The Brewer's Tale by Karen Brooks
The Brewer's Tale draws upon real places, events, records and people, as well as a documented political and cultural backdrop. All aspects of beer and ale production, the laws and punishment.
A harsh world, England in the middle ages, the Novel starts in September 1405.
The catholic church had everything in its unholy grip. Superstition, Greed, falsehood, the plague everything was ripe and ready to explode.
The passage of time used in the Novel are those used then by the catholic church.
Lauds was dawn or earlier
Prime was around 6 AM
Tierce was approx. 9AM
Sext was midday
None around 3 PM
Vespers was 6 PM or dinner time
Compline around 9 PM or bedtime
A good read, highly recommended. Ts
Brewing can be traced back to ancient times. It was one of humans earliest efforts to harness the science of biochemistry. No exact date for the first brew is known. It might have happened 10,000 years ago or more when grains became soaked with water and began to ferment. The resulting smell might have evoked someones curiosity to sample the foaming liquid; and must have found it good.
Brewing then was a household project carried out by women and could be sold privately. In the earliest times there was a legal code that forbade brewers to dilute their beer and from the earliest time a tax and a ceiling price was applied also.
Preparation of beer in those times was similar to brewing procedures used today. It was often flavoured with different herbs and spices to add sweetness or cover to much bitterness. Ts
That is an interesting topic.
ReplyDeleteDiane, it is, about life in the middle ages, superstitious and terrible punishments on the whim of a man. Most women had to work very hard, but were treated as second grade citizens, especially also when they were not married.The catholic church made the laws, and like any religion made life worse for all. From the pope down they were corrupt to the bone, like it happens when such a strong group emerges, like in politics, police etc. Still corrupt with a few exceptions.
ReplyDelete