hist-brewing: Re: "Stale" for Braggot  Paul Placeway pwp at
cs.cmu.edu Thu Apr 6 07:16:22 PDT 2000  Randy Mosher writes:  <
Regarding the use of the term "stale" in this recipe, it was
used up < until the end of the 19th century to denote a well-
aged, or "old" < ale.  It was not a perjorative. As these were
aged in barrels, there < was a considerable action from
brettanomyces bacteria and other < critters, resulting in an
acidic character, which was verified by < lab analyses of old
ales around 1900. This taste can be found today < in Gales Prize
Old Ale, as wellas in lambics and Belgian sour brown < and red
ales such as Rodenbach.  This is fine and accurate for 18th--
19th C. ales.  "Ales" that were boiled after run-off, and
particularly including some amounts of hops, can be expected to
last long enough to age.  (Among other evidence, I've had a
"Scotch Ale" from the Digbie recipe, which is boiled after run-
off, last for over 6 months in the bottle just fine.)  On the
other hand, there is some evidence that