Viking Age Brew

Book excerpt: Viking Age Brew brings beer history alive and takes readers on a lavishly illustrated tour of rustic brewhouses fueled by wood and passion. Sahti is a Nordic farmhouse ale that is still crafted in accordance with ancient traditions dating back to early medieval times and the Viking Age. Sahti is often thought of as a freak among beer styles, but this book demonstrates that a thousand years ago such ales were the norm in northern Europe, before the modern-style hopped beer we drink today reached the masses. Viking Age Brew is the first English-language book to describe the tradition, history and hands-on brewing of this ale. Whether you are a brewing virgin or an experienced brewer, the book unlocks the doors to brewing sahti and other ancient ales from medieval times and the Viking Age.