Hard Up Drinkers Do Not Dispair Old Home Brew Recipe Discovered

In the current economic climate, people are always looking to find a cheap alternative to everyday things that are purchased. Food and drink are two of the main sources of spending that have felt the squeeze in recent years, with beer amongst those expenses that most are trying to curb.

In an attempt to cut spending whilst still enjoying the pleasures of life, many people are abandoning the pub to drink beer in the home, but even this can be an expensive activity.

Hard-up beer drinkers needn’t despair though as an alternative to buying branded beer has appeared in the most unlikely of places.

Hidden within the archives at the Beverley Treasure House, an old recipe has been discovered, which explains how to make beer. Dated around 1825, the ‘recipe for cheap beer’ gives instructions on preparing and brewing the ingredients, which include treacle, for nine gallons (72 pints) of beer, which it claims will taste ‘equal to London Porter’, a dark ale that is still brewed today.

Sam Bartle, collections officer for East Riding Archives and Local Studies Service, said: “The recipe is contained within the notebook of a 19th Century general handyman, possibly from the Goole area. The instructions are quite simple but anyone wanting to try out the recipe would have to do so at their own risk.

“Following the recipe would produce a huge amount of beer, 72 pints, and it actually recommends a nine gallon cask for brewing. For it to be tried in most modern homes it would probably require some scaling down of the quantities.”

After adding a peck of barley, 4oz of hops, 7lbs of the special ingredient treacle and the boiling of several gallons of water, the home brewer would be left with a strong dark beer as good as anything he could get in the pub.

The total cost for his 72 pints would have been a knockdown three shillings and threepence, about £8.05 in today’s money, or 11p a pint, representing great value for money.

For more information, call (01482) 392794 or visit the Treasure House, Champney Road, Beverley.