Celebrate “culture” in agriculture & share skills like growing, cooking, canning

Small Beer

Peasant Beer made from sourdough starter, fermented hops, sprouted, malted grain and such.

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Comment by Sunshyne on July 22, 2010 at 6:32pm: You know- it didn't carbonate at all, or not much, but it definitely tasted like beer. I used a wild yeast sourdough starter and that's what the sediment at the bottom is. Here's the recipe I used:
WILD FERMENTED SMALL BEER
1 cup whole barley or rye
1 cup active sourdough bread culture
1 cup whole wheat flour
filtered water
1 cup dried hops

Sprout barley or rye berries for 2 days, rinse and drain
Spread on a baking sheet bake at 150 for at least 12 hours or until completely dehydrated
Raise heat to 400 and roast berries for 15 minutes until they turn dark brown (shake to avoid burning)
Grind the roasted berries in a grain grinder (I used a coffee mill)

Soak hops in warm water for 1/2 hr
Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large non metal bowl with 1 cup of sourdough culture, the ground grain berries and 3 quarts of water. Stir, cover with a cloth and leave at room temp for 3-4 days, removing cover occasionally to stir vigorously.

When the small beer has developed a sour taste, remove the hops with a slotted spoon and pour through a strainer, leaving most of the sediment in the bowl.
Transfer the strained liquid into into 3 qt sized bottles with wire-held cork stoppers.
Keep in a cool place for at least one week and up to 3. It can be stored in the fridge for another month or so. The final product should be sour and may be slightly bubbly.
(from Nourishing Traditions)

Comment by Pat Johnson on July 22, 2010 at 2:07pm: I do "Small Beers" once in a while. They are always done at the same time I do the "Big Beers". When I make a Barley Wine or some other high alcohol beer I rinse the sugars from the mashed grain to a certain point stopping while the potential alcohol level is at the desired level. There is still some sugar in the grain so I make a second batch of "Small Beer" from the remaining sugar left over after the" Big Beer". That's why the peasents always got the Small Beers". The rich folks made the beers they liked which were full of flavor and higher in alcohol. Then the peasents got beer from what was left over and it was generally a weak tasting and low alcohol beer. I'd sure like to taste the beer in the picture. From the looks of the sediment in the bottom it may be a little over carbonated! Be careful opening it;-)