RECREATING it and then bring it to parties and be very smug around the Bud Light drinkers, which is why my basement looks like Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory and constantly smells like an old drunk. So, I searched and searched to find a recipe that included the bog myrtle and cranberry that the researcher had found, and lo and behold, there was one on a yahoo group. I wanted to post it here because I worry that the group will close and I'll lose this recipe! Bog myrtle is not a very common brewing supply, but if you google it, you'll find a company in Canada that ships it. This is the link to the Yahoo group site: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/i_dream_of_denmark/conversations/topics/466?threaded=1&var=1&p=2
Skol!
"There was a birch bark vessel found buried with a women at
Egtved in
the Jutland region of Denmark. The chemical analysis of the wooden vessel showed
that a
fermented beverage made with honey, wheat, cranberries,and bog myrtle, and this
was
over 3000 years ago. So braggots have been around along time and this is the
kind of
brews our ancestors were drinking.
Jutland Braggot Recipe:
- 6 lbs Dry Wheat Malt Extract
- 8-10 lbs Wildflower Honey
- 2 grams Sweet Gale,aka Bog Myrtle (add to the last 5
minutes of boil)
- 6 lbs frozen then thawed cranberries - the freezing
helps to soften them OR add 1/2 gallon pure cranberry
juice (no additives) or 1 pint concentrated cranberry
juice
- Yeast - You can use just about any strain. I would
recommend Safale T-58, its a dry yeast and produces a
fruity/ spicy character, like in a Belgian ale. Or you
could use one of the Wyeast liquid Belgian or German
ale yeasts - the German Ale is is a very clean
fermenting yeast, or you just use wine yeast.
Optional Ingredients.
- 1/2 lb German Rauch Malt or Peat Smoked Malt crushed
(steep the malt for 45 min at 150 degrees F - this
will simulate the kilning the wheat malt over an open
fire like it would have been in ancient times).
- Hops, such as Hallertauer,Tettnanger, Spalt, or
Saaz. These are all German hop varieties and are low
in bitterness. About 1oz in the boil would be fine.
- Herbs such as Heather - 2oz , Meadowsweet - 1/2oz,
Yarrow - 1oz or Chamomile - 1oz. Add the herbs at the
last 5 min of the boil.
DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot add 2 gallons of water (if you are
going to use the smoked malt put it in a grain bag and
add it to the water). Bring H20 to 150 degrees F and
steep the malt for 45 min. After 45 min. remove the
malt.
Next add the wheat malt extract to the pot and
dissolve. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil. Add
hops at this point if you are going to use them (put
into a hop bag if desired). Boil for 60 minutes. At
the last 5 minutes, add the bog myrtle or other herbs
if you choose to use them - make sure you put them in
a mesh bag, also called a hop bag - this will help so
you don't have to strain them out and prevent
"floaties'.
After everything is boiled, take your pot off the heat
and add your honey. Stir until all the honey is
dissolved. Stir for 2 minutes. Stop stirring and
allow the wort to sit for 10 minutes. Now add your
frozen cranberries, this will help cool the wort and
pasteurize your berries and use a water bath as
necessary. If you choose to use the juice or
concentrate, add it to the secondary and use just the
water bath to cool your wort. (a water bath is filling
your sink with water and ice cubes and putting your
pot of wort in it to help cool it faster)
Once the wort is at about 85degrees, transfer it to
your fermenter. (PLEASE use a fermentation bucket not
a glass carboy because the fruit can stick in the air
lock and neck of a glass carboy and will cause you to
become a stereotypical brewer (one who has mopped
their ceiling!) Add enough cold water to equal 5
gallons.
Now is time to get your yeasties ready! If you have
chosen liquid yeast, it is a good idea to make a
starter a couple days BEFORE you brew. If you are
using dry yeast, rehydrate yeast in boiled and then
cooled to 95 degree water. Let sit 10 minutes,
covered.
Pitch your yeast when it is about 70 degrees and
aerate the wort and let ferment!
It should ferment for about a month or so. You can
rack it into a glass carboy (minus the cranberries) at
this time.
Now, the next big question is, do you want it
carbonated or still? If you want it carbonated, add
about half a cup of corn sugar at bottling. If you
want it still, just bottle it!
If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!
Good Brewing to you all! I look forward to tasting
all the great brews!
Wassail,
J. Talkington"
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