In the end, the anticipated challenges we covered were far from complete. However, these bumps in the road raised some interesting questions. For instance, we were unable to regulate the temperature for the entire fermentation process and yeast is sensitive to temperature, so this may have impacted our ability to compare both batches of mead (Wine Kitz 2013). While we did not find information on whether regulating temperature was also an issue for the Vikings, we wonder where in the home mead would have been made during the Viking Age. In colder climates, perhaps if a fire was going in the kitchen for cooking and warmth, this could have provided a more consistent room temperature conducive to fermentation. Temperature was also an issue for measuring gravity, as the hydrometer we used was designed to read liquids at 60° F; thus, our readings may not be entirely accurate, especially if the temperature was different at the time of each reading. The fact that our initial measurement for the gravity of the pasteurized honey must was taken later when conducting the Raisins Experiment adds to the potential inaccuracy of the alcohol content reading. Our access to this tool is still useful in comparing the two batches, as initial readings did seem to vary based on the honey used (such as not even being able to get an initial reading for must used in the Raisins Experiment), but we still wonder what methods (if any) were used to determine when mead was ready by the Vikings. In addition, forgetting to add the raisins turned out to be a productive error; this mistake allowed us to learn more about the use of raisins, since we may not have felt as comfortable tampering with each batch of mead to see how the raisins responded at different stages. Having to negotiate time constraints and schedule conflicts also proved to be a challenge, as this lead to the the first batch of mead being left to ferment for 8 days while the second batch fermented for 5. However, we realized through these experiments that both pasteurized and unpasteurized honey are filtered to some extent, and that a better comparison would have included must made directly from honeycomb, as this is closest to what the Vikings would have used (Your Shout Mate 2012). We were able to clear most of the impurities and wax from the must made from honeycomb using cheese cloth, but the depth of colour and complexity of taste indicated a much different product than what we produced using commercial honey.
The process of making Viking Age inspired flatbreads also required us to respond to unforeseen issues. We were unable to grind the grain ourselves by employing traditional methods (such as a stone mortar and pestle) as we did not have the time or man power to produce enough flour for the recipes, so we used store bought grain flour instead. Since we did not have access to a wooden trough or bowl to mix the ingredients in, or an open fire to cook the bread over, we used a cast iron pan over a stove top element on medium-to-low heat. If we had had more time and resources, it would have been nice to try experimenting with some of these traditional methods, especially as our ability to regulate temperature more evenly may not have been accessible to the Vikings. We would have also liked to try making our own flatbread recipes by mixing the flours of the different grains, adding whole grains (like we did with the oat bread), or adding dried fruits or nuts that would have been available to the Vikings. With this in mind, we wonder if the Vikings would have used formal flatbread recipes, or if baking was something that was more intuited. Even with a recipe, the latter approach is still often required. Unfortunately, we were not able to try the leavened rye flatbread because the yeast starter died.
Despite these challenges, we were able to answer our original questions to some extent, as detailed below.
1. How does using pasteurized or unpasteurized honey affect the preparation of mead prior to fermentation in regards to duration, ease, and effectiveness?
Both the pasteurized and unpasteurized honey are commercial products, and therefore already filtered and processed. This shortened the duration and eased the process of preparing the must, since we did not have to heat the must to remove any impurities such as wax. However, heating the mixture did allow us to combine the water and honey more easily. Due to the late purchase of the hydrometer, as well as the varying lengths of fermentation, the impact each type of honey had on the process of fermentation is unclear. Though, the second batch appears to have not been as reactive, as the first batch had a lot more bubbles and film on the surface, which a product of fermentation (Your Shout Mate 2012). It is possible that the yeast may not have activated as well or, since each batch fermented in a different location, perhaps the temperature at the second location was not as conducive to fermentation. Furthermore, must made from honeycomb honey and commercial honey would have provided a better answer in this regard, as must made from honeycomb honey would have many natural additives like yeast (Benefits of Honey 2013). Although time constraints would not have allowed us to test this, it would have also been interesting to compare a short and long mead, since we have no idea how long the Vikings would have fermented the mead for, or direct experience with how these processes differ. Another potential issue with comparing these two meads, is due to our use of potassium metabisulphite (an additive sometimes used in wine as a stabilizer) to clean the materials used for the first batch and a special sterilizer for the second. Had any potassium metabisulphite remained after rinsing, this could have impacted the mead's rate of fermentation (Williams 2013).
2. How difficult is it to extract honey from a honeycomb using traditional methods?
While we followed the traditional method of extracting honeycomb, as explained on the blog Your Shout, Mate (2012), our use of modern tools and purchased honeycomb made this process easier and perhaps quicker. We were able to buy local honeycomb from a farmers' market, thus saving us the step of having to maintain a beehive or collect taxes (Ward 2013). As the packaged honeycomb had been sitting for approximately one week, most of the honey drained prior to the experiment. Thus, the first step of draining the honeycomb was not necessary, but followed nevertheless. With the use of an electronic scale, determining whether the amount of water we added was equal in weight to the honey was easily achieved. We wonder if the Vikings would have actually measured this using some type of tool or standard method. Perhaps the addition of too much water was simply determined using visual indicators such as light colour, or taste indicators such as weak flavour. In addition, our use of a stove and pot with a lid instead of an open fire and bowl, allowed us to control the temperature more accurately and monitor the mixture less throughout the process. One step that was difficult for us was filtering out the wax, as well as cleaning the materials we had used during this process (wax got everywhere and it was very hard to remove). Your Shout, Mate (2012) suggested that the Vikings would have used muslin cloth and other materials like straw for this part of the process. Unfortunately, further details as to what this entailed were not provided, so this aspect is hard to compare.
3. What are the differences between flatbreads made of rye, oat, and barley flours?
We used the same recipe to make all three flatbreads (see First Two Batches of Bread and Rye Flatbread Experiment for the ingredients and steps we took to make them) and they seemed to cook as well as age in similar ways. All three became tougher and chewier with time; the flatbreads were at their best immediately after cooking. There were not many differences between the rye and barely flatbreads, as they were both very dense, would be nice to eat along with a savoury dish, and were quite filling. However, the oat flatbread was our favourite, as it had a sweeter taste and lighter texture like a scone. As stated above, the recipe we used for the oat flatbread was identical to the other two flatbreads, but we added a small amount of rolled oats to the batch. Our preference for this flatbread may be due to the fact that oats are a prevalent grain in our daily diets today and we are accustomed to the taste; however, during the Viking Age barley was the most widely used grain (Zori et al. 2013, pp.154), so the barley flatbread may have been consumed more often and even preferred by the Vikings.
4. What are the differences between a rye flatbread and a rye flatbread leavened with a fermented starter?
Unfortunately, we were unable to compare these two flatbreads as the starter for the leavened rye flatbread died. This was most likely due to the fact that the local temperature dropped, therefore preventing the yeast from staying activated.
- B, J, and Jo
Bibliography
Unknown, 01/01/2012, A True Viking-Style Mead (Mjöð), Your Shout, Mate. Available:http://yourshoutmate.blogspot.ca/2012/01/truevikingsytlemeadmjo.html [Oct 9, 2013].
Unknown, 2013, What's so Special about Raw Honey?, Benefits of Honey. Available: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/raw-honey.html [Nov 19, 2013].
Unknown, 2013, Top Ten Winemaking Mistakes, Wine Kitz. Available: http://www.winekitz.com/winemaking-tips [Nov 19, 2013].
WARD, C., 10/09/2013 last update, Alcoholic Beverages and Drinking Customs of the Viking Age, The Viking Answer Lady. Available: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/drink.shtml [Oct 9, 2013].
Williams, M., 2013, Using Potassium Metabisulphite, Winemaker's Academy. Available: http://winemakersacademy.com/potassium-metabisulfite-wine/ [Nov 19, 2013].
Zori, D. et al, 2013. Feasting in Viking Age Iceland: sustaining a chiefly political economy in a marginal environment. Antiquity, 87(335) pp. 150-165.
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