How to Wort Production (Medieval Europe)

What You Need to Know

The process involved mashing, lautering, and sparging, with specific temperature and time ranges for each step. The mashing of grains, typically barley, was crucial for extracting sugars that would then be fermented to produce beer, a safer alternative to water for consumption in medieval Europe.

Steps

1. 1.

   Gruit ale (Northern Europe): Base liquid for herb-infused medieval beers

2. 2.

   Pottage beer (England): Thick, nutritious beer-grain mixture used as sustenance

3. 3.

   Sahti (Finland): Traditional farmhouse ale using juniper branches in lautering

The Science

Primary Reaction

Saccharification

Common Mistakes