1634 Ale Recipe
Originally brewed in 2009, our 1634 Ale was commissioned by Historic Saint Mary’s City to celebrate the 375th anniversary of Maryland’s founding. Lacking any historically documented recipes, our brewers developed the 1634 Ale using malted barley, malted wheat, malted rye, molasses and caraway; ingredients known to be available to brewers in the austere conditions of early Colonial Maryland.
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Ingredients
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Malt and Grains
Method
Brewing Process
- 1
Mashing
In a large brew kettle, heat 3 gallons of water to 165°F (74°C). Add the malted barley, malted wheat, and malted rye to the water, stirring well to combine. Maintain the temperature between 150°F (65°C) and 155°F (68°C) for 60 minutes.
- 2
Lautering
After mashing, let the grains settle for 10 minutes. Then, drain the liquid (wort) into another kettle, leaving the grains behind. Sparge the grains with hot water to extract additional sugars, collecting about 6 gallons of wort.
- 3
Boiling
Bring the wort to a boil and add the molasses. Boil for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the caraway seeds during the last 15 minutes of the boil.
- 4
Cooling and Fermentation
After boiling, cool the wort quickly using a wort chiller or an ice bath. Transfer the cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter. Pitch the yeast (following package instructions for the amount) and seal the fermenter.
- 5
Conditioning
Allow the ale to ferment in a dark, cool place for about 2 weeks or until fermentation is complete. After fermentation, transfer to a bottling bucket, add priming sugar, and bottle the ale.
- 6
Aging
Let the bottles condition for another 2 weeks at room temperature. Refrigerate before serving.
