Cider and Perry in Britain To 1700: A Collection of Material from Primary and Selected Secondary Sources - Historical Brewing Sourcebook I

An anthology of information on making and using cider and perry curated from over 120 texts dating from c. 1130 to 1700 CE, focusing on Britain. The selected (and newly translated where required) historical sources present, in their centuries-old words, information on the creation and use of these drinks: apple and pear varieties used, harvesting, storage (hoarding), crushing/milling, pressing juice, fermentation, fermentation conditions and containers, aging, bottling, and correction of faults. Additional topics include: flavor additions to cider and perry including spices and other fruit juices, the importance of the previous contents of barrels, economic data, production rates, and perceived health effects of the drinks. The sources range from early mentions of cider/perry in legal and economic records to social commentary to detailed texts providing extensive instructions for making cider and perry. Primary and selected secondary sources are included, all fully referenced. Brief contextual information is provided for each source. This volume, while not a cohesive history or modern instruction manual for brewing, provides a window into the early history of these enduringly popular drinks for those interested in history, historical foodways, cider and perry brewing, and historical brewing.