Call for Submissions
Try your hand at producing a prehistoric or early historic fermented beverage from any time period or geographic area using archaeologically and historically attested plants as a substitute for hops!
On Friday December 8, 2017 from 6:00-8:00pm in SAB G90 the Brew Garden initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will hold a tasting competition with three judges, all professionals associated with local businesses involved in brewing or dispensing fermented beverages, choosing the top three brews. Confirmed judges: Kathy Flanigan, Beer Reporter, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Eric Gutbrod, Cicerone, Draft & Vessel; Andy Jones, GoodCity Brewing. There will also be a People’s Choice award with non-contestants casting their votes via ballot for their favorite brew. Enlightened Brewing has agreed to offer the winner the opportunity to brew a commercial version of their beer using their equipment.
Any brews with serious archaeological/historical pedigrees are welcome (i.e. based on specific finds or documentary evidence for a particular Nordic grog or medieval gruit) but feel free to experiment.
How to Enter
- Send an e-mail with the name(s) of the entrant(s) and the title of your proposed entry by November 15, 2017 to: barnold@uwm.edu
- Send the event announcement on to friends who are home brewers or brewers who are friends and encourage them to participate
- Get brewing! Some of these concoctions will need time to be ready by early December. Questions about ingredients/procedures can be directed to barnold@uwm.edu or jid@uwm.edu
Specifications
Batch size should be 5 gallons (bottles or barrels OK)
A list of approved ingredients is provided below:
- Any Old World or New World grain or equivalent (i.e. maize) (if really adventurous consider trying something like spelt, buckwheat or millet)
- Any yeast strain
- Any type of additional sugar (honey, fruit juice, bottling sugar or whatever you fancy – just keep track of your additives!)
- Bittering/flavoring options (combinations are fine but less may be more with some of these plants). Plant ingredients can be added in dried or fresh form in a mesh bag directly to the wort during the boil, just before the end of the boil or as a prepared “tea” with the plant ingredients strained out before adding to the brew.
Plant List for Old World Brews
(for New World inspiration see recent Field Museum experiment with pepperberries; chocolate is also an option)
- Alecost/Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita)
- Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
- Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
- Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa)
- Betony (Stachys officinalis)
- Bog cranberry (Oxycoccus palustris)
- Carrot/wild carrot (Daucus sativus/carota)
- Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
- Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
- Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
- Meadowsweet (Filipendula vulgaris)
- Mint (Mentha spp.)
- Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
- Rue (Ruta graveolens)
- St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- Sweet Gale or Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale)
- Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
- Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
- Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
- Yarrow (Achillaea millefolium)
See attached UW-Milwaukee Unhopped Iron Brewer Competition flyer.