Kveik

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Kveik Ring. Photo by Lars Marius Garshol.

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Kveik is the word for "yeast" in Norwegian, and specifically refers to the yeast that was historically used in traditional Norwegian farmhosue brewing. Although little kveik still exists in its original form, a few Kveik cultures have been passed down from generations and inherited by modern farmhouse brewers in Norway who still use this yeast today and brew with traditional farmhouse methods. Much of the knowledge about kveik and historical farmhouse brewing in Norway has been researched and publicized by Lars Marius Garshol on his blog, Larsblog. In recent years kveik cultures were sent to yeast labs for propagation and distribution to brewers around the world [1]. Kveik is considered one of the traditions maintained by some traditional Norwegian farmhouse brewers, with other traditions including infusing the mash or boil with juniper, no filtering, no attempt to carbonate, the use of wood-fired copper or iron kettles, and sometimes not boiling the wort (called "raw ale") [2].

Brief History and Description of Kveik

Brief History

Kveik was used to brew traditional farmhouse beer in Norway. Kveik was passed down from generation to generation within the family, and also shared among fellow brewers in the region. At one time kveik was very prevalent in Norway, but today very little of it remains in the districts of Voss and probably Sunnmøre. Today, kveik is only used by homebrewers who still brew in the traditional methods of Norwegian farmhouse brewing [3]. Kveik was probably also used to ferment bread. Farmers seemed to have different preferences for top or bottom fermenting kveik [1].

Kveik was stored many ways. It was often stored in bottles with water or in a well. It was also dried on straw rings, on linen, or pieces of wood with holes drilled through them called "yeast logs". Often ashes were used to help dry the kveik quickly, or in the case of yeast logs, were lowered into the fermentation vessel to collect the yeast and then rolled in flour and allowed to dry for a few minutes, then dipped again to repeat the process. The log was then hung to dry. Although dried kveik was said to last for months or maybe longer, fresh kveik was always preferred, and often given away to those who needed new kveik (moldy kveik was thrown away) [1].

Recent Yeast Lab Analysis

Thanks to efforts by Lars Marius Garshol, and Norwegian farmhouse brewers Håken Hveem, Svein Rivenes, Sigmund Gjernes, Bjarne Muri, Terje Raftevåg, and others, kveik has been made available to brewers around the world.

Sigmund Gjernes's Voss Kveik

The National Collection of Yeast Cultures found that a sample of Sigmund Gjernes's kveik was made up of three strains of S. cerevisiae. No bacterial contamination was found. DNA fingerprinting found the strains to be closely related [4]. See Larsblog Kveik analysis report for more information.

Omega Yeast Labs and The Yeast Bay independently isolated one of the strains from the Voss Kveik. It is not known if these are the same strains, or which NCYC strain they correspond to. However, they are thought to be similar in their flavor profile [5].

Bjarne Muri's Kveik

Stein Langlo's Stranda's Kveik

Terje Raftevåg's Hornindal Kveik

Terje's kveik was mixed with 2-3 other kveiks. This probably explains the wider variety of isolated strains. See "Kveik testing" and "Hornindal: interviews and collecting kveik" on Larsblog for more information.

Håken Hveem's Voss Kveik

Brewer Håken Hveem deposited a sample of kveik in 2009. No bacterial contamination was found [7]. Seven stains were isolated from the blend.

Relevant Larsblog Posts

Kveik

  • Kveik: Norwegian farmhouse yeast - An introduction to kveik and an initial report of DNA analysis by NCYC from 2009.
  • Kveik analysis report - 2014 DNA fingerprinting of two more kveik samples sent to NCYC; one sample could not grow in the lab. The other found three closely related strains of yeast and no bacterial infection (Sigmund Gjernes's Voss Kveik).
  • Brewing with kveik - Sigmund Gjernes, a homebrewer in Norway, brews traditional Norwegian farmhosue ale with kveik.
  • Hornindal: interviews and collecting kveik - An attempt by Lars to collect three more samples of kveik which would not grow in the lab.
  • Kveik testing - Lars brews using 5 different samples of kveik he's collected, and compares tasting notes.

Raw Ale

  • Raw ale - Definition of "raw ale", and the methods used to brew it in historical and traditional farmhouse brewing.

Norwegian Farmhouse Ale (Maltøl)

  • Norwegian farmhouse ale - A brief history of traditional Norwegian farmhouse brewing (Lars refers to it as "homebrewing"), and what it is like today.
  • Maltøl, or Norwegian farmhouse ale - An updated description of Norwegian farmhouse ale (broadly called "Maltøl"), substyles (Vossaøl/Hardangerøl, Råøl, Stjørdalsøl, and others), where they are being brewed today, and to what extent they preserve traditional processes,
  • Norwegian Ethnological Research - Garshol's own research of the data that formed the basis for the definitive book on Norwegian farmhouse ale, Odd Nordland's "Brewing and beer traditions in Norway," published in 1969.
  • Herbs in Norwegian farmhouse ale - Survey analysis of herbs used in traditional Norwegian farmhouse ale.
  • Norway: climate and ingredients - Survey analysis of the distribution of brewing malts in traditional Norwegian farmhouse ale.

See Also

Additional Articles on MTF Wiki

External Resources

References

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