Beer IIb
July 6, 2010
I checked on the beer a few days later, Nothing had really happened with the the first batch except that it looked quite cloudy by the added yeast, but no real activity. The second batch on the other hand displayed some bubbles on the surface – mould or budding fermentation? I’ll leave it for a few more days to see what way it goes. In order to make any eventual yeast feel more comfortable I moved both jugs into the guide room, where it always is far to warm and cosy for me. However, a tourist made a comment the other day, about yeast in some of the plants we display at the museum that may be connected to beer brewing- yarrow and meadowsweet. He or she said something about them carrying yeast. Is there anyone of my readers who have some more ideas on yeast-carrying plants, which plants would be more suited to hold enough yeast? This ought to be looked into with some more care.
Eldrimner 
Meadowsweet pollen was at least found in the Danish Bronze Age pot in the Egtved coffin together with other plant remains suggesting it had contained a brew made of honey and barley.
Was it meadowsweet? I was recalling gale, but I could have had my memories mixed up. If it is the brew I was thinking of it also contained some lingonberries, a speculation of mine was that it might have been the yeast starter in that brew.
According to Hornsey’s A History of Beer and Brewing the vessel included pollen from lime, meadowsweet and clover, as well as remains of sweet gale. Of course, the pollen from meadowsweet may come from the honey.
Ah, Have to check that one out. I think I never heard about clover in the egtved beer.