Last week we talked about Stilton cheese. You may remember how I got carried away with that topic. Well, anyway, I have no idea how I happened upon this photo of oast houses, but I'd never seen anything like it before and had to find out more.
BUT, before we get into that, for those of you who are not familiar with oast houses (as I wasn't), I will tell you that they are buildings that contain a kiln in which to dry hops. SO, I wrote a little limerick to help you remember how to pronounce 'oast.' Pronunciation is one of those obsessive things with me, and I can't trust British pronunciation to be what it looks like (to an American, anyway). No offense intended, dear British friends.
So, here goes:
BUT, before we get into that, for those of you who are not familiar with oast houses (as I wasn't), I will tell you that they are buildings that contain a kiln in which to dry hops. SO, I wrote a little limerick to help you remember how to pronounce 'oast.' Pronunciation is one of those obsessive things with me, and I can't trust British pronunciation to be what it looks like (to an American, anyway). No offense intended, dear British friends.
So, here goes:
There once was a man with an oast
'Bout which he'd annoyingly boast
'Til one fated day
He happened to stray
While all of his hops became toast.
- Ale is brewed without hops. Beer is brewed with hops.
- Ale has been brewed in England since Roman times or before. Beer wasn't introduced until 1400 or so.
- An oast contains three rooms: The kiln, the drying room, the cooling room.
- In 1840 there were as many as 50,000 brewers in England; today there are only appx. 200.
- Why the peaked roof? To create a good draft (or 'draught' if you're from Britain) for the fire- you know, like a tall chimney.
- Seems that most hops are now imported.
Check this out! You can stay at an oast house in Herefordshire!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
***
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Now these I do know about, but confess that for a long time thought they were called post houses!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post..I just learned some things and I love learning. Good photo. xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteGreat Limerick, Judy!! And thanks for the history lesson too.. I love that I can come here and actually learn something new :)
ReplyDeleteHope you make it to Kent sometime to see oast houses in situ!
ReplyDeleteFascinating!
ReplyDeleteThey remind me of the trulli in southern Italy! http://www.understandingitaly.com/puglia-content/trulli.html
ReplyDeletei knew that word only from my crossword days. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Judy - looking forward to reading more - and thank you for following A Bit About Britain. I've visited Chartwell several times - I don't know if this link will work http://bitaboutbritain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/chartwell.html
ReplyDeleteGreat post about the oast. Sorry couldn't help myself. xo Laura
ReplyDeleteSo interesting!
ReplyDeleteHI Judy Marvellous post about the ast Houses. Have a great wweekend.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting, and I had no idea that ale isn't brewed with HOPS. Now I can throw that out at a party someday and they will think I'm brilliant....and can properly pronounce oast!!
ReplyDeleteDid you do a tour?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the history lesson Judy. I have heard of Oast houses and seen pictures of them before but didn't know what they were used for. They are very attractive looking I think. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! Such prettiness too! Never knew about this before, and loved your limerick!
ReplyDeleteThe oast houses look so cool. I think one of them would make an awesome art studio.I would love it! :-)
ReplyDeleteNice bit of history. The picture was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhat interesting looking buildings!
ReplyDeleteNope, I didn't know Oast...but now I do.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's always good to learn new stuff...hopps, ale, beer, I'm in.
Jen
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ReplyDeleteI had to check out a post called Anglophile Friday. Enjoyed the Oast House. Stopping by from I Should Be Mopping and I'm a new follower http://georgielee.blogspot.com.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lesson, something a bit alien to me as I've only ever been in Kent once and that was on a night train to further afield.
ReplyDelete