Folklore: What is 'new' ale?

Subject: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: GUEST,David Levine in Senegal (would you believe?!
Date: 23 Feb 26 - 09:01 AM

The song "When Jones's Ale Was New" has been going in my head today.
What is the significance of "new" ale? And what is new ale?
I imagine it is/was something that existed before all ale was in bottles.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: Pappy Fiddle
Date: 23 Feb 26 - 10:32 AM

My grandfather used to brew root beer in his basement. He had about 100 bottles in a rack. Every once in a while one of these bottles would explode. I think this was different from the root beer you buy in the store. It was alcoholic.

I'll go out on a limb here and guess that in olden times, they stored their brews in containers that were not 100.00 percent airtight. So the alcohol would gradually evaporate out of the liquid and escape. So, "new" ale had a higher alcohol content.

My brain is old but I seem to have memories back there somewhere of reading literature, more than once, where someone got real loaded drinking new ale.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Feb 26 - 01:03 PM

Sounds reasonable, PF.
The earliest record we have of the ballet is in the Stationers' Register for 1594, but the earliest copy I have is about 1656. The 'new' simply means 'new' as opposed to old ale which would have gone a little stale/flat..

'All you that do this merry ditty view,
taste of Joan's Ale, for it is strong and true.' intro.

last few lines:
And when the business was done,
They every man departed home,
And promised Jone again to come,
When she had brew'd anew.'

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Feb 26 - 03:24 PM

new ale is not generally as good as matured, an example is IPA,It was brewed with plenty of hops to preserve it on its journey to india, journey time, several months, apparently when it arrived it was not bitter at all.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 23 Feb 26 - 07:14 PM

I have brewed alcohol since age 12:
Cider
Root Beer
Birch Beer
Ale
IPA
Wine
Lager/Pilsner
Even Absinthe (distilled)
Brandy & "Calvados"

The primary difference between beer and ale is the yeast. Beer yeast brews from the bottom ... ale from a top yeast. Formulas vary.

In the Bible there are many references to wine. "New wine in old wine-skins" ... "Drink wine new in heaven"

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Pappy is close. Bottled with too much sugar/malt present ... the yeasty-beasties continue to grow. I have had many a bottle explode.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 24 Feb 26 - 12:27 PM

All that may well be true using modern technology but in the 16th century they seemed to prefer their ale newly brewed, I hope once the dregs were settled. When I used to brew my own and bottle it a somewhat unfussy neighbour used to neck the lot from the bottle, dregs and all, yeuch! I don't think he lived for much longer after I left.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 24 Feb 26 - 01:40 PM

Mayhap your neighbour had heard about the old ritual of giving the women in a party the dregs of the wine bottle (yeast an' all) "for your complexion, m'dears".

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: Pappy Fiddle
Date: 24 Feb 26 - 04:45 PM

Then there's Acts 2. The disciples are gathered together and speaking in tongues. Spectators all heard them speaking in their own language. They were all surprized and wondered what was going on. Somebody said "These men are full of new wine." But Peter said No, it's only 9 o'clock in the morning so that can't be it.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 24 Feb 26 - 05:40 PM

Steve G - Pour the bottle slow into a glass ... then swirl the yeast in the bottle and take a big swig from the bottle. No need to taste. The extremely healthy B vitamins are in the yeast ... which Marmite is produced from. My friends, who drink my brew, always chug the yeasty beasties it promotes healthy colon colonies.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

The removal of the nourishing yeast by filtration is said to be a contributing factor to alcoholism.

Subject: RE: Folklore: What is 'new' ale?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 24 Feb 26 - 05:45 PM

He probably died of alcoholism then. I eat a lot of Marmite. The irony is I'm currently taking vit B supplements:-)