more on spiced beer

[bunnyjadwiga]

The use of herbs instead of hops could be durable, judging from what happened in the countryside throughout Northern Europe and especially in England in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. There ale, that is beer made in the old way without hops, remained popular especially for women and older drinkers and also for certain times of the year. Lambswool was Christmas ale made with roasted apples, nutmegs, ginger and sugar. It got its unique name from the froth that floated to the surface. Other additives used to spice the ale included eggs and toast. Since tax records are silent about such a drink, presumably it was only made on a few festive occasions. Ale, without hops, still had its defenders in England as a superior drink . . . there was a continued dislike of and agitation against hops. At Norwich, for example, its use along with that of gawle which may have been an herb mixture, was prohibited in 1471. In 1519 Shrewsbury authorities outlawed the use of hops, calling it a wicked and pernicious weed. The actions may have reflected more than xenophobia or resistance to novelty but rather, a reflection of a desire to maintain the standard and quality of old English ale. Andrew Boorde in his Compendyous or Dyetary of Health published in 1545 said that ale was a natural drink for Englishmen while beer was a natural drink for Dutchmen and much used in England to the detriment of many English people because beer makes men fat and inflates the stomach . . . He also claimed that beer would kill those with colic. Accounts of an English noble house from as late as 1548 show that ale was still brewed for the sick, the young, ladies, and a few others who preferred the sweeter ale to beer. A contemporary visiting jurist from Brandenberg said that in England the general drink was ale made from barley. He found it to be strong and intoxicating. In 1597 one English writer, arguing against the use of hops, suggested wormwood as a good alternative, but the idea never gained currency. On the other hand, in 1577 William Harrison in his Description of England spoke contemptously of the old ale, saying it was thick and fulsome, calling it "an old and sick man's drink" and claiming it was only popular with a few consumers. He took the use of hops for granted. . . (p. 100)

Richard W. Unger, Beer in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Philadelphia: U Penn, 2004)

I'm pretty sure that lambswool is actually a post-processed drink like a posset or caudle made with ale, with the egg, apple, etc. added afterward. Also, there's an interesting note on the 'beer belly' - Boorde claimed that beer made men fat and inflated the stomach! Just as well that the idea of using wormwood as an alternative to hops never caught on-- as a nervine it's a bit strong for such consumption.