Writer: Terry Foster
American Beer, as it Was
Recently rediscovered brewing journals from a large Connecticut brewery dating back more than a century can teach us a lot about how beer was produced. Get an inside look at the journals and some of the popular recipes of the pre-Prohibition time.
Home Pale Lager (1915)
Home Brewing Co.’s Assistant Brew Master Alphonse Gosch gives no information as to whether this beer was lagered at low temperature. He does say the beer was racked to casks after eleven days, which suggests it was not further processed.
Home Pale Ale (1913)
Home Pale Ale (1913) (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG =1.049 FG = 1.009 IBU = 24 SRM = 3 ABV = 5.2% There is very little difference between the historic Home Brewing Co.’s Pale
Home Golden Age Ale (1910)
Home Golden Age Ale (1910) (5 gallons/19 L, all grain)OG = 1.082 FG = 1.015IBU = 80 SRM = 5 ABV = 8.8% This is by far the Home Brewing Co.’s biggest
Home ULIA Porter (1904)
This was a one-off brew that may look to have been a little harsh due to the quite high proportion of black malt and the low level of pale malt, but it proved to be a very nice brown porter when I reproduced it. My research has not turned up the meaning of “ULIA.”
Brewing with Wheat
Wheat has long been used by brewers across the world to contribute unique flavors compared to barley, as well as adding a softness and to improve head formation and retention. Learn more about how to use this sometimes-tricky ingredient and the styles that rely heavily on it.
What’s Up Wheatwine
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.093 FG = 1.025 IBU = 64 SRM = 16 ABV = 9% Ingredients10 lbs. (4.5 kg) white wheat malt 4 lbs. (1.8 kg) North American 2-row pale malt 2
American Wheat
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG =1.048 FG = 1.010IBU = 15 SRM = 4 ABV = 5% Ingredients7 lbs. (3.2 kg) North American 2-row pale malt3 lbs. (1.4 kg) white wheat malt0.5 lb.
Welsh Archer’s Bitter Ale
We want to use crystal malt to give it some extra flavor and body, and more importantly to make it copper colored rather than pale gold in hue. Perfect in a bitter.
A Tale of Two Historic Porters
I have recently been a part of brewing two historic porters on a commercial scale. The first was a re-creation of a specific historical brew at Brewport Brewing Co. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The
Brewport Brewing Co.’s Dr. Foster’s Bridgeporter clone
Brewport Brewing Co.’s Dr. Foster’s Bridgeporter clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.054 FG = 1.013IBU = 37 SRM = 49 ABV = 5.3% This recipe is Brewport Brewing Co.’s interpretation of
Springdale Beer Co. & Brewport Brewing Co.’s Brow Brau clone
Springdale Beer Co. & Brewport Brewing Co.’s Brow Brau clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.049 FG = 1.017IBU = 25 SRM = 25 ABV = 4.1% This recipe may be
