To Make Mum Accordinge To My Direcons Record'D In The Towne House Of Brunswick
From the treasured pages of Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700
Unknown Author
To Make Mum Accordinge To My Direcons Record'D In The Towne House Of Brunswick
"To make a vessill that contains sixty three gallons, the water must be first boyl'd to the consumpcon of a third part, let it bee with ten bushells of what malt, one bushell of oat meale brused accordinge to art with seauen bushells of ground beans when it is tun'd fill not the vessill too full at first, when it begins to work put to it of the inner rine of birch & firrs of each one pound, cardus benedictus three handfulls, flowers of Rosa solis two handfulls, burnitt, bettony marjorum pimy woyall, elder flowers, wild tyme of each one handfull and a halfe, cardamu seeds three ounces, Barbary Bark one ounce bruised, put the seeds into the vessill w.th the liquor hath wrought a little while with the herbs, and after they are put in let not the liquor work our the vessill, fill it up and put in ten new layd eggs not ther brok nor crackt, stop it close and drink it after two years old. you may add to it horse radish wootss."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe reflects early modern English orthography—idiosyncratic spelling and capitalization ('consumpcon' for consumption, 'boyl'd' for boiled, and typical non-standard spelling of 'Marjorum,' 'Rosa solis,' and 'pimy woyall' for pennyroyal). It is prescriptive instead of exacting—relying on approximate measures like 'handfulls,' and assumes a working knowledge of large-scale brewing. Such recipes were more guide than formula, intended for experienced brewers. The instruction to 'boyl'd to the consumpcon of a third part' was typical: reduction and evaporation controlled strength and flavor, rather than exact temperature or timing.
Title
Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 (1700)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1700
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the kitchen of the early 18th century, where this charming culinary manuscript tempts tastebuds with recipes and secrets from a bygone era. A delicious journey for both the curious cook and the history lover.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This 'Mum' recipe comes from around 1700, Brunswick—a reminder of a time when beer was both a daily beverage and a medicinal elixir. 'Mum,' particularly famous in Germany and England, was a strong, herbal beer originally developed in the city of Braunschweig (Brunswick). It’s filled with malted grains and a peculiar bouquet of botanicals, many of which were believed to have health benefits or preservative properties. The long maturation time, addition of raw eggs, and blend of herbs reflect a fascinating overlap of culinary, brewing, and folk-medicinal traditions.
In the 1700s, this beer would be brewed in large wooden kettles or coppers for boiling, massive wooden mash tuns for steeping the grains, and robust barrels for fermentation and aging. The botanicals were likely bruised with heavy stone mortars and pestles or wooden mallets. Measuring was done in bushels and handfuls; eggs were carefully lowered into the brew as whole objects. Oak barrels would then be tightly sealed with wax or stoppers for the long aging process.
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
8 hrs
Servings
320
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 63.4 US gallons water
- 550 lbs wheat malt
- 55 lbs oat groats (coarse oat meal)
- 385 lbs ground broad/fava beans
- 1 lb birch inner bark
- 1 lb fir inner bark
- 3 large handfuls (approx 10.6 oz) Carduus benedictus (Blessed thistle)
- 2 large handfuls (approx 7 oz) sundew (Rosa solis) blooms, or substitute edible flowers
- 5.3 oz burnet leaves
- 5.3 oz betony leaves
- 5.3 oz marjoram
- 5.3 oz pennyroyal
- 5.3 oz elderflowers
- 5.3 oz wild thyme
- 3 oz cardamom seeds (bruised)
- 1 oz barberry bark (bruised); or dried barberries
- 10 whole fresh eggs (in shell, unbroken)
- Horseradish root (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- To make a strong, herbal beer in the style of 1700s 'Mum,' start with about 63.4 US gallons of water.
- Boil it until about a third (roughly 21 gallons) has evaporated, leaving you with 42.4 gallons.
- Malt ten bushels of wheat (about 550 lbs), plus one bushel (55 lbs) of oat groats, coarsely crushed.
- Add seven bushels of ground beans (approximately 385 lbs, broad beans/field beans are traditional; fava beans can substitute).
- Mash these grains in the reduced hot water, then transfer the liquid to a fermenter, but don’t fill it to the brim (allow room for fermentation).
- When fermentation starts, add the following: 1 lb (16 oz) inner bark of birch, 1 lb inner bark of fir tree, 3 large handfuls of Carduus benedictus (Blessed thistle), 2 handfuls of sundew blooms (Rosa solis; you may substitute with sundew or use other slightly acidic edible flowers), 1.5 large handfuls each of burnet, betony, marjoram, pennyroyal, elderflowers, and wild thyme.
- Add 3 oz of bruised cardamom seeds and 1 oz of bruised barberry bark as well.
- Once fermentation has started and these aromatics have been introduced, top up the barrel to full.
- Gently add ten whole, raw eggs in their shells (traditionally this clarified the beer and added minerals).
- Seal tightly and allow the beer to mature for at least two years before drinking.
- To taste, you may also add horseradish root during maturation.
- This recipe makes a very large batch; to make a smaller home version, you could divide all quantities accordingly.
Estimated Calories
220 per serving
Cooking Estimates
This beer is based on a traditional 1700s recipe and is brewed in a large batch. It takes many hours to boil and extract the flavors from the grains and herbs, and then must ferment and mature for years before drinking. The calorie estimate is for a typical serving size, and actual values may vary depending on how much you drink and any recipe adjustments.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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