"The keeping of the stuff" (yeast) for brewing by German brewer Kobrer in 1581.

This bit of translation is extremely interesting as it seems to describe, in quite some detail, the drying of yeast from lees and berm, and the reconstitution of this dried yeast for a new brew. This technique is very similar to yeast storage techniques as described by Professor Odd Nordland. He traveled into the Scandinavian back country to interview the local farmers and brewers about their traditional brewing techniques which were thought to go back centuries. He located a yeast log with the date 1621 inscribed in the bottom but was not able to conclusively date the technique back any further.



Fig. Carved yeast log from Morgedal, Telemark, dated to 1621.
From Nordland 1969.




Kobrer (Cobrer), Christoph. Gründliche und Nütze Beschreibung der Weinhawer und Bierbrewer-Practick  und der ganzen Kellermeister-Kunst. Burger, 1581.

The 20th Chapter.
One should and may keep the stuff for brewing [alternate: brown] and white beer and reuse.

One usually puts from the fresh good stuff [lees] as much as one wants from the first raw beer in an oaken barrel and fill the same roughly to two fingers widths so that the stuff has air. Then hammer the barrel closed and hang it in a well so that the stuff stays fresh good and strong. Similar to fresh stuff right away taken from the beer. But it must nevertheless be prepared and made ferment-y as will be taught after this.
    Some people make a board wide [something, could indicate a frame with fabric stretched in the opening] that is two fingers thick in the middle and on the two sides [clamped?] or as many panes of a simple [something] big at the front it is two fingers wide and the whole thing is well wide stretched and tied together in the back and it has a handle made on it with which you can hang it up and then smear the stuff first on the one side and when that is dry if one wants to also on the other side everywhere one and a half fingers thick so that it sticks well on it. And well [the transcript says 'no', but I think that's a mistake] ground hops with seeds and all [this would add antimicrobial protection], <?> mortared small or ground and scattered on top of it and in that smeared on stuff it should sink well into it so that is stays stuck in/on it. And the stuff pulls the hops in and dries quickly and let it stand in airy and shady place in the house but not in the sun because the sun sucks the strength out of it too much.
    When the stuff is well dressed and stuck to each other on the 'pane' one can glue more on it [add another layer], if not, so one shall hang the 'pane' and let the stuff sticking to it dry.
    After that one should take the panes with the dried stuff in a barrel over each other [stacked] and as often one puts a plane in also as often one puts/scatters hops above and below and cover it well and put a weight on it, so stays the stuff fresh and good.

To use the dried stuff again.

If you want it in the morning to give it to the beer then in the evening before one should knock off the dried stuff with a club [wood hammer] of that 'pane' and crush it small and then you pour the wort on it, either half or a full vat [like half a barrel, open on top] and stir it to each other and also pour from one container into another several times or often [aerate]. Thereafter let it stand the whole night by a warm and well heated oven [until] that stuff rises well several times and starts to ferment and when or as often has it well fermented then again pour it several times from one vessel into another to and fro like one does it otherwise with the fresh stuff and let it stand by the oven until again it ferments. As then the same thing another time pour to and fro and let it stand and ferment again, like before and not so long until the stuff and the wort has become very 'soft' or <?>. Thereafter distribute the prepared and fermenting stuff in the [used for beer making] containers and in each container as much as is necessary and the beer with its stuff well stirred through each other, this is called a white head/hat [the foam].

The storage and preparation of the stuff that belongs to the white beer.

One may try the same storage and drying and use also with the white stuff [barm, top fermenting foam] and the same pour very thinly on wooden boards [exact translation would be on sweated (or soldered) wooden firewood or maybe Schaiten is some sort of vessel, because it says 'in' not 'on' - maybe a description of a yeast log?] and the 'Schaiten' with the stuff and the 'Gerben' glue it well on and then set it on a warm oven where it can quickly dry or dry [the text uses two different words for drying] so that the stuff does not get sour and in the same way how you take the dried stuff from the 'panes' so can one get it off the [other kind of] board. Afterwards you wake it up and then you can try like with the stuff to store it and to use it as taught above.

Das XX. Capitel.
Wie man den zeüg zum Braun und weissen Byer soll unnd mag auff heben und wiederumb anbringen.

Mann pflegt von dem frischen guetten zeüg souil man nach menig des ersten Braw Byers haben will in ein Aiches Fässl zu thuen und dasselb ohn geuerd zween Fingerlehr an zu füllen / damit der zeüg Lufft habe / das Fässl zuuerschlagen / unnd in einen Brun zu hencken / damit soll der zeüg so Frisch guet und krefftig bleiben / als etwa ein frischer zeüg / schlecht von der Byer her genommen / Aber er mueß nichts dests weniger angebracht und gierig gemacht werden / wie hernach gelehret wird.
    Etlich aber machen eines brets braitte stroene taicken am siro zweyer Finger dick / in der mitte und anbaiden örtern in klüppen gefast / Oder souil ströene Schaibl einszimblichen Bösems groß / unnd fornen zweyer Finger dick / fein weit auß einander gebreit und hinden zusamen gebunden / unnd eine handhab daran gemacht / das mans aufhencken mag / unnd streichen den zeüg erstlich auff die eine seitten / wann diesel truckenworden / so man wil / auch auff die ander seitten / nach aller weitten eines oderanderthalben Fingers dick / das er drauff wol klebet / unnd kein zerwirbten Hopffen mit samen und allem / auch Zixnidat klein gestossen oder gerieben daruff geströwet / unnd denselben inn den auff gestrichnen zeüg wol eingetruckt / das er darm klebendt bleib / unnd der zeüg von dem Hopffen desto ehe anziehe und trucken werde / an einem Lüfftigen und schattigem Ort des hauß stehen lassen / aber nur nit an der Sonnen / dann die Sonn zeücht Ihme die krafft zu sehr auß.
    Wann der zeüg also wol angezogen und nu ob einander auff den schaibln klebet / will man / so mag man mehr darauff kleben / wo nit / so sol man di schaibl auffhencken und den zeüg an die statt trucken werden lassen.
    Darnach soll man die schaibl mit dem dürren zeüg in ein Faß uber einander richten / unnd als offt ein leg schaibl / als offt ein leg Hopffens darunder und darauff sträen / dieselben fein zue decken und schwären / so bleibt der zeüg Frisch unnd guet.

Den gedörten zeüg wiederumb anzubringen.

Wann man dem Byer zu Morgens will geben / soll man den gedörten zeüug mit einem schlegl ab den siröenen scheibln am Abendt dauor abklopffen / und klein stossen / das der die Wüertz daran Giessen / einen halben oder gantzen Kübl vol /durcheinander rüeren und aué einem schäffl in das ander Giessen etlich oder offtermal / darnach die gantze Nacht bey einem warmen wolgehitztem Ofen stehen lassen / diß sich der zeüg etlich mal wol erhebt / unnd anfähet zu gieren / und wann oder als offt er wol gegieret hat / widerumb etlichmal auß einem Geschierr in das ander hin und wider / wie man sonst dem frischen zeüg thuet / Giessen / unnd aber beim Ofen stehen lassen / biß er wiederumb hergieret / als dann denselben abermals durcheinander oder hin und wider Giessen stehen und hergieren lassen / wie vor / unnd das so lang / bi der zeüg und die Würtz sehr waich oder Jerig worden ist / Darnach den angebrachten / und gierigen zeüg in die Pottign auß thailen / unnd einer Jeden Pottign als vil von nöthen geben / unnd das Byer auch den zeüg wol durcheinander rüeren / Das heisset man einen weiß haup.

Die auffhebung und anbringung des xeügs zum Weissen Byer gehörig.

Dergleichen auffhebung und dörrung auch aubringung mag man auch mit dem Weissen zeüg versuechen / unnd denselben gar dünn in schweisse hößlene schaitten Giessen / unnd die schaitten mit dem zeüg oder den Gerben wol bekleben / darnach auff einen warmen Ofen als bald ab dörren oder trucknen / das der zeüg nit sawr werde / unnd wie man oben den gedorten zeüg ab den schaibeln bring / also mag man den auch ab den hoblschaitten bringen / darnach waicken und also mit versuechung den zeüg lehrnen auffheben und anbringen / wie oben gelehret.

Transcribed by Michael Sugg (2017)
Translated by Angelika St.Laurent (2018)
Edited by Susan Verberg (2018)

To read more in Scandinavian brewing and yeast preservation:
Brewing and beer traditions in Norway: The social anthropological background of the brewing industry by Odd Nordland, Universitetsforlaget, 1969.

To download the original book in German:

https://books.google.com/books?id=0bqggM3u6SkC&num=13&source=gbs_slider_cls_metadata_7_mylibrary

Sahti - Remarks about the Finnish peasantry brewing method by Hellenius, 1780.

Anmärkningar öfver Finska Allmogens bryggnings,-sätt (Remarks about the Finnish peasantry brewing method) by Carl Niclas von Hellens (1780).

Carl Niclas von Hellens worked for the Swedish Royal Academy in Åbo (Finland). He, and others, would travel the country side, interview people, and write up a little book, or novel, about what they saw. These printed publications would be sent to Kings and Queens and noble men who founded these academies, and would often be rather patronizing. From the writings it seemed the travelers did this with an air of "I am so above these poor people around me, but I have studied the ants work, and here my lord, I shall tell you what I have found." Good, though, that they did, as sometimes the writings detailed things “everybody knew” not deemed worth writing down, but as they wrote about these poor peasants they could do it. This specific publication is about the Finnish general peoples’ way of brewing. This account is the earliest written account of sahti, which is regarded an ancient traditional Finnish beer.  As the account is voluminous, and regularly goes off in tangents, the following quote will occasionally switch between summary and literal translation.

This translation is based on a digital copy obtained from the Swedish National Archives (the original is not available via the internet).


Title Pages 1 – 2
Preface; Pages 3 – 4: A praising of the high lords that made the publication possible.
Paragraph 1; Pages 5 – 7: Background.

A description on how important the “inside work” of the common people is for the success of the country, that the common people can be helped by tips on how to properly make their food and drink. Aimed at the production of food and drinks.

Paragraph 2; Pages 7 – 11: A description on the good properties of malt drinks.

A description on how water is the most common way to sooth the thirst, but that as many enlightened people know it can be full of “bad stuff”, the word where Heterogenea, or Stererogenea, might be some sort of reference to small animals and bacteria… weird, these can be “adventurous for the human life”! So the conclusion is that many shy away from plain water and like more prepared drinks for health reasons, beer…. Pages 9-10 are brilliant, after a rant about how water can be dangerous, the fantastic properties of barley and malt is described, and the conclusion is that it is everybody’s interest to utilize malt in the production of a thirst quenching liquid, that will also serve as a treat towards all the unhealthy things in the air. It cures pneumonia, all sorts of coughing, rheumatism, strengthens bones and avoids scurvy. On page 10 a fantastic deduction concludes that malt liquor is healthier in the cold north than the sugar made from the Indians sugar canes. A nice paragraph is that the fermentation process can be altered for the seasons, so a speedier fermentation makes a more drunkenness inducing drink, which is more suitable for the winter times, and the opposite for summer times A section on how chronic diseases and all sorts of ailments comes from drinking wine in our cold climate hammers away at the point, that beer is good for us.

Paragraph 3 – Pages 11 – 17 Manufacture of beer described.

Describing how important, for the end product, the use of good barley is, grinding it to the right size, using good water, and so on is. A point that he mentions that finish farmers do is, to cover the barley before and during use so it is not mixed up with contamination.

On page 12 - 13 the production of beer is described.

In the evening moisture the malt-meal (?) with cold water. Roughly one “vanligt ämbar” to one barrel of malt-meal. On the following morning, pour one “vanligt ämbar” boiling water over the moist malt, then stir and cover. Repeat this until the mash is so thin that the spade (big spoon) you stir with can without much effort be moved from one side of the mash tun to the other with one hand. Then toss stones in the fire to heat them, and so many that there is one stone for each “kappa” malt-meal. Each stone should be 6 “markers” weight, or if that size is unavailable, twice as many. When these are burning hot put them in the tun. All the time a second person stir vigorously. Stir until the stones do not burn the tun. Then cover the tun rather well, to ensure the boiling is going well. The hop is boiled in cold water without being rinsed before and is used in the following proportion; one handful for each “kappa” malt-meal. It should be boiled on a good fire for half an hour, or until the scales separate/loosen from the hop cones. During this time the mash is poured into the mashing tun (“rosten”), which in the usual way has the bottom covered with fine “kåslingar” and straw. As long as the liquid coming out of the tun is unclear, it is poured back in, for a new filtration. When it clears, pour the boiled hops and the hop-water into the vessel where the wort is gathered. Then slowly cold water is added to the mash. This is continued until enough wort has been collected, as much as the volume in the mashing tun was when it all started. This wort is stirred, so that it cools faster, the desired temperature is when dipping the elbow feels cold. Then the yeast is added, one quart, or one half “stop”, depending on how good the yeast is, for each barrel of brew. The yeast is mixed in as the wort is stirred, as soon as it has dissolved, cover rather well, to make sure the warmth which is needed for fermentation stays. When the fermentation has become good, and the covering begun to raise, remove the covering, and leave that way until the hop-lid sinks, and until the middle has become “concamt” (concave?) and the foam stretches from one end of the vessel to the other. Then remove the hop and wring the hop out. Scoop the beer into barrels and leave them uncovered (“osprundade”) until the second day, or until the fermentation slows down (“stadnar”). Seal the barrel well. After a couple of days, it is considered ready and can be drunk.

Then on page 15 a discussion about the drawbacks of the method is conducted, and what improvements could be made. The heating with rocks is prone to causing contamination, primarily from gravel and dust from cracking rocks, but also gives an uneven heat, burning some of the malt, not heating other of it sufficient, so heating in a pot over fire is much better. And the fact that the Finns did not rinse the hops before boiling them was a source of contamination too in the authors opinion. By adding the yeast while the wort is a little warmer, then a stronger drink can be achieved, but it gives a bad taste to the drink. If it is too cold, then the fermentation does not take off properly. One way to check for the right temperature that the author was described by experienced brewers (probably from non-Finn brewers), was to check for the right temperature by sticking a finger in the wort, if the feeling is that of a cold ring around the finger where the surface of the wort is, and a little warmer deeper down, then the temperature is right. Some problems with doing this in the different seasons is noted.

The Finns did not care much for how clear the drink was, on the contrary, they often praise beer for being dark and thick in consistency as “swine blood”. Then the author goes on about how the drinking of thick liquids cause long term stomach problems.

On page 17, the production of Sahti is mentioned as below.

After the mash has been taken from the mashing tun for the beer, as described previously, then the Finns make their “sahti”. They scope over more water into the mashing tun, and the wort they get from this is used to produce the sahti, or kalja. The method is the same as for the actual beer brewing. It does not say if the water they pour over the mash is cold or warm, just that more water is added.

Paragraph 4 Pages 17 – 19 Manufacture of meal-drink is described.

Since the only occasion to make sahti is when making beer, which is not that often, the Finns have discovered the following method, to brew as similar drink, for the times in between beer brewing. They call it Jauho, or kalja or meal-drink (“mjöldricka”), referring to the rye-meal they use. The process is the following:

Take one “kappa” rye-meal, moist it with one half “Så” lukewarm water, while constantly stirring. Put it on the fire, then pour another “Så” of cold water, only let the brew barely boil, then pour it into a barrel which has had the same kind of drink before. First pour cold water into the barrel, until enough space is left for the heated liquid. After pouring in the heated rye-water, add some yeast, which will start some weak sort of fermentation. Once the fermentation has stopped, seal the barrel, and the next day the drink is ready for consumption. “This drink can not, as each and everyone easily understands, be other than more unhealthy than the previously described “after beer” (svagdricka = weak drink)”. They use rye-meal which has not undergone any malting and is not as healthy as the barley. This gives the same ill-effects as the bark-bread, “cardialgier and stomach-stone” (some sort of stomach problems I assume).

As everyone who knows basic chemistry knows, for fermentation to be successful a certain proportion of substances is needed, the excess amount of water used in this concoction makes it as best a meal-water mix. He describes it the process more as rotting than fermenting… And it is not spiced with hops, which would help in the process, by stopping foreign contamination, as well as be good for the stomach. Rawness, and sourness of the stomach is therefore inevitable effects of this drink.

Page 19 – A description of how the dark personality of the Finns, could very well be attributed to their food and drinks being detrimental… Their work-hardened bodies resist the bad food and drink for a time, then as time goes by, and nature has its way, they decay due to their bad nutrition.

“No these poisonous drinks are for them, in their stupidity and simpleness, their outlet for enjoyment, to the detriment of them.”

Paragraph 5 – Page 20 – 20 Manufacture of Kapataari (?) in Savolax and Karelen

The mash after beer or “svagdricka” (week-drink) is kept for some time, until it is well soured. This is put in a pot with a hole and spigot in the bottom, fill half the pot. Then pour cold water on the sour mash, which after a couple of days will have assimilated the sourness of the mash. And this is as a drink used, as the drink is used, more water is poured on, and this is kept on until all sourness is gone from the water tapped out of the bottom. The mash will float as a lid and cover the water. “He who for the first time drink this, can not other than get fear and loathing for this. And hardly believe any human would consume this.” The tun is kept uncovered, probably to avoid mold and it going dank. But that also causes it to soon be contaminated with all sorts of unclean and bad things that exist in their living quarters. All the fly-maggots and other creatures that make a living in this… On this lid water is poured, that once it has passed through the disgusting lid of sour mash is considered fit for drinking! This is a habit that is a great cause of unhealthiness of the nation.

Paragraph 6 – Pages 20 – 22 Finishing words

These are the drinks the common people of Finland use, with some small regional differences in manufacturing process. They all have in common that the drink is thick and sour or “raw”. The effects of their use are truly bad and sad. Care for the people of our nation should make us do something about this.
Etc.


Translation by Robert Hedström, 2018. Thank you!

Braunschweiger Mumme, a beer recipe from the 1690 Hochnutzbar und bewährte Edle Bierbrau-Kunst.

Hochnutzbar und bewährte Edle Bierbrau-Kunst, Lehrend Die rechte Art und Weise gut, wohlschmeckend, gesund und kräfftig Bier zu brauen, und dasselbige bey gutem Stande im Brau-Hause und Keller zuerhalten, daß es nicht verderbe, sauer und abgeschmack werde, oder, so es ja in etwas Noht litte, durch diensame Mittel wiederum zu bessern und trincklich zu machen. By David Kellner. Printed by Verlegts Augustus Boëtius, 1690.

Braunschweiger Mumme

This beer is held high esteem for its exquisite strength, lovely taste and thick, brown, beautiful color, and is exported far and wide over the land and water, and therefore the residents of the City used to brew a particular Ship-Mumme, which compared to the other one keeps well for long distances on the water without leading to corruption [going bad].

For this purpose they are to take two Braunschweiger wispels of quite well grown and dried barley-malt together with sufficient water boil it for five quarters of an hour, scoop it out a vat and let it stand a little, then again again it goes into the pan (but only the broth, without the malt), and once again for three hours with 15 himpen of good Country-Hops therein cook well. After this they cool in a vat, and allow them to be fermented adequately before they bring it into the cellar, which afterwards, when it has sufficiently fermented and separated from the yeast, it will tapped in the cellar and sent away. From this they receive commonly four half-barrels of Mumme [or a quarter of a half; an eight barrel – less likely].

The common City-Mumme, to be drunk quickly, take the same amount barley-malt, only 4 himpen of hops, and proceed as with the previous one. But if it is supposed to lie long, take 10 maß of hops to it, and put the brew in seven barrels.

For their Harvest-Beer they take two wispels of barley malt, 12 maß of hops, cook them with enough water for nine barrels of beer, in the same way as before, and clear it up, then they beat it closed [cork it up], and sell it to the peasants at harvest-time.

Braunschweiger Mumme

Dieses Bier wird seinen fürtrefflichen Starke / lieblichen Geschmacks und dick braunen schönen Farbe wegen sehr hoch gehalten / und weit und breit / über Land und Wasser / weggeführet / dannenhero auch sie Inwohner der Stadt eine sonderliche Schiff-Mumme zu brauen pflegen / die da sich vor der andern aufm Wasser wohl halte / weit und lange / ohne Corruption führen laffe.

Hierzu sollen sie nehmen zwey Braunschweiger Wispel recht wohl gewachsen / und gedörret Gersten-Maltz / dasselbe mit gnugsamen Wasser in der Pfanne bey die fünff viertel Stunden lang kochen lassen / solches bernach daraus in einen Bottich schöpffen / ein wenig stehen lassen / und alsdenn wieder in die Pfanne giessen / (jedoch nur die Brühe / ohne das Maltz) und abermals bey drey Stunden lang mit 15. Himpen guten Land-Hopffens darinnen wohl kochen / nachdem aber solches in einem Bottiche erkalten / und gebührender massen darinnen vergähren lassen / ehe sie es lassen oder in Keller bringen / welches nachmals / wenn es gnugsam vergohren oder von der Hefen sich geschieden hat / daselbst abgezogen und weggeschickt wird. Hiervon bekommen sie gemeiniglich vierdte halb Fasse der Mumme.

Zur gemeinen Stadt-Mumme / die bald weggetruncken zu werden pfleget / nehmen sie auf so viel Gersten-Maltz nur 4. Himpen Hopffen / und procediren damit / wie beym vorigen. Soll sie aber lange ligen / nehmen sie 10. Maaß Hopffen darzu / und legen das Gebrau auf 7. Fasse an.

Zu ihrem Erndte-Bier nehmen sie aus zwei Wispel Gersten-Maltz 12 Maaß Hopfen / kochen es mit gnugsamen Wasser zu neun Fasse Bier / auf forige Art und Weise / und klahren es ab / darnach schlagen sie es zu / und verkauffens den Bauren zur Erndte Zeit.

Transcribed by Michael Suggs, 2017

Translated by Michael Suggs, 2017 & Angelika St.Laurent, 2018.

Edited by Susan Verberg, 2018.

To download the original text (in German):

https://books.google.com/books?id=7wadyA8YLZYC&num=13&source=gbs_slider_cls_metadata_7_mylibrary

"The butt needs a hole," brewing beer as described in the 1596 Oeconomia oder Haußbuch.

Oeconomia oder Haußbuch: Zum Calendario Oeconomico & perpetuo gehörig. Darinnen begriffen vnd aussfürlichen erkleret ist, Wie ein jeder Hausswirth, nachdem Ihn Gott der Allmechtige gesegnet, ferner seine Nahrung nechst Gott anstellen soll. Volume 1. By Johann Coler, printed by Hellwig, 1596.

Chapter 10. On Brewing.

Even though I said above / the way to brew must be learned in any one country and place from the residents / so I want to show here / what kind of brew we have here in Berlin.

1. Pour the barley into a butt / and leave it to soak in there for three days and nights / in winter four is as well.

2. Pour it on a stage (raised) in / over a heap / until it begins to germinate or shoot.

3. One always stirs it a little, but separates a little from another / until it has at its point made a fine sprout.

4. When it is sufficiently shot or grown / so one separates it well apart from each other / and dries it / either in a stove-room / or in the sun / or in a drying-oven.

5. Grind in the mill a little coarse / so that the flour is well hulled.

6. Let water boil in the pan / and put the ground malt into the butt / and pour the hot water on it / and stir it.

7. Scoop together from the butt into the pan or kettle / and stir it in the pan or kettle well / that the malt does not burn / because if it is burned / so would the beer be burnt.

8. One puts wood-like laths next to another in the butt / and straw around it tightly / that the malt cannot run through the straw / the butt needs a hole / and to have a large tap in front.

9. Pour the cooked malt into the butt / on the straw / and tap it / and draw or collect it again in another butt next to it. If there is a lot of malt / so make another a pan or kettle full of hot water / and pour onto it as much as one wants to have beer. If one wants good beer / then little is poured / if you want a lot / but not too delicious beer to have / so you pour a lot.

10. Afterwards / when the beer is collected from the malt / then pour a little into the pan or kettle / so the pan is about a third full of beer / put the hops into the pan. If the beer should lie long / then add a little more hops / but if it should not lie long / one takes a a scheffel [measuring scoop] less: and stir it first / and let it boil together / as long as one thinks / that it is enough / which must be experienced by constant tasting / and then you should be diligent / that raw hops does not remain.

11. When the hops have been boiled enough with the beer / so you follow with the other beer in the cask / and pour the pan full / and boil it up once more (you must not stir it more.)

12. When it has been boiled together / put a large basket with two bars over a butt and scoop from the pans into the basket / which will collect the hops inside / and the beer goes through clearly. If after that once still has more small beer so one pours the hops back in the pan or kettle and pour the small beer completely [all of it] on the hop and let it boil again / and pour it but again through the basket like before.

13. Then let it become cool or lukewarm / that is only like the summer warmth / and beat the yeast with the beer / and pour an adequate amount into the beer / if the beer is much / so you take a little more yeast / if it is but little / so you take a bit less.

14. If one day or two / or three / or possibly longer it stood (because the Lager Beer is left for eight days) then one takes the berm or yeast from the top / and fills the beer into the barrel. If it will be drunk soon / let it stay only three days with the yeast / op top of the butt / and then remove the berm / that the beer will clear / and fill it into the barrel / and let it sit for eight days or longer (for a Lagerbeer) to stay and burp [ferment]. Afterwards one taps it and drinks.

Das X. Capitel. Vom Brewen.

Wiewol ich droben gesagt/dz die weise zu brewen in einem jedern Lande und ort von den Einwonern mus gelernet werden/So wil ich doch hier anzeigen/was wir allhier zu Berlin für eine art zu brewen haben. 1. Schütt man die Gerste in eine Butte/und lefft sie drey Tage und Nacht drinnen weychen/im Winter auch wol viere. 2. Schütt mans auff einen Söller oder Pühne uber einen hauffen/biß es beginnet zu keimen oder zu schiessen. 3. Rüret mans immer ein wenig und aber ein wenig von einander/biß es an den spitzen fein lödicht wird. 4. Wenns genug geschossen oder gewaschen/so bringet mans fein weit von einander/und treugets/entweder in einer Stuben/oder in der Sonnen/oder in einem Dörrofen. 5. Mehlet mans auff der Mühlen ein wenig grob/dz sich das Mehl darinnen fein außschelet. 6. Lesset man Wasser in der Pfanne darzu sieden/und schüttet das gemahlene Maltz in die Butten/und geust das heisse Wasser drauff/und rürets umb. 7. Schöpffet mans miteinander aus der Butthen in die Pfanne oder Kessel/und rührets in der Pfanne oder Kessel wol umb/daß das Maltz nicht anbrennet/denn wenns anbrennete/so würde das Bier brandenthend. 8. Legt man Höltzer wie Lattenstück eines neben das ander in die Butthen/und Stroh umbher fein dichte drauff/daß das Maltz nicht durch das Stroh kan lauffen/die Butthe aber mus ein loch/und einen langen Zapffen vorgestackt haben. 9. Geust man das gekochte Maltz in die Butthen/auff das stroh/und zapffts abe/unn schöpfts oder samlets wider in eine andere Butte darneben/Ist des Maltz es viel/so macht man noch eine Pfanne oder Kessel voll heiß Wasser/unnd geusts auch darauff so viel als man Bier haben wil: Wil man gut Bier haben/so geust man wenig/wil man viel/aber nicht allzu köstlich Bier haben/so geust man viel. 10. Darnach/wenn das Bier also gesamlet ist von den Maltz/so geust man ein wenig daruon in die Pfanne oder Kessel/das die Pfanne etwan das dritte theil voll bier wird/schütt den Hopffen auch hinein in die Pfanne. Sol das Bier lange ligen/so nimpt man ein wenig desto mehr Hopffe/sols aber nicht lang ligen/so nimpt man seiner etwan einen Scheffel weniger:und rührt ihn zu erst/und lests darnach miteinander sieden/so lange einen düncket/das es gnug ist/welches durch stetiges kosten mus erfahren werden/unnd da mus man fleissig zusehen/das es ja nicht rohhöpffet bleibet. 11. Wenn der Hopffe gnug mit dem Biere gesotten hat/so folget man nach mit den andern Bier auff der Böden/unnd geust die Pfanne vollend voll/und lefts damit auffsteden (du darffts als denn nicht mehr umbrüren.) 12. Wenns also miteinander aufgesotten ist/legt man einen grossen Korb mit zweyen stangen uber einen Buttich/und schöpffts aus der Pfannen in den Korpff/das sich der Hopffe drinnen wider samlet/und das Bier wider klar durchlauffet. Hat man darnach noch mehr geringe Bier/so schütt man den Hopffen wider in die Pfanne oder Kessel/und geust das geringe Bier auch vollend darauff/unnd lests auch auffsteden/unnd geusts aber wider durch den Korb/wie zuuor. 13. Denn lesst mans kühl oder laulicht werden/das es nur wie Sommerlaw ist/und zuklopfft die Hefen mit dem Bier/unnd geussets zu zimlicher massen in das Bier/ist des Biers viel/so nimmet man ein wenig desto mehr Hefen/ifts aber wenig/so nimpt man desto weniger. 14. Wenns einen tag oder zween/oder drey/auch wol lenger gestanden hat (denn man lesst die Lager Bier wol acht tage sichen) so nimpt man die Bermen oder Hefen oben ab/und füllet das Bier in die Fasse. Wenns bald trenck sol sein/so lesst mans nur drey tage beysammen mit den Hefen stehen/auff der Butthe/und nimpt darnach die Bermen abe/das das Bier lauter wird/und füllets in die Fasse/und lessts eine acht tage oder lenger (wenns Laberbier sein) stehen und auffstossen. Darnach zapfft mans an/und trinckts.

Transcribed by Michael Suggs, 2017

Translated by Michael Suggs, 2017 & Angelika St.Laurent, 2018.

Edited Susan Verberg, 2018.

To download the original book (in German):

https://books.google.com/books?id=7JE9DbNIMa8C&source=gbs_slider_cls_metadata_9_mylibrary

Rembert Dodoens (Dodonaeus) on Malt and Beer (1644)

Barley water, in France called Ptisane or Tisane.
The Ptisane has this similarity with malt: that when one makes Ptisane / the barley is put into a mortar / poured onto it is a little water; and with a wood pestle it is punched until the skins [chaff] comes off: then if one wants to make malt / then the barley is not peeled / but also soaked whole for several days.

Polenta is the flour of roasted barley.
This polenta, said Pliny / is made in diverse manners. The Greek first pour water over the barley / and soak one night long: the other day they roast it / and after that grind or break it with milling. Some roast the barley some more / and dribble again with a little water / and dry it before they mill. Others shake or thresh the barley out of its green and fresh ears / and make it so very pure and naked / and punch it in a mortar / first poured over with water; and then wash it in baskets / and dry in the sun: being dry / they punch it again / and mill / until well purified [removed] of its outsides or scales.

The 18th Chapter. Of polenta or flour of roasted barley.
Nature, potency and function. Some tease [out of] the polenta more health by drinking it cooked in must and mingled together with sweet wine or mead / sometimes also only mingled with water / in the morning before going to the bath: a sick drink often held in esteem to defeat thirst. And verily / said Lobel / polenta in olden times was thought a refreshing drink: but it is not [the same as] sharpbeer [scherpbeer] cooked with bran and mingled with [lees? spent grains?] / as some wrongly have thought. But the thickly cooked naerbier has much semblance with polenta: because it is pulled from barley malt / this is flour of soaked / and thereafter dried and toasted or roasted barley. Because of that our Lobel, in the books of Dioscoides, most often substituted the word polenta in our language to naerbier or malt / especially if the polenta was described as a soft porridge. Because sometimes only fine flour of the polenta was wanted and used / outside to paint on lids mingled with diverse juices and herbs / after the demand of the areas [cultures]. After all naerbier is much more similar with polenta as with the grist of the Lower Germans / said our Lobel.

The 21st Chapter. Of malt.
Of barley is also made that which today in our language is called malt: because this is no other than the grain itself of the barley / first soaked so long in water / until it is completely swolen and thick: and after that sprouted / or new sprouts issued / at the last with these new sprouts or protruding tongues [it is] all dried up. Then this malt is evenly dried by the heat of fire; which heat is made by an unusual and only for this purpose made kiln [and is disperged] through small airholes distributed over the whole area / where the wet barley lays / to be scattered: seldom it is dried without fire / and then only in the summer months / when it is quite hot weather; and then one lays the barley on a high, airy [drafty?] and angled to the sun attic / scattered well and thin; and one turns often during the day / as that way it does not stifle or spoil.
    Name: In our language is the barley / as it is prepared as foresaid / called malt; in High German Maltz; of that some have wanted to make this into the Latin name Maltum. Aetius / the Greek medical / called barley used in this way korn.
    Use and usefulness. This malt is made and prepared to brew beer: the best is that which is made and prepared in the months March and April.
    Nature, potency and function. Malt is a little drier of nature than barley / but a lot less cooling than the same; on average that which is roasted or dried with the power of fire: because of the burn / which stays with the malt through the frying and the roasting / it multiplies its dryness / and makes not only the cold properties / which it had from the barley / a lot less strong and weaker / but brings to it some heat or warming properties. That which is dried by heat of the sun in attics in the hottest days of summer / is somewhat less warm then that which is dried in kilns / although it is seldom warmer than the barley / if only / because through sprouting or germinating of the grain; the which / of the barley one gets of the water which one has poured over it: because the decay brings some heat or warmth into it / which is in many and diverse things quite remarkable.
    [...] Barley changed from the ptisane or polenta; the which sometimes out of raw and unripe barley / sometimes from barley only soaked in water / is made and prepared / as is aforesaid.

Appendix.

Malt is made from several grains / said Lobel; like of wheat / barley / spelt and oats: which / after it is prepared / can change the body of the beer. Because malt of wheat and Large Barley (especially that which is dried above a malting kiln [eest]) makes a red and brown beer: Malt of the Small Barley / oats/ spelt / wheat / mingled with five or six pounds of bean flour / makes white and clear beer: which the next chapter will show.
    Preparation of the malt by Lobel. In England they make the malt althus: the barley (to know the Small Barley / which is better suited to make malt / than the Large) is soaked in water for two days and three nights: after the water is expelled / so it is laid in a heap in a barn or grain-attic / which the wind can not get to / until it sprouts: which in the spring and summer happens within two or three days / but in winter will take longer. Then / before it gets too hot / it is spread, with furrows, one and a half palm thick / and between night and day it is turned three or four times in the open air: this is kept up eight or nine days long / and it becomes perfect. At last it is dried on [seems to mean on top, not in] a kiln with a small fire of chaff / wood charcoal / or moldy [could also mean dry] wood / which is stuck into the furnace made capable for it / about one and a half palm of the bottom; and that as long / until it can be milled: and also the dried malt is thrown in the width of the kiln [outside periphery?]: which swells and multiplies a fourth part on each measure barley / the old malt is unsurpassed than the new [this makes sense if fresh malt is cycled in].
    Graut and Naerbier is made althus / said Lobel: take six or eight pounds of milled malt / twelve or fifteen pounds of seething hot water: mix this together well six times a day: cover very well with cloths and straw: and let it soak together so long in a clean barrel that it becomes as thick as syrup. After that one should heat this up with fire / always diligently stirring / so that it does not burn [to the bottom] / until it becomes as thick as porridge. One uses the thickly cooked Naerbier in Delft in Holland / said Lobel / not only prepared to eat during lent on bread / similar to syrups and condensed wine / but also to mix in diverse plasters / as one used soap and cooked must: because it has the same potency to strengthen hurt parts / and digest foulness.

The 22nd Chapter. Of Beer.
Beer is cooked from malt and the flowers or bells of hops / after being mingled with a certain and known amount of sweet water [as opposed to salty; brackish water was a problem to dutch brewers]: and this kind of drink should actually be called beer / and it is for that. The same name of beer should also, not wrongly, be used for drinks which including malt has also some wheat / spelt and other grains mixed in. Then the drinks / that beside the diverse grains / also [have] other herbs / seeds / flowers / fragrant dry of spices / or other similar head blurring and drunkenness promoting things / and deviate so far from the grain / in the case of mixing with the malt / and thus should not really carry the name of Beer / but should more fittingly and better be called Mixed or Spiced Drinks / because they do not only differ from barley and wheat beer in taste / but are also found changed so much in attributes.
    Name. This drink from grains / as has been said / is made in each of the High and Low Germany's / and English and other north living nations in this time, with the shared name of Biere or Bere in their own language; in Latin bera or cervisia. The old writers have called the drinks made of barley by different names; for instance oenos crithinos in Greek / or vinum hordeaceum in Latin; as if one says barley wine. This same Aristotelese called pinos / witnessed Athenucus; others [say] bryton, as Sophocles in Triptolemo / and Heratcus in the book Europae periodus; in there he writes / that the nation Peones drank bryton of barley / and another drink called parabie / made of hirs [resin] and conyza [Conyza sp.]. Although Hellanicus writes / that bryton was not only made from barley / but also from some roots / saying: They consume those of Thracien their bryton used of barley.
    The Egyptians called barley drinks zython or zethon, says Theophrastus: the same witnessed Pliny in his 22th book: of grains / he said / different drinks are made, to know zythum in Egypt / celia and ceria in Spain / cervisia and other genders in France and other lands. The barley drinks are different from each other by name / said our Pliny in his 14th book; although they are made in pretty much the same manner.
    Diodorus Siculus writes / that zythum not only in Egypt / but also in Galtien [Gaul?] is made. So large is the [preservable] air in the landscape of Galantien / that there grows no oil nor wine: that is why it is necessary the people [living] there make a drink from barley / which they call zythum / said our Diodorus. Dioscorides called the gender of barley zythum, the other curmi.
    Simeon Zethy / one of the Greek writers who wrote for many years / called such a drink in Arabic poucas, the other phocadoin or phoucadion: although with the Arabic writers the word phoucas means not only a drink made with barley / but also / as Ghales writes / another drink / from bread of Heveri / fine wheat or white bread / mint / and egg, made and mingled: and as Haly Ababs witnessed / there is another phoucas one makes from the juice of pomegranates.
    All these drinks / if they are of the same gender / called by different names / or if they differ in other ways / could be similar with beer; to know they are made of barley and some grains / mingled or brewed: although they may in the way of preparation or brewing / and maybe in other ways differ from our beer. Because those who protect the zythum (as Galenus said in the book De facult. simpl. medicament.) from decay / or is made from some grain poured over with water / until it collapses in moisture / or falls apart / similar to wine / (as Hermolaus Barbarus in his Corollaria describes) and sharp as well as evil of drink and food / it would disturb the kidneys and the nerves; (these properties are by Dioscorides and Galenus also attributed to zythum); so it is apparently enough / that it does not compare with our beer at all / nor have any resemblance. Because the beer is not made of decaying grains / nor out of any grain / which in moistness is changed or stripped: but out of barley malt / as has been said / cooked; which from all decaying is preserved and prevented. There also is beer of its own sweet / pleasant and lovely taste / and very good of juice and wort. Which reasons apparently are enough to show / that beer does differ from the zythum of the ancestors / as well as its force. But if zythum is not / as Galenus or Hermolaus wrote / made in such a way / then barley and wheat alone added to a little of itself to some decay mingled and shuffled [this could mean to add unmalted flour to malt] / as Theophrastus of it witnesses / so shall the zythum of the ancestors and the beer of our time be found very similar to each other.
    Because the barley in malt changes / becomes indeed a little decayed / and deviates a little from her old nature and shape. But if indeed this is so / as the words of Theophrastus seem to tell us / so would Galenus and Dioscorides / and further all those / who follow their opinions and students / maybe not totally have known or researched the nature / force and substances of the zythum. Because through these so small and light maceration or changes can the barley or the drink made thereoff not spoil anymore from the evil of the wort and juice of the polenta: the which is not made of fresh / but of ripe and dried barley soaked in water: noticed that the barley then also seems to decay a wee bit / and any outside moisture is absorbed; as one would see as it changes into malt. Then at least / about the source of this decay Galenus / nor anyone else of the old Masters / thought the polenta evil of food or drink: but on the other hand they assure / that all sorts of polenta are good and sweet of scent / the same as one sees the malt be / as when it is made and prepared well and properly.
    The words / with which Theophrastus the zythum or the zethos of barley and wheat are a little decayed / has written / sound althus in the 6th book of Causis, when he covers the Tastes [of which] some are presented as a juice or drink / satisfactory to be consumed / unless the same is decayed a little and their nature changed: the same one sees of those making a wine of barley and wheat / which in Egypt is called zethos.
    Nature, potency and function. The nature / shape and force of the beer / as we have said before / is water / barley-malt / sometimes also wheat or spelt / and the bells or clumps of the hops. These different parts have each their own and special powers. Because the water of which the beer is brewed / to be known bad / clear and unmingled / is cold and moist: the malt is drying and diminishing / with some not very large warmth: the wheat and the spelt are average warm and dry: the flowers or bells of the hops warm and dry in the second degree / they influence the head / and fill it with its haziness / promote peeing / and also have a decreasing and opening power. Then this hops is added to make the beer taste better and last longer or preserve of spoilage: but the grain that is with it / strengthens by substance to give the drink some nourishing properties.
    After the diverse / and uneven mingling of the foresaid ingredients / there have been found different genders of beer / all different and not all that comparable to each other / which is shown in drinking. Because some beers are thin and weak, some strong; some reddish or brown / some white: many are bitter / and many sweet of taste. Those which contain much grain / are stronger and more forceful: those with less grain / are weaker and lighter: those with hardly any grain / are therefore weakest and thinnest. Of barley-malt / which is roasted longer / the beer becomes reddish / especially if it has been cooked a bit longer: then beers are on average / those made of spelt and wheat / white of color; and when aged compare not badly to thin or light watery wine / because of the thinness of its substance. The hop bells / cooked too long or too many with beer / make that the beers become bitter of taste / and sooner influence and disturb the head: if there are not many hops added / then the beers are much sweeter. Because the grains tend to give the beer their own sweetness.
     Of all these beers the thinnest and lightest beer is cold and moist of nature / because the watery property is the most substance in it: it is although not completely without any warmth.
    The beers / which are somewhat stronger and thicker / also have more warmth: even by the force and opportunity of the previously mentioned heat they seeth [ferment] when poured into vats or barrels / to rise or come up / as if it is must of new wine: even though they are warm of nature not unlike the average or normal wines; ie become into their own not only through the heat of its stature / but also goes above [becomes more than] the thinness or fineness of substance produced. Because the warmth of beer is mediocre / soft / and not all that great.
    Also there are beers which do not give the body / ai give almost no sustenance with it all: and some sustain a bit more: then the strongest give the most sustenance. But it is that the beers much / unless they sustain little / [of] the juice / sustenance or wort / which is made of good grains [koren, used for barley alone, or grain in general] / and is well cooked and brewed. Then the thickish beers hang about or irritate the heart and the stomach for some time / and go down sluggish or slowly: the white are thinner / and are digested or processed faster: the bitter beers make the belly weak through its decreasing force: the average / to know not too sweet not too bitter beers / are by strength [force] also placed in between the others.
    The mixed beers / which apart of the grain and the hops / also [include] several other herbs / flowers / seeds / fruits / spiced and those sorts of things / show also diverse and mixed / ai sometimes even evil and damaging forces and processes / after the diversity of the forces of the things mixed with it.
    Young or fresh beer / that did not go or rise and sink yet / hurts and hinders the body much; similarly as must tends to do: it causes swellings and gas in the guts and intestines / it turns the belly / does grow the gravel and stone in the bladder and kidneys / and is often the cause of uneasy peeing / or drop-pee: then however if one uses it from without [outside] / and the nervous parts of the body are covered with it / or made wet / then it sweetens the pain of that / to know if that same beer is real warm and sweet. And to that end shall the best and strongest beer be that which is very fresh / and which with it the hops has not cooked and been with it too long.
    Sour beer is bad for the nerves and the kidneys / turns the stomach / and lets the body grown in evil spirits.
    Vinegar made of beer is less strong than wine vinegar / and also not as sharp / nor as thin of parts as the same wine-vinegar.

Appendix.

In the books of the Landtwinninge [?] are many and good notes written about beer / and only a little of the same from Lobel and other [sources].
    The way to brew beer according to Lobel. Take eight English meulkens [measure] coarsely ground malt: on that pour clean river water / which is seething (in which several handfuls of wheat bran are cooked) so much as would fit in a carteel [measure] of Orleans [Orléans, 69 miles (111 km) southwest of Paris]. This is well mixed and mingled together / and one shall let it stand cozy and warm during the time of three hours / and then it is drained from below through a small hole / and let out through straw / or with a double bottom [dedicated] used for this. That which is pulled off (called worte in Dutch and English) is again for half an hour or longer / ie also sometimes cooked for several hours / so that it will keep longer; with that add four pounds of hops: after that it is put in a large and wide tub / add to this thusly cooled down beer barely a pond or one and a half of yeast of the best beer: all this stirred around well / is put in a warm place; and covered with cloths / also add the rest of the beer to it / so that it will become better. When this is done / then it is poured / the barrels filled: and at last if it has gone already [done working] / it is well stopped [closed]. On that same malt one then pours fresh hot water: one does that through [mixes] / and one thus makes Thin or Small Beer.
    English ale is made althus: Take two hundred pound cooked malt / that is wort / two handfuls hop: when that has cooked together and is poured through [filtered off] / one would also mix it together / as has been said above / to know yeast of beer or ale three pounds / and English grout / which we call naerbier / six to eight pounds.
    Bellonis said / that the zythum has no resemblance with our beer: but assured daringly [or naughtily] / that the zython of the Greek was the posca or pusca of the Latin: but he is [wrong]: because the posca was nothing more than a mingle of water and vinegar / very much different from our cervisia, zythum or beer / and more similar with the reuuragie [name of beer] of some seafaring people: although it is that each nation gave their seafarers a special drink for at sea / which is unneccessary to recount here.
    Force of the beer. Beer has many forces / not only on the inside but also the outside of the body.
    Because if one makes beer warm / and steams the feet of those tired / it dispells tiredness.
    The foam of beer makes the skin of the womens' faces clean and smooth.
    Beer made of malt / which has been soaked in lye / goes very quickly to the head / and causes almost a dullness / after sweet happiness.
    Others do instead of hops sweet [?] or soot of the fireplace in the beer; and the malt is soaked in salt water / as the more one drinks of the beer, the more thirst one would get.
    Plasters made of wort of the best beer heals the pain of the nerves and the appendages with its sweetly fortifying and digesting force: and it is good against the flercyn.
    In case you cook green hops in the beer / and put these in the mouth / it would drive off toothache [could also mean mouth ulcers].
    A hen or a cock shall get fat quickly / if they drink beer instead of water / or that one makes their feed with beer.
    The High and Low Germans sometimes cook with hops, gentian, laurel berries, Curcuma zedoaria, bog myrtle, Iluna sp. root, lavendel, sage, flowers of Horminum or scharley, cuculus indi [?] or some of the species of dimming nightshade, veldtcypres (Ajuga chamaepitys) and other similar herbs: and from this the beers become so diverse of force, that they mixed drinks / and not beers / should be called / as Dodonaeus has admonished often enough. Then the hops alone is enough to make the beer healthy: because it purifies the blood / and tempers the heat of the liver / as has been explained in the description of hops at length. Because of that those who belong / in the lands of the wine / should not despise beer / which lets us live longer and healthier / than their wine does. Old beer / which is brewed in March and is not consumed before summer / is as clear as wine / and almost as strong / ie sometimes has more strength / so that one would [have to] consume more wine than of that beer. Here in our lands it is regarded unhealty / as it makes cramps in the belly. Even so one finds that consumed in moderation it does not hurt healthy bodies / and the same gives much mettle and strength / especially to those tired from prolonged labor. Then those who are used to drinking fresh beer and can not deal with the change [over]; except then the rawness / which they would have collected from fresh beer / stirs in their body / if they start to consume better or older and clearer beer: and from that it looks like this old beer is doing them harm. Then the most evil of old beer is / that it constricts and bothers the throat and nerves somewhat: but this discomfort leaves almost [immediately]. And verily / if the brains and the nerves are hurt by drinking too much beer / and it burns the blood / then in the face by the nose appear swellings and pimples / comparable to the leprous: but which are not signs of any evil of beer / but of the gluttony of those drinking way to much of it.
    To prevent your beer from going sour / throw a satchel of green barley-ears [koren-aren] on it / and let it lay on it for a long time.
    Is it that the beer starts to turn or loose its strenth / hang into the barrel two or three whole eggs: (others put into it whole suet or wax candles): and let the beer digest this.
    Of the vinegar / and the burned wine [brandewijn, or brandy] / which one can make of beer / there is no room to make much words; as well as the yeast: because in this book not everything can be described.
    Spent grains / or malt of which beer is cooked / serves to feed the cows in winter and to fatten pigs / when they are stabled.

Gerste water, in Franckrijck Ptisane oft tisane gheheeten.
De Ptisane heeft met het Mout dese ghelijckenisse: dat wanneer men de Ptisane bereydt / de Gerste in eenen mortier gedaen wordt / gietende daer op een weynigh water; ende met eenen houten stamper ghestooten tot dat de vellekens afgaen: dan alsmen Mout maecken wil / dan en wordt de Gerste niet ghepelt / maer alsoo geheel ettelijcke daghen langh gheweyckt.

Polenta is het Meel van Gherooste Gerste.
Dese Polenta, seydt Plinius / wordt op veelerhande wijsen ghemaeckt. De Grieken overgieten de Greste eerst met water / ende weyckense eenen nacht langh: t'sanderen daeghs roosten sy die / ende daer nae malen oft breken sy de selve met molens. Sommighe roosten de Gerste wat meer / ende bespraeyense wederom met luttel waters / ende drooghense eer sijse malen. Andere schudden oft dorssen de Gesrte uyt haer groene ende versche aeren / ende maeckense soo heel suyver ende bloot / ende stootense in eenen vijsel / eerst met water overgoten zijnde; ende dan wassen sy de selve uyt in mandekens / ende drooghense in de Sonne: droogh synse / stooten sy die weder / ende maelense / alsse wel van hear buysten oft schubben [?] ghesuyvert is.

Het XVIII. Capitel. Van Polenta oft Meel van Gherooste Gerste. [tweede kolom, biivoeghsel, bottom]
Aerd, Kracht ende Werckinghe. Sommighe plagen de Polenta om meerder ghesontheydt mee inghesoden Most ende met soeten Wijn oft Meede t'same ghemenght te drincken / somtijdts oock alleenlijck met water besprenght / smorgens eer sy naer 't badt ginghen: ende sid?cken dranck oft kost hielden sy voor goedt om den dorst te verslaen. Ende voorwaer / seydt Lobel / Polenta was in ouden tyden voor eenen vermaerden verkoelenden dranck ghehouden gheweest: maer er is geensins Scherpbier van semelen ghesoden ende met ?eefdregh ghemenght / als sommighe qualijck gemeynt hebben. Maer het dick versoden Naerbier heeft groote ghelijckenisse met de Polenta: want het is uyt Gerste Mout ghetrocken / dat is meel van geweyckte / ende daer nae ?edrooghde ende gefrijte oft gerooste Gerste. Daerom heeft den selven Lobel in de boecken van Dioscoides meestendeel voor het woordt Polenta in onse tael Naerbier oft Mout ghestelt / bijsonderlijck als de Polenta beschreben wordt als een sachte pappe. Want sometijdts wordt alleen de fijne bloemen van de Poleta begheert ende ghebruyckt / om van buyten op eenigh lidt te strijcken met verscheyden sappen ende cruyden vermenght / nae den eysch van de gebieden. Immers het Naerbier ghelijckt de Polenta veel beter dan het Gort van de Nederduytschen / seydt den selven Lobel.

Het XXI. Capitel. Van Mout.
Van de Gerste wordt oock ghemaeckt 'tghene datmen hedensdaeghs in onze tael Mout pleegh te noemen: want dit is anders niet dan het graen selve van de Gerste / eerst soo langh in water gheweyckt / tot dat het heel gheswollen ende dick gheworden is: ende daer nae gheschoten zijnde / oft nieuwe spruyten uytghegheven hebbende / ten laetsten met sijne nieuwe scheuten oft voortgekomen tonghskens verdrooght is.
Dan dit Mout wordt ghemeynlijck door de hitte des viers gedrooght; welcke hitte met eenen bijsonderen ende alleen tot dien eynde gemaeckten oven pleegh door kleyne lochtgaten uytgesonden ende over de gantsche plaetse / daer die vochte Gerste leyt / verspreydt te worden: selden wordt het sonder vier gedrooght / ende dat niet anders dan in de Somersche maenden / als het bijster heet weder is; ende dan leydt men de Gerste op hooghe lochtighe ende wel ter Sonnen staende solderen / wel dun verspreydt; ende men keertse oft wendtse dickwijls des daeghs om / op dat sy niet en versticke oft en bederve.
   
Naem: In onse tael is de Gerste / soo als hier voorseydt is bereydt zijnde / Mout gheheeten; in 't Hooghduytsch Maltz; daervan hebben sommighe den Latijnschen naem Maltum willen maecken. Aetius / den Griekschen Medierin [?] / heeft de Gerste in deser voeghen ghehandelt zijnde / Byne korn ghenoemt.
    Gebruyck ende nuttigheydt. Dit Mout wort ghemaeckt ende bereydt om daer Bier mede te brouwen: ende het beste is 'tghene dat hier in de maenden van Meert ende April ghemaeckt ende bereydt wordt.
    Aerd, Kracht ende Werckinghe. Mout is wel wat droogher van aerd dan de Gerste / maer veel min verkoelende dan de selve; in sonderheyt het gene dat door kracht des viers geroost oft gedrooght is: want de brandtachtigheydt / die dit Mout door het braden oft roosten by blijft / vermeerdert sijn drooghte / ende en maeckt niet alleen de koude eyghentheydt / die het van de Gerste hadde / veel onstercker ende slapper / maer brenght daer eenighe heete oft warme eygenheydt in. Dan 'tgene dat door de hitte der Sonnen op solders in de heetste tijden des Somers droogh gheworden is / is wel wat min warm da 'tghene dat in de ovens ghedrooght wordt / nochtans is het selve veel warmer dan de Gerste / al waer het nergens om / dan alleen door het spruyten oft botten van dat graen; 'tWelcghe / die de Gerste krijght van het water datmen daer over ghegoten heeft: want dat de verrottinghe eenighe hitte oft warmte by brenght / dat is in veele ende verscheyden dinghen een ieder merchelijck ghenoegh.
    Galenus [...] Gerste gheweken is van de Ptisane oft Polenta; de welcke somtijdts uyt rouwe ende onrijpe Gerste / somtijdts uyt de Gerste alleenlijck in water gheweyckt zijnde / gemaeckt ende bereydt wordt / als voorseydt is.
[...]

BIIVOEGHSEL

Mout wordt ghemaeckt uyt verscheuden graenen / seydt Lobel; als van Terwe / Gerste / Spelte ende Haver: 'twelck / nae dat het bereydt wrodt / de verwe van 't Bier veranderen kan. Want Mout van Terwe ende Groote Gerste (in sonderheydt dat boven op den ast ghedrooght ende doordrooght is) maeckt een roodt ende bruyn Bier: Mout van Kleyne Gerste / Haver / Spelte / Terwe / ghemenght met vijf oft ses ponden Boonen Meel / maeckt witachtigh ende klaer Bier: als in 't naevolghende Capittel blijcken sal.
    Bereydinghe van het Mout uyt Lobel. In Enghelandt maecken sy het Mout aldus: De Gerste (te weten de Kleyne Gerste / die sy bequamer houden om het Mout te maecken / dan de Groote) wordt twee daghen endt dry nachten in water gheweyckt: daer nae 'twater afghegoten zijnde / soo wordtse op eenen hoop gheleydt in een schure oft koren-solder / daer den windt niet aen en mach / tot datse schiet: 'twelck in de Lente ende Somer binnen twee of dry daghen gheschiedt / maer in den Winter vallet langher. Dan wordtse / eer sy beghint heet te worden / ghespreydt met voren anderhalve palme dick / ende wordt tusschen dagh ende macht dry oft vier mael met open locht ghekeert: 'twelck onderhouden wordt acht oft neghen dagen langh / ende wordt also volmaeckt. Ten laetsten wordtse ghedrooght op eenen ast [eest] met kleyn vier van kaf / hout-kolen / oft dor hout / dat ghesteken wordt in't fornays daer toe bequaem ghemaeckt zijnde / omtrent anderhalve palme van 't onderste ligghende; ende dat soo langhe / tot dat men se malen kan: ende alsoo wordt dan het ghedrooght Mout geworpen in de wijdde van de oven: 'twelck swilt ende ghemeerdert wordt een vierendeel op elcke mate Gerste. Maer om Bier te brouwen / is het oude Mout onghelijck beter dan het nieuwe.
    Graut of Naerbier wordt aldus ghemaeckt / seydt Lobel: Neemt ses of acht ponden ghemalen Mouts / twaelf oft vijftien ponden siedende heet water: roert dit tsamen wel onder een zes mael daegs: decket seer well met cleederen ende stroo: ende laet het t'samen soo langhe in een schoon vat staen weycken tot dat het soo dick wort als eenen Syroop. Daer nae sult ghy dat voorts met den vier opsieden / altijdt seer neerstigh roerende / op dat niet aen een berne /  to dat het soo dick als pap gheworden is. Het dick versoden Naerbier pleeghmen te Delft in Hollandt / seydt Lobel / niet allenlijck te bereyden om t'eten in den vasten op't broodt / ghelijck Syroopen ende versoden Wijn / maer oock in veelderley plaesters te mengen / ghelijckmen de Sapa oft versoden Most plagh: want het is van ghelijcke kracht om de ghequetste leden te verstercken / ende de rouwigheden te verteeren.

Het XXII. Capitel. Van Bier.
Bier wordt van Mout ende de bloemen oft bellen van de Hoppe / nae een seker mate ende wetenschap met soet water vermenght zijnde / ghesoden: ende sulcken dranck is eyghentlijck Bier te noemen / ende daer voor te houden. Den selven naem van Bier moghen oock niet t'onrecht voeren alle drancken die by het Mout noch eenighe Terwe / Spelte ende ander korenwerck vermenght hebben. Dan de drancken / die beneffens het verscheyden korenwerk / noch andere Cruyden / Saden / Bloemen / Welrieckende droghen oft Specerijen / oft meer andere dierghelijcke 't hooft verhullende ende dronckenschap inbrengende dinghen / seer veel van den ard van het Graen wijckende / midtsgaders het Mout vermenght hebben / en moghen soo eyghentlijck den naem van Bier niet voeren / maer sullen veel eer en beter Ghemenghde oft Specerijachtighe Drancken genoemd worden / om dieswille dat sy van het oprechte Gersten ende Terwen Bier niet alleen van smaeck / maer oock van eyghentheydt seer veel verschillende bevonden worden.
    Naem. Desen Dranck uyt korenwerck / als seydt is / gemaeckt wordt van elk de Hoogh ende Nederduytschen / Enghelsche ende andere Noordtwaerts woonende volcken nu ter tijdt met eenen ghemeynen naemt Biere oft Bere gheheeten in hun eyghen tael; op't Latijnsch Bera oft Cervisia. De oude schrijvers hebben de drancken van Gerste ghemaeckt met verscheyden naemen gheheeten; te weten Oenos crithinos [-] in 't Griecksch / oft Vinum hordeaceum op't Latijnsch; als ofmen Gerste-wijn seyde. Den selven heeft Aristotelese Pinos [-] ghenoemt / tuyght Athenucus; andere [-] Bryton, als Sophocles in Triptolemo / ende Heratcus in het boeck Europae periodus; daer hy schrijft / dat het volck Peones Bryton van Gerste droncken / ende eenen anderen dranck Parabie [-] gheheeten / van Hirs ende Conyza maeckten. Nochtans schrijgt Hellanicus / dat Bryton niet alleen uyt Gerste / maer ook uyt eenighe wortelen gemaeckt wierdt / seggende: Sy drincken die van Thracien hunnen Bryton van Gerste ghebruycken.
    De Egyptenaers noemen de Gerste drancken Zython [-] oft Zethon [-], seydt Theophrastus: 'tselve betuyght Plinius in sijn 22. boeck: Van het korenwerck / seydt hy / worden verscheyden drancken ghemaekt te weten Zythum in Egyptenlandt / Celia ende Ceria in Spaegnien / Cervisia ende meer andere gheslachten in Franckrijck ende andere landouwen. De Gerste drancken schillen van malkanderen aengaende haer naemen / seydt den selven Plinius in sijn XIV. Boeck; dan sy worden nochtans allegander op eenerhande wijse ghemaeckt.
    Diodorus Siculus schrijft / dat Zythum niet alleen in Egyptenlandt / maer oock in Galtien ghemaeckt wierdt. Soo groot is de houdigheydt des lochts in dat landschap van Galantien / dat daer gheen Olie noch geenen Wijn en wast: daarom zijn de menschen aldear ghenootsackt gheweest eenen dranck van Gerste te maecken / die sy Zythum noemen / seydt den selven Diodorus. Dioscorides moent het een gheslacht van Gersten dranck Zythum, het ander Curmi.
Simeon Zethy / een van de Griecksche Schrijvers die ver met seer veele jaeren gheschreven hebben / noemt dusdanighen dranck in 't Arabisch Phoucas [-], andere Phocadion [-] oft Phoucadion [-]: nochtas by de Arabische schrijvers beteekent het woordt Phoucas niet alleen eenen dranck van Gerst gemaeckt / maer oock / als Ghales schrijft / eenen anderen dranck / uyt Broodt van Heveri / fijn Terwen oft Witten Broodt / Munte / ende Eyye gemaeckt ende gemenght: ende als Haly Abbas betuyght / daer is noch een ander Phoucas datmen maeckt uyt het sap van Granaet-appelen.
    Alle dese drancken / 'tzy datse eenerhande gheslachten zijn / met verscheyden naemen gheheeten / 'tzy batse met eenighe eyghentheydt van den anderen verschillen / konnen met het Bier erghens in over een komen; te weten dat sy uyt Gerste ende eenigh korenwerck ghemaekt / gemenght oft gebrouwen worden: nochtans moghen sy inde wijse van bereyden oft brouwinghe / ende misschien in eenighe andere eygentheydt van ons Bier verschillende zijn. Want in die het Zythum (als Galenus seydt in 't boeck De facult. simpl. medicament.) van verrottinghe voorkomt / oft ghemaeckt wordt van eenigh Koren dat met water begoten is geweest / tot dat het in een vochtighheydt vergaet / oft ontdaen wordt / die den Wijn gelijckt / (als Hermolaus Barbarus in sijne Corollaria schrijft) ende daer-en-boven scherp ende quadt van sap ende voedtsel is / de nieren ende de zenuwen lastigh ende hinderlijck valt; (welcke eygentheden dit Zythum van Dioscorides ende Galenus oock toegheschreven worden;) soo is het blijckelijck genoegh / dat het met ons Bier geensins over een komen / noch eenighe gelijkenisse hebben en kan. Want het Bier en wordt van gheen verrottende korenwerck gemaeckt / noch oock uyt eenigh koren / 'twelck in vochtigheydt verandert oft ontdaen soude wesen: maer wordt uyt Gerste Mout / als voorseyt is / gesoden; 'twelck van alle verrottinge bewaert ende afgehouden is. Daer-en-hoven soo is het Bier van sich selven soet / aenghenaem ende lieffelijck van smaeck / ende gantschelijck goedt van sap oft gijl. Welcke redenen klaerlijck ghenoegh betoonen konnen / dat het Bier voorwaer van het Zythum van de ouders veel verschilt / soo wel aengaende sijne krachten. Maer indien het Zythum niet in sulcker voeghen / als Galenus oft Hermolaus gheschreven hebben / ghemaeckt wierdt / dan alleen van Gerste ende Terwe maer een weynighsken aenkomende oft haer selven tot eenighe verrottinge voegende ende keerende / oft van hunnen ouden aerd een weynighsken verandert zijnde / als Theophrastus daer van betuyght / soo sullen het Zythum van de ouders ende het Bier van onse tijden malkanderen heel ghelijck wesende bevonden worden. Want de Gerste in Mout veranderende / wordt voorwaer eenighsins verrot / ende wijckt een weynighskens van haeren ouden aerd ende ghestaltenisse. Maer indien dat so is / als ons uyt de woorden van Theophrastus te verstaen dunckt te weten / soo sullen Galenus en Dioscorides / ende voorts alle de ghene / die hun meyninghe ende leeringhe naevolghen / niet wel ende volkomentlijck den aerd / krachten ende maecksel van het Zythum ghekent oft ondersocht hebben. Want door dese soo kleyne ende lichte verrottinghe oft veranderinge en kan de Gerste oft den dranck daer van ghemaeckt niet meer bederven oft quadt van gijl ende sap worden dan de Polenta: de welke niet van versche / maer van rijpe ende drooghe Gerste in water gheweykt zijnde ghemaeckt wordt: gemerckt dat de Gerste alsdan oock een weynighsken schijnt te verrotten / ende eenighe uytwendighe vochtigheydt in te drincken; ghelijckmen siet dat sy doet als sy in Mout veranderen sal. Dan nochtans / om de oorsaecke van dese verrottinghe en heeft Galenus / noch niemandt anders van de oude Meesters / de Polenta quaedt van voedtsel ende sap gheacht te wesen: maer daer-en-teghen versekeren sy / dat allerhande Polenta goedt ende soet van reuck is / ghelijckmen het Mout oock siet wesen / soo wanneer dat wel ende gehoorlijck ghemaeckt ende bereydt is gheweest.
    De woorden / met de welcke Theophrastus het Zythum oft de Zethos [-] van de Gerste ende Terwe een weynighsken verrot zijnde / schrijft ghemaeckt te worden / luyden aldus in het 6. boeck de Causis, wanneer hy van de Smaecken handelt: Sommige worden tot een sap oft dranck ghebroght / bequaem om ghedroncken te worden / midts de selve een weynighsken laetende verroten ende hunnen aerd veranderen: gelijckmen siet dat doen de genen die eenen Wijn van de Gerste ende Terwe maecken / die in Egypten Zethos ghenoemt wordt.
    Aerd, Kracht ende Werckinghe. Den aerd / ghestaltenisse ende kracht van het Bier / is gheleghen in de eygentheden van 'tgene daer dat van gemaeckt oft gebrouwen wordt. Maer het stof van 't Bier / als wy gheseydt hebben / is Water / Gerste-Mout / somtijdts oock Terwe oft Spelte / ende de bellen oft brocken van de Hoppe. Dese verscheyden deelen hebben elck haere eyghen ende bijsondere krachten. Want het Water daer het Bier van ghebrouwen wordt / te weten slecht / klaer ende onghemenght zijnde / is koudt ende vocht: het Mout is drooghende ende of vaegende / met eenige niet seer groote warmte: de Terwe ende de Spelte zijn middelmatighlijcken warm ende droogh: de bloemen oft bellen van de Hoppe verwarmen ende verdrooghen in den tweeden graed / sy beroeren het hooft / ende vullen dat met haere waesdommen / verwerken het pissen / ende hebben oock een af vaegende ende openende kracht. Dan dese Hoppe wordt daer by gedaen om het Bier smaeckerlijcker ende langhdurender te maecken oft van bederffenis te bewaeren: maer het korenwerck dat daer by is / sterckt voor stoffe om den selven dranck eenighe voedende eyghentheydt te doen krijghen.
    Nae de verscheyden / oft onghelijcke mengelingen van de voorseyde stoffe / wordender oock verschillende gheslachten van Bier ghevonden / allegader onghelijcke ende met den anderen niet seer wel over een komende krachten hebbende / ende in het drincken vertoondende. Want sommige Bieren zijn dun ende slap, sommighe sterck; sommighe ros oft bruyn / sommighe wit: veele sijnder bitter / ende veele soet van smaeck. De ghene die veel korenwerck in hebben / zijn stercker ende krachtigher: daer min koren in is / zijn slapper ende lichter: de ghene die heel luttel Korens hebben / zijn daerom oock de alderslapste ende dunste. Van Gerste-Mout / dat langher gheroost is gheweest / wordt het Bier rosachtigh / in sonderheydt als het wat langher ghesoden heeft: dan ghemeynlijck zijn de Bieren / die van Spelte ende Terwe ghemaeckt worden / wit van verwer; ende oudt gheworden zijnde ghelijcken sy den dunnen oft lichten waterachtighen Wijn niet qualijck / aengaende de dunnigheydt van haer stoffe. De Hoppe-bellen / te langh oft te veel met het Bier ghesoden zijnde / maecken dat de Bieren bitterer van smaeck zijn / ende het hooft eer vervanghen ende lastigh vallen: alsser niet veel Hoppe by en is / dan zijn de Bieren veel soeter. Want het Korenwerck pleegh het Bier van sijn selven de soetigheydt te gheven.
    Onder alle dese Bieren is het dunste ende lichtste Bier wel koudt ende vocht van aerdt / door dien dat de waterighe eyghenheuydt ende stoffe in't selve wel de meeste is: het is nochtans niet gantsch sonder eenighe warmte.
    De Bieren / die wat stercker oft dicker zijn / hebben oock meer warmte: selfs door de kracht ende moghentheydt van de voorseyde hitte plegen sy in de vaten oft tonnen ghegoten zijnde te sieden / te rijsen oft op te gaen / ghelijck den Most oft nieuwen Wijn: nochtans en zijn sy soo warm van aerd niet als de middelmatighe oft ghemeyne Wijnen; iae worden van de selve niet alleen aengaende de hitte van haer ghestaltenisse / maer oock aengaende de dunnigheydt oft fijnigheydt van stoffe verwonnen ende te boven ghegaen. Want de verwarminghe van Bier komende is heel matigh / sacht / ende niet al te gheweldigh.
    Voorts soo zijnder sommighe Bieren die den lijfve niet seer veel / iae bijnae gheen voedtsel met allen en geven: ende sommighe voeden wat meer: dan de sterckste gheven het meeste voedtsel. Maer 'tzy dat de Bieren veel / 'tzy datse luttel voeden / het sap / voedtsel oft gijl / dat daer van goed Korenwerck ghemaeckt / ende wel ghesoden ende gebrouwen zijn. Dan de dichtachtiger Bieren blijven omtrent het herte ende de maghe eenen tijdt langh marrende oft hanghende / ende gaen traeghelijck oft langhsaem nae beneden: de Witte zijn dunner / ende worden eer verteert oft verdouwd: de Bittere Bieren maecken den buyck weeck door haer afvaeghende kracht: de middelbaere / te weten niet te soete noch niet te bittere bieren / zijn oock van krachten tusschen 'tmidden van de andere ghestelt.
    De ghemengelde Bieren / die beneffens het Coren ende de
Hoppe / noch eenighe andere Cruyden / Bloemen / Saden / Vruchten / Specerijen ende dierghelijcke dinghen in haer habben / betoonen oock verscheyden ende gemenghde / iae somtijdts oock quade ende schadelijcke krachten ende werckingen / nae de verscheydentheydt der krachten van die dinghen die daer by ghemenght zijn.
    Jongh oft versch Bier / dat noch niet wel ghegaen oft geresen ende gesoncken is / doet den lichaeme veel quaedts ende hindernisses; gelijcker wijs den Most pleegh te doen: het veroorsaeckt opblasinghen ende winden in het inghewant en' darmen / het beroert den buyck / doet het graveel ende den steen in de blase ende nieren groeyen / ende is dickwijls oorsacke van ongemackelijck pissen / oft droppelpisse: dan nochtans alsmen 't van buyten opleyt / ende de zenuwachtighe deelen des lichaems daer mede bestrijct / oft nat maeckt / dan versoet het de pijne van de selve / te weten als dat selve Bier noch heel warm ende soet it. Ende tot dien eynde sal het beste ende krachtighste Bier wesen 'tghene dat heel versch is / ende daer de Hoppe noch niet mede ghesoden oft langh by gheweest en is.
    Suer Bier is de zenuwen ende de nieren hinderlijck / beroert de maghe / ende doet in 't lichaem quade vochtighheden groeyen.
    Edick van Bier ghemaeckt is onstercker dan den Wijn Edick / ende oock so scherp niet / noch oock niet soo dun van deelen als den selven Wijn-Azijn.

BIIVOEGHSEL

In de boecken van de Landtwinninge zijn veele ende goede aenmerckingen aengaende het Bier beschreven: dan wy sulien den Leser daer toe seynden / ende alleen een weynighsken van 't selve uyt Lobel ende anders vermaenen.
    De maniere om Bier te brouwen uyt Lobel. Neemt acht Enghelsche meu?kens grof ghemaelen Mout: daer op giet schoon rivier water / dat siedende is (in 'twelcke ettelijcke handevollen Terwe Semelen ghesoden hebben) soo veel als in een carteel van Orleans soude gaen. Dit samen wel gheroert ende gemenghe zijnde / salmen wel warm laeten staen den tijdt van dry uren / ende dan van onder af trecken door een kleyn gat / ende door stroo laten loopen / oft met eenen dobbelen bodem dar toe dienende. 'Tghene dat alsoo afghetrocken is (dat in 't Nederlantsch ende Enghelsch Woorte ghenoemt is) wort wederin een half ure oft wat langer / iae oock wel sommige uren tijdens gesoden / om dat het te beter soude mogen goedt ghehouden worden; daer by doende vier ponden Hoppe: daer nae wordt het ghedaen in een groote ende breede kuype / die naeuwelijck in acht oft tien ponden van dit soo verkoelt Bier ghedaen een pondt oft anderhalf Gist van het beste Bier: al dit wel onder een gheroert zijnde / doetmen in een warme plaetse; ende men deckt het met kleederen / allenghskens de reste van 't Bier daer by gietende / om dat het te beter gaen soude. 'Twelck volbroght zijnde / soo wordt het voorghegoten / de tonnen ghevult: ende ten laetsten als't al ghegaen heeft / wordt het seer wel ghestopt. Op dat selfde Mout gietmen dan versch heet water: men doet dat door / ende men maeckter Dun oft lileyn Bier af.
    Enghelschen Ael wordt aldus ghemaeckt: Neemt twee hondert pondt ghesoden Mout / dat is Worte / twee handtvollen Hoppe: als dat same wel ghesoden heeft ende doorghegoten is / salmen 't allenghskens t'samen menghen / als boven gheseydt is / te weten Gist van Bier oft Ael dry ponden / ende Engelsch Graut / dat wy Naerbier noemen / ses oft acht ponden.
    Bellonius seydt / dat het Zythum gheen ghelijckenis met ons Bier en hadde: maer versekert stoutelijck / dat het Zython van de Griecken de Posca oft Pusca der Latijnen was: maer hy ist: want de Posca en was anders niet dan een menginghe van Water en Edick / die van onse Cervisia, Zythum oft Bier seer veel verschilt / ende met de Reuuragie van sommighe scheepvaerende lieden meer over een komt: al is 't dat elck volck sijn schiplieden eenen bijsnoderen dranck op Zee mede pleegh te gheven / als hier onnoodigh te verhaelen is.
    Kracht van't Bier. Bier heeft veele krachten / niet alleen binnen maer oock buyten den lyfve.
    Want is't datmen Bier warm maeckt / ende de voeten daer mede stooft van de ghene die moede ghegaen zyn / het verdryft de moeheyde.
    'Tschuym van 't Bier maeckt het vel van der vrouwen aensicht schoon ende effen.
    Bier ghemaeckt van Mout / dat in Looghe gheweyckt is / loopt seer haest in't hooft / ende veroorsaeckt bynae eenighe dulligheydt / nae een soete vrolijckheydt.
    Ander doen in plaetse van Hoppe Zoet oft Roet van de schouwe in 't Bier; ende het Mout weycken in Zout water / om batmen van 't Bier hoe datmen daer meer af drinckt meer dorst soude kryghen.
    Plaesters ghemaekt van Worte van't beste Bier gheuesen de pijne van de zenuwen ende leden met haer versoetende versterkende ende verteerende kracjt: ende zyn goedt teghen 't flercyn.
    In't dat ghy groene Hoppe in't Bier laet sieden / ende dat in den mondt houst / 'tsal den tandtsweer verdrijven.
    Een Henne oft Capoen sal haest vet worden / is't datse in stede van water Bier drincken / oft datmen hun eten met Bier beslaet.
    De Hoogh ende Nederduytschen sieden somtijdts met de Hoppe Gentiaene / Bakelaer / Zedoar / Gagel / Alantswortel / Lavendel / Savie / bloemen van Horminum / oft Scharley / Cuculus Indi / oft eenighe soorten van Dulmaeckende Naschaeye / Veldt-Cypres / ende andere dierdhelijcke cruyden: ende daer van worden de Bieren soo verscheyden van krachten / dat het Ghemenghelde drancken / ende gheen Bieren / te heeten zijn / als Dodoneus ghenoegh hermaent heeft. Dan de Hoppe alleen is genoegh om het Bier gijesondt te maecken: want sy suyvert het bloedt / ende matight de hitte des levers / als in de beschryvinghe van de Hoppe in 't langh verklaert is. Daerom en behooren de ghene / die in de Wijnlanden woonen / het Bier niet te verachten / 'twelck ons langher ende ghesonder doet leven / dan den Wijn hun doet. Oudt Bier / dat in den Meert ghebrouwen zijnde niet voor den Somer en pleegh ghedroncken te worden / is soo klaer als Wijn / ende bijnae soo sterck / iae somtydts meer krachts hebbende / so datmen veel meer Wijns drincken soude dan van dat Bier. Het wordt hier te lande voor onghesondt ghehouden / als krimpselen in den buyck maeckende. Nochtans bevindt men dat het matelijck ghedroncken de ghesonde lichaemen niet en schaedt / ende deselve veel moets ende krachts geeft / in sonderheydt die van ghedurigh arbeyden vermoedt zijn.  Dan de ghene die versch Bier ghewent zijn te drincken en konnen die veranderingh niet verdraghen; midts dat de rauwigheidt / die sy van versch Bier vergadert hebben / in hun lichaem beroert wordt / als sy beter oft ouder ende klaerer Bier komen te drincken: ende daer van schiynt het dat dit oudt Bier h?im schade doet. Dan het meeste quaedt van oudt Bier is / dat het de keele ende zenuwen ende borst-aderen wat wringht ende lastigh valt: maer dat ongemack vergaet haest. Ende voorwaer / als de herssenen ende de zenuwen door al te veel Bier drincken gekrenckt zijn / ende 't bloedt verbrandt / dan komen in't aensich ende by? den neuse puystkens oft puckelkens / ghelijck de melaetse hebben: de welcke gheen teeckenen zijn van eenighe quaedtheydt der Bieren / mear van gulsigheydt der gener die daer te veel van drincken.
    Om te beletten dat u Bier niet suer en wordt / worpt daer een sacksken met groene Koren-aren op / ende laet die langhe daer op legghen.
    Is't dat het Bier beghint te verschalen oft sijn kracht te verliesen / hanght in 't vat twee oft dry gheheele Eyers: (andere doen daer een gheheele Ruete oft Wasche keerse in:) ende laet dat Bier daer op teeren.
Van den Edick / ende Ghebranden Wijn / die men van Bier macken kan / is't gheen plaetse veele woorden te maecken; als oock van de Giste: want het en kan in dit Boeck alle niet beschreven worden.
    Draf / oft Mout daer het Bier van ghesoden is gheweest / dient om in den Winter de Koeyen ende de Verckens te mesten / als sy op stal staen.  

Small Barley: Hordeum distichum; cleyne Gerste; Chevaliergerst
Large Barley: Hordeum hexastichum; groote Gerste
Large Barley: Hordeum polystichum; groote Gerste

From Het Cruydt-boeck by Dodonaeus, 1644 (first edition 1554).
http://leesmaar.nl/cruydtboeck/deel4/boek16/capitel18
http://leesmaar.nl/cruydtboeck/deel4/boek16/capitel21.htm
http://www.leesmaar.nl/cruydtboeck/deel4/boek16/capitel22.htm