51/752

A mash stirrer was used in the home brewing of beer, a common practise until 1914 when it became necessary to have a licence. The stirrer was used to stir the mash of malt and boiling water in the initial stages of brewing before the wort (the liquid containing the sugars that will be fermented to make alcohol) was drained off and the hops were added. The stirrer consists of a wooden pole with a frame at the bottom with spars of wood across it, through which the grains fall when a lump of mash is picked up on the frame and shaken. The name 'T. Watts' is stamped on its handle, but nothing is known of its origins.

1 mash stirrer; wood; fair condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Nothing is known of the origin of this stirrer. It was used in home brewing to stir the mash of steeped malt before the wort was drained off and the hops added for the process of fermentation. // The stirrer is made entirely of wood, in common with most of the utensils used in brewing. It measures 5 feet 2 inches in length, and the frame at the bottom of the handle is 11.5 inches in length by 10.2 inches, narrowing to 8.2 inches wide. 5 spars pass through the handle to form 8 spaces. One half of the top spar is now missing. The name T. Watts is stamped three times on the handle. // See also 51/599L', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 51/599 – 'This implement was used in the home brewing of beer, a practice which was very common in country districts until about 1914 when it became necessary to have a license for brewing. // First of all, malt and water were put into the brewing tub, and thoroughly mixed together until every kernel of malt was wet. The steeped malt was then covered up and left for 15 minutes. Then boiling water was poured onto the malt. The resulting mash was thoroughly stirred with a wooden stirrer. This is a pole about 5 to 6 feet long with a frame at the bottom with spars of wood across it, so that 6 to 8 spaces are formed. The grains fall through these spaces when a lump of mash is picked up on the frame and shaken. The frame is broader at the top than the bottom. After stirring the wort was drained off and put into the copper and the hops added. This mixture was boiled for several hours and then strained through a hair sieve. When milk warm, the yeast was added to the beer and gradually fermentation would take place. The beer was then casked, and after the yeast had been skimmed off each day for several days the casks were bunged down. // The mash stirrer is also known as a BREWER’S OAR, a BREWING MESH (Suffolk), and a STIR MASH (Berkshire)., No Lavinia Smith No. recorded.

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)