I live in Rockford, Iowa, a small town of almost 900 people in the northern part of the state. I have known for many years that our town had a brewery at one time. I have found that it was licensed to a Samuel Markee. After the brewery closed the town's school burned and 60 years ago I was told by an elderly lady who had lived her whole life in Rockford that stones from the old brewery were used as part of the foundation for the new school. She would have been a small child when the brewery closed and could give no other information. New homes have been built where the brewery once stood so nothing remains at the site of the brewery. Since I now live in a former Baptist church built in 1880 and whose members probably helped put it out of business I would like to do a home-brew this spring or summer in honor of the 150th anniversary of the brewery's founding.
What I would like to know is what type of beer would probably have been brewed here. My thoughts are same variation of a cream ale or a common. I would like to hear suggestions as to possible ingredients and style to consider. Would they have used a 6-row malt or a 2-row in 1873? Would any corn or wheat have been used, they were both local crops at the time along with oats and possibly barley? Should I assume that it may have had some sour characteristics? Or might something like a Kentucky Common have been brewed. He probably used some type of mixed variety yeast either collected wild but most likely obtained from some other regional brewery (Oldbreweries.com list several). What might be a good yeast to use as well?
Thank you. I will keep this post up to date on what I finally brew.
What I would like to know is what type of beer would probably have been brewed here. My thoughts are same variation of a cream ale or a common. I would like to hear suggestions as to possible ingredients and style to consider. Would they have used a 6-row malt or a 2-row in 1873? Would any corn or wheat have been used, they were both local crops at the time along with oats and possibly barley? Should I assume that it may have had some sour characteristics? Or might something like a Kentucky Common have been brewed. He probably used some type of mixed variety yeast either collected wild but most likely obtained from some other regional brewery (Oldbreweries.com list several). What might be a good yeast to use as well?
Thank you. I will keep this post up to date on what I finally brew.