It's not that I long to be right but once in a while I do like to be right. Not so much vindicated as explained. In August 2010, I referenced a quite from a traveler in the central New York region in 1749 who describes in some detail how the Dutch in the Albany area were growers - and maltsters of wheat. Suggestion was made in the comments to find a way around this for correctness sake but in the end the idea of a homegrown North American tarwebok was pretty attractive.
So, happy am I to have got my copy of the rather thin text Food, Drink and Celebration of the Hudson Valley Dutch by Peter G. Rose today and to have read this starting on page 42:
When Jasper Dankaerts came to the New World in 1679-80, he remarked in his journal (in the archives of the Brooklyn Historical Society) that in Albany and Kingston "they brew the heaviest beer we have tasted in all New Netherlands and from wheat alone, because it is so abundant... In a 1649 ordinance, during a period of grain scarcity, the brewers were ordered not to malt or brew wheat."
Can I have a boo-yah? May I have a wee satisfied "yes!" from the quiet person at the back? How excellent. Notice what this probably means. The central New York Dutch tradition of growing, malting and brewing wheat lasts for at least 100 years from the mid-1600s to the mid-1700s. Yet it is unknown. Add to that reality the early 1800s majestic modern industrial triumph led by John Taylor that places Albany at the forefront of US brewing, casking something very strong and barley based known far and wide as "Albany Ale" and, well, we have at least two quite distinct eras of forgotten brewing that need to be explored, rediscovered and made our own again. Fab.
And the fact that my town was settled and led, in part, in the 1780s to 1815 by the boy whose Dad raised him loyal and true at the King's Arms tavern in Albany does not exactly hurt the story, does it.
Comments
Craig - March 27, 2012 8:49 PM
boo-yah!
Alan - March 27, 2012 8:55 PM
See if you can find a couple of papers presented by Jan Folkerts at the 1996 Rensselarswijck Seminar at Albany: "Kiliiaen Van Rensselaer and the Agricultural Productivity in His Domain..." and "Farming for Bread and Beer: the commercial nature of New Netherlands agriculture..."
Ethan - March 27, 2012 9:57 PM
That's very cool! Of course, it also raises more questions than answers... as a brewer, I wonder about process with 100% malted wheat... lots of rests in mashing, I'd think, (decoction, even?) Or maybe some equivalent to rice hulls to make it easier to run off? Intriguing.
Will - March 28, 2012 12:35 AM
Sweet! Now only if we could find those brewing logs...
Craig - March 28, 2012 8:21 AM
But, that would ruin your anticipation for your long awaited trip to Albany.
Gary Gillman - March 28, 2012 8:56 AM
Good one Alan. Initially I wondered how a 100% wheat beer could be "heavy", but the term probably referred to alcohol strength.
Regarding the run-off, I'd think they used chaff to assist that, the hulls of various grains to act in effect as a filter.
IIRC, one (at least) of the Unibroue line is a strong wheat-based beer, not 100% but with a substantial wheat content, so it may be something like the old Hudson Valley wheat ales. The link between the now-disappeared, serial traditions of Hudson Valley brewing may well be in the high alcohol level...
Gary
Gary Gillman - March 28, 2012 8:58 AM
Just now thinking too of "wheat wine", a brewed, all-wheat alcoholic beverage you occasionally see in the line-up of U.S. craft brewers. That may be the closest modern approximation.
Gary
Bailey - March 28, 2012 9:18 AM
You can have a "jolly well done".
My first thought on reading 'heavy' was of the ripening used in English West Country white ales.
Steve Gates - March 30, 2012 12:31 AM
All very interesting Alan, the pursuit of the "what is Albany Ale?" question was beginning to appear like a quest for you but your patience and perserverance has paid off, well done. Is the Kingston mentioned above our Kingston or is it Kingston NY?
Alan - March 30, 2012 8:11 AM
Our Kingston. The stuff was sold here in 1816 by Richard Smith, whose store I think was where the Princess St parking lot next to S+R is now.
Alan - March 30, 2012 8:13 AM
Sorry. I see. No, in the quote that is Kingston NY on the Hudson. The last paragraph of my text is Kingston Ont.
Steve Gates - March 30, 2012 11:22 AM
Understood, the importance of Albany NY as a pre-eminent brewing centre in the US has totally escaped my observation until your blogging brought it to my attention. My field of vision, historically speaking, does not cross the 49th parallel as a rule but perhaps I need to become more North American in my thinking.
Alan - March 30, 2012 12:28 PM
Steve, as far as I can tell the importance of Albany NY as a pre-eminent brewing centre in the US has totally escaped all observation until this blogging brought it to our attention. Totally forgotten giant in the history of US beer.