Nobody knows the who, when or where of the first brewed product. Historians have traced it back at least 6,000 years. The Babylonians, the early Chinese. the Pharoahs, Caesar’s armies all knew it. Beer was possibly as much a staff of life as bread. But it may have been made long before them. Perhaps by an aboriginal people — even in that land mass which has been reshaped by geology and politics into what we now call Canada. For Beer is dependent on barley, a grain that grows prolificly on Canadian soil.

Wherever it was first made, it is unlikely that it bore much resemblance to_

today‘s product - but that could be said, too, of the small ale of Shakespeare’s time.

Beer is made from grains which can be cultivated in a short growing period, and is fermented at only slightly above freezing (40 is the optimum), which makes it essentially the drink of temperate countries. Since most of the world‘s population is in the temperate zone it stands to reason that more beer is drunk than any other alcoholic beverage.

In medieval England, ale houses popped up between towns as soon as there were rudimentary roads. They were essential because beer was safer to drink, and therefore, far more necessary than Water. In winter it was heated (or mulled) by putting a hot poker from the fire into it. In summer it was cooled in cellars. Generally, at this time throughout Europe where wine was not readily available, it was drunk usually with food. Later of course, it lost this distinction. In Germany it was drunk during merriment in summer gardens ~ hence, the origin of the German Beergarden (which now, especially in Munich, is often indoors.)

' Eventually beer had its rivals at the meal table. There was not only wine coming into the northern countries, but tea and coffee. And eventually water was safe enough to drink — particularly in North America.

So beer was drunk for itself alone in thousands of English pubs, Scandinavian taverns, Dutch bars, German beergardens. It was these. beer drinkers of Europe who colonized the world. So beer went with them, and has stayed as a popular drink. Today, Australia, Jamaica, even Mexico and Japan, have great locally produced beers and ales to range beside the famous ones of Britain, Denmark, Germany and Holland. So does Canada.

But although beer generally travels well in large kegs, there must have been times in the remotest parts of this new land when the first immigrants to Canada couldn’t get it. Necessity being the mother of invention, they would have tried their hand at making it. After all, the basic ingredients — barley, clean water, and hops — are here. Still, it must have been a messy business, not totally successful. ‘

It is a lot easier now, with scientifically tested extracts, calibrated equipment and measured ingredients from specialized stores.Some people only have found this out through another dose of necessity. Shortages of beer through strikes and other reasons have started Canadians wondering whether they couldn't make their own. And they have. The amateur beer-makers don‘t claim to be brewmasters for Carlsberg or Lowenbrau. But, on the other hand, they can produce excellent beers in all respects, as good if not better than the normal commercial product.. ‘

Ask their friends. .

Beer is a generic name covering various alcoholic beverages. They differ in taste, colour and smell according to the ingredients that are boiled in water before fermentation starts. In this they differ from wine where these qualities develop during and after fermentation.

There ,is lager which is light, yellow, translucent, has-a high carbon dioxide content, contains three to four per cent alcohol by volume, and should be served cold. The word “lager” holds a key to good amateur beermaking. It is a German word for storehouse where this kind of beer, made in fall, was kept all winter before use in the spring. Those who fail to make good beer are the ones who want to drink it 48 hours after they’ve made it. Then there are Vienna, Munich, Bock, Weiss — all different kinds of beer. Vienna is amber and has less hops than other beers. Munich is stronger than lager (5% alcoholic content), dark brown and has more hops. Bock is darker than lager, and has a strong fiavour. Weiss isn‘t made from barley at all. but wheat malt. It has less carbon dioxide than larger.

Ale, which is dark, has 6% alcoholic content, takes longer to make. and will last‘for several years in the bottle, Finally, there are porters and stout, malty and as black as licorice (stout actually contains Some).

All . of these beers are produced commercially by a sensitive and scientific series of proeesses. Barley is cleaned, graded, soaked, roasted to produce malt, and this is mashed to extract a liquid called wort. The wort is filtered, hops are added and then removed, special yeasts are injected according ‘to the type of beer being made, the mixture ferments for weeks, is chilled, clarified and “Finished” to give it a sparkling look. All this before carbon dioxide is added, pasteurization, and bottling.

The home beer-maker can by-pass the first half dozen, tricky steps by buying malt extract, or alternatively, he can spend under $4.00 for a starter kit where all the ingredients and instructions are included in one small box and the beer can be made up in an ordinary kitchen pail.

DARK ENGLISH TYPE ALE

Yield: 5 Imperial or 6 US Gallons

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs. Edmc S.F.X. fill). Crystal Malt 5 imp. or 6 US. gals. water 2 oz. Boiling Hops Vaoz. Kent Finishing Hops 4 lbs. Corn Sugar ' I teaspoon Vita-Vin or ‘2 teaspoons Brewing Salts 'l‘zteaspoon Gelatin Finings I teaspoon Heading Liquid I teaspoon Ascorbic Acid Ale Yeast Chlorine detergent for sterilizing bottles and equipment. NOTE: If water is soft, add I 02. Gypsum when boiling water. Starting S.G.

1035/40 - Terminal S.G. 1000.

METHOD . Crystal Malt should be cracked with a._rolling pin, but not to a fine

powder, tie malt in a fine nylon bag. In a Stainless steel or enamel vessel, boil l gallon of water, stir in Malt Extract, plus 2 oz. Boiling Hops (tied in nylon bag) and Crystal Malt.'Simmer 30 minutes.

Put corn sugar (5 cups) in primary fermentor.

Remove Matt and Hops fro'm hot wort, and pour over sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add balance of water, Kent finishing hops (tied in nylon bag). When temperature is 65 degrees F., add active A_Ie yeast and cover with plastic sheet. Fermentation should start in 12-24 hours.

Skim foam off every other day. In 5 days, or when S.G. is I.0I0, syphon beer into carboy, add Vita-Vin

or Brewing salts, and Finings. Top up with water if necessary. Ferment 7-I4 days or until S.G. is I.000.

BOTTLING - Syphon back into primary fermentor, add ascorbic acid, and treading liquid. Dissolve I'fi cups of corn sugar into small amount of the Ale and stir syrup into Ate thoroughly. Syphon into clean beer bottles and crown cap. Age two to four weeks before serving.

PALE ALE INGREDIENTS

4 lbs. Edme D.M.S.

2 oz. Boiling Hops

95 oz. Kent Finishing Hops \ 5 imp. or 6 US. gals water 4 lbs. Corn' Sugar”

I teaspoon Vita-Vin or

2 teaspoons Brewing Salts 1 teaspoon Citric Acid

2 teaspoonsSalt

V2 teaspoon Gelatin Finings 1 teaspoon Heading Liquid I teaspoon Ascorbic Acid Ale Yeast

\

chlorine detergent forsterilizing bottles and equipment.

NOTE: If water is'soft, add I oz. Gypsum when boiling water. Starting 7 ( S.G. [.034/40 - Terminal S.G. 1.000.

METHOD

Where necessary; prepare Ale Yeast 3 days in advance. In a stainlesssteel or enamel vessel, boil 1 gallon of water, stir in Malt Extract, plus 2 oz. Boiling Hops (tied in nylon bag) and simmer 30 minutes. Put 5 cups corn sugar into primary fermentor. Remove boiling Hops from hot wort and pour hot wort over sugar to dissolve. Add‘balance‘of water. Tie Kent Hops in nylon bag and place in wort. When temperature is 65 degrees F., add active Ale yeast. Cover with plastic sheet. Skim foam off every other day if

using Ale Yeast. In 5 days, or when S.G. is LOW, syphon beer into'

carboy, add Vita-Vin or Brewing Salts, and Finings. Top up with water if necessary. Ferment 7-14 days or until S.G. is l.000.

BOTTLING

Syphon back into primary fermentor, add Ascorbic Acid'and Heading Liquid. Dissolve IV: cups of c rn sugar into small amount of the Ale and stir syrup into Ale thoroughly. Syphon into clean beer bottles and crown cap. Age two to four weeks before serving.

t

STOUT Yield: 5 Imperial or 6 U.S. Gal

INGREDIENTS

I - 2'/: lbs. tin Stoutex

I oz. Brewers Hops

'/2 oz. Kent Finishing Hops 4 lbs. (.‘orn Sugar

'/z lb. Black Patent Matt

'/2 lb. Crystal Malt

S imp. or 6 US. gals. water 2 teaspoons salt

I teaspoon Citric Acid

I teaspoon Vita-Vin

I/3 stick of Licorice

l teaspoon Heading Liquid I teaspoon Ascorbic Acid Stout Yeast .

Vi teaspoon Beer F inings Starting 8.6. 1.040: I.04$ - Te

METHOD

Prepare Stout Yeast 3 days should be cracked with rolling bag. Bring I gallon of water to v Malt,.Brewers Hops, (tied in ny‘

Simmer I-2 hours, stirring to

Set aside 2 cups Corn Susi!r primary fermentor. Remove v sugar stirring to dissolve. Add r Hops (tied in nylon bag). Whe and cover with plastic sheet. 5 dropped 20 degrees, remove K Vita-Vin or Brewing Salts, and F

Attach fermentation locks a ‘ S.G. is I.005. '

BOTTLING — Syphon beer ' add Ascorbic. Acid and Headin small amount of beer to’ make 1 into beer bottles and cap with ' scrvmg. '

FOR FUR THER-INFORMATIO WJ. Dicker. F inqnct'al l Busi Yonge Street, Toronto 1, Omar!”

Our Thank: to; E. G. Arthurrj Wi Ontario. for the information on