Cock Ale's defining ingredient comes from the hen house. Homebrewed experimental
versions are all that remain of this once popular British specialty beer.  Illustration by
Tim Sposoto for Association of Brewers.

Today’s popular classic beer styles have survived through the years.  There are many “specialty beers that haven’t enjoyed the success of beers such as bock, India pale ale, stout and pilsener .  The test of time and popularity have often been cruel to creative but unsuccessful brewers.  On the other hand, the test of time and popularity may have spared us of some mean experimental brews.  Here’s an interesting example discovered in the book The Flowing Bowl, published in Britain in 1899.  It’s a recipe for “Cock Ale.”  Herewith is the recipe:

In order to make this take 10 gallons of ale and a large cock, the older the better.  Parboil the cock, flay him and stamp him in a stone mortar till his bones are broken (you must craw and gut him when you flay him), then put the cock into 2 quarts of sac [sixteenth-century dry Spanish white wine], and put to it 3 pounds of raisins of the sun stoned, some blades of mace, a few cloves; put all these into a canvas bag, and a little before you find the ale has done working, put the ale and a bag together into a vessel; in a week or 9 days bottle it up, fill the bottles but just above the neck, and give it the same time to ripen as other ale.

Some are thankful for the failure of this beer type.  Others lament and have on occasion offered me their own homebrewed version of this no doubt, high protein ale. 

Next: Beer Styles: The value of beer style – part 24

Guide to entire 27-part Beer Style Series - table of contents