Tricky Posted May 13, 2007 Share Posted May 13, 2007 Recently I was lent a book entitled \u201cBrewing Better Beers\u201d by Ken Shales, it was first published in 1967. Ken Shales could be described as a home brewing pioneer. He helped to change home brewing from simply creating a drink that contains alcohol to a craft that creates fine beers that are brewed at home. Reading this booked impressed on me how fortunate we are to be able to source fine malt extracts from companies like Coopers, as well as Hops and other ingredients from a local home brew store. When this book was written these ingredients were either rare or with limited varieties. Many home brewers were even using bakers yeast to ferment malt and all kinds of sugars for their beer. He encouraged his readers to use better ingredients and methods when brewing. He even startled his (mainly English readers) that they should refrigerate their Lager before drinking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted May 13, 2007 Author Share Posted May 13, 2007 Ken Shales lived in Basildon, which some had renamed Boozledon. At the beginning of his book he included the following poem, which I thought, would be of interest to readers of this forum. THE BALLAD OF BOOZELDON by Ken Shales 1 am a happy booze runner, with a production line, I've set the town of Boozledon awash with beer and wine. For years 1 have been brewing, it always was tax free, Though it wasn't really legal 'till the year of '63. We brew it by the dustbin, and drink it by the pail. You name it and we'll make it, lager, stout or ale. If our stocks are running low, somebody will shout, "Let's have a drop of heavy in, and lay these fellows out." We are all good noshers too, just every kind of dish, Steak and chips, or Goulash, or even Flying Fish. Pies of Cheese and Bacon or a bowl of Cook up Rice, Roll mops and Heimishers, all are very nice. A cheerful band of drinkers, together we all stand, Maybe a bit unsteady, with tankards in the hand. 'Prentices or Craft Brothers, we have our little joke, We are always drinking, but the Publicans go broke! [/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted May 13, 2007 Author Share Posted May 13, 2007 In the book there was a 1977 instruction sheet for home brewing from Cooper and Sons that was used as a book mark. I have scanned it and turned it into a pdf file, if you wish to compare our current brewing habits with that of 30 years ago. Click Here. [/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Correct me if I am wrong...................no doubt someone will, but that must have been shortly after homebrewing became legal, I am pretty sure in the early '70's, it was illegal to homebrew in Australia. That didn't stop people from doing it of course, I was doing my apprenticeship then, and we were going around wiring farm houses ready for the 240V power, every cockey had his brew that we had to try, as a young bloke I remember some pretty horrible brews, but there were a few reasonable ones too, I remember one dinner time this bloke said we had to try his beer with our meal, I was about seventeen then, one cheese glass full and I was half full, so were the rest of the blokes though, she was rocket fuel, although it tasted alright from memory, but it made the rest of the day a bit long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Yep, those instructions were the first for Coopers - 1977. They look to be in pretty good nick. We began selling the cans of concentrated wort in 1985. I have been collecting old Coopers Home Brew bits and pieces with the intention of setting up a display in our museum. Unfortunately, a lot of stuff was turfed when we moved from Leabrook. I have a "Brewers Own Ale" carton some labels and the small box that the labels, crown seals and instructions came in. One interesting thing in the collection thus far is a can of "Dinkum Ale". It is not in the best of condition and I have no idea when it may have been available for sale. Perhaps the 1930's?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philby Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 I love a good history lesson - especially one with pretty pictures. Loved the old instruction sheet. Now, were tea chests really that popular in the late 70's?? Good to see the electrical cord should be made up by the licenced sparky, but what of the other connections?? Brew on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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