Leann — light barley ale from the monastery
A malted barley ale, low in alcohol and cloudy, flavored with bitter herbs before the use of hops. Everyday drink, safer than water, mild and refreshing.
A malted barley ale, low in alcohol and cloudy, flavored with bitter herbs before the use of hops. Everyday drink, safer than water, mild and refreshing.
They say of me that from one brew I watered many churches for the whole of Easter — I leave you to judge the tales, but know that at Kildare the vat never ran dry. Sprout the barley until it awakens, dry it near the fire, crush it and bathe it in hot water to draw a sweet wort. Put in the bitter herbs from the meadow, let the yeast do its work for a few days, and drink without fear: this drink betrays no one and gladdens the pilgrim's heart.
- •Malted barley — a full bushel (sweet base)
- •Spring water — in proportion (wort)
- •Bitter herbs (yarrow, bog myrtle) — a bundle (bitterness and preservation)
- •Leaven from previous brew — a little (fermentation)
Leann — light barley ale from the monastery
A malted barley ale, low in alcohol and cloudy, flavored with bitter herbs before the use of hops. Everyday drink, safer than water, mild and refreshing.
Why this dish? Brigid's lives are full of beer miracles: she is said to have supplied, from a single brew, ale to eighteen churches for the entire Easter season. Brewing beer at Kildare was an act of charity as much as quenching thirst.
They say of me that from one brew I watered many churches for the whole of Easter — I leave you to judge the tales, but know that at Kildare the vat never ran dry. Sprout the barley until it awakens, dry it near the fire, crush it and bathe it in hot water to draw a sweet wort. Put in the bitter herbs from the meadow, let the yeast do its work for a few days, and drink without fear: this drink betrays no one and gladdens the pilgrim's heart.
Ingredients (period version)
- Malted barley — a full bushel (sweet base)
- Spring water — in proportion (wort)
- Bitter herbs (yarrow, bog myrtle) — a bundle (bitterness and preservation)
- Leaven from previous brew — a little (fermentation)
Ingredients
- Light barley malt extract (or homebrew kit) — 1 kg per 5 L (sweet base)
- Water — 5 L (wort)
- Dried yarrow (or mild hops) — 10 g (bitterness)
- Dry beer yeast — 1 packet (fermentation)
Method
- Bring the water to a simmer and dissolve the malt extract to obtain the wort.
- Add the bitter herbs and let infuse at a low boil for 20 minutes.
- Strain then cool the wort below 25°C.
- Pour into a clean fermentation vessel, add the yeast, seal with an airlock.
- Let ferment for 4–6 days at room temperature, away from light.
- Siphon into bottles and wait a few days before tasting, well chilled.
- (For an alcohol-free version without equipment: replace with a lightly honey-sweetened infusion of toasted barley served cold.)
How it was made : Ancient Irish beer, leann, was brewed from malted barley but without hops (introduced much later): it was bittered and preserved with local herbs such as yarrow or bog myrtle. Low in alcohol, cloudy and nourishing, it was drunk by all, including in monasteries, as it was safer than river water.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a dull stoneware mug with a fine foam and a sprig of yarrow laid across, evoking the herbal brew before hops.
Sources : Bethu Brigte (Life of Brigid in Old Irish), 9th century · Fergus Kelly, Early Irish Farming, 1997 · Susan Flavin, research on brewing in pre-modern Ireland
Brigid of Kildare · Charactorium
