Gilbert White's Brewery
Gilbert White's Brewery, Gilbert White's House, The Wakes, High Street, Selborne, Hampshire GU34 3JH
Gilbert White opened his brewhouse in 1765 and the museum still holds his original brewing records which he compiled over a thirty-year period. The brewhouse has now opened as a Nano Brewery providing craft beer and lager to the local community.
Sue Bell writes:
Gilbert White brews again
A brewery where water is "water" and beer is extraordinarily tasty
(Reproduced from Brewery History Society Newsletter, June 2024)
Reverend Gilbert White was born in 1720 and his The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne in the County of Southampton was first published in 1788 and has not been out of print since that date. This pays testament to his prowess at observing and recording the natural world about him. His recording skills extended to his growing of hops and brewing of beer for his own consumption and the refreshment of those visiting his house at The Wakes in the village of Selborne which is five miles south east of Alton.
For this purpose, Gilbert White built his brewhouse in 1765. His original brewing log was discovered in 2019. This contained records of 30 years of Gilbert White's brewing practice. It provides the basis for recipes which are used in the brewery today and can be enjoyed at The Jubilee Tap Room over the road or purchased in bottles from the on-site shop.
In the first instance, it was mooted that the Old Brewhouse should be repurposed as a museum to house traditional brewing equipment that would have been contemporaneous with the life of Gilbert White (1720-1793). The sentiment, "What use is a Brewery that doesn’t brew beer?" won the day. However the present day brewing process is restricted by the diminutive size of the listed building itself.
Three enthusiastic beer drinkers, Gren Earney, John Elder and Andy Murphy were potential brewers who had the answer. An up-to-the-minute nanobrewery, using traditional recipes and locally produced ingredients as far as possible, was the solution. The original brewing copper and the fireplace survived in the brewhouse but, due to restricted space the copper has been removed.
The brewhouse is now resplendent with modern black-cased stainless steel, 150 litre fermenters and unitanks purchased from SsBrewtech. This is completed with the addition of the glycol chiller. The 1765 Brewhouse is kitted out with state-of-the-art 2020s equipment. I am sure that Gilbert White himself would aver that it does justice to his original recipes.
Gilbert White’s hand written brewing log states: November 15th 1784. Brewed half an hogsh: of strong beer with 6 bush: & an half of Timothy Turner’s new malt and 3 pounds & an half of Parson’s new hops. Beer works well. All in rain water.
"All in rain water" is evidently a significant aspect of this particular brew. For the next batch Gilbert White recorded he used "snow water" whilst in many other records he cites the use of "All well water".
There is no burtonising taking place in the present-day brewery. All the water used is local water and the brewers refer to it as "water".
June 30th, 1778. Put half a pound of scalded hops to the strong beer brewed March 25: 78. The hot sultry weather has set the beer in a ferment and made it work over.
The publication Gilbert White's Year quotes a passage from The Garden Kalendar & The Naturalists Journal.
30 Aug 1786. Hop picking becomes general. The women earn good wages this year: some of them pick 24 bush: in a day, at 3 half-pence per bushel.
Whereas, one year later:
Sept 10 1787. Hops so small that a notable woman and her girl can pick but nine bushels in a day.
The Wakes, Gilbert White's home, now houses a museum consisting of a number of collections. Establishing a working brewery in the original brewhouse was a community venture driven by volunteers. I can only imagine the administrative work involved in obtaining permission and funding to support the project. Grants were procured from the EU and the South Downs National Park and in addition an ingenious Founder Members Scheme enabled so many people to enjoy interest in the venture.
The saying is "It’s an ill wind...". Selborne must have been the happiest village in which to live during the Covid pandemic. The Brewery was all fit to run at the very moment that the lockdown restrictions were announced. The village store closed and the pub had to shut its doors. But by some quirk of legislation the brewery being a volunteer run organisation with no local alternative, was allowed to keep running albeit with social distancing and keeping the door open at all times when a brewer was in the building. As the locals took the dog for its daily constitution, so they purchased the daily refreshments directly from the brewery.
The 'Tasting Notes' describe the nature of the bottled beer of which there are seven regularly available. The cask ale served in the Jubilee Tap Room has fewer styles on offer at any one time. All beers are also unpasteurised and unfiltered, and contain no animal products in their production.
The beers are an eclectic mix, no doubt reflecting the youth of the brewery and the enthusiasm of the brewers to explore the potential of their kit whilst being true to the ethos of this particular brewhouse. Gilbert's 1765 at 4.7%ABV is based on Gilbert White's original beer recipe. It is described as having a slight but subtle smokiness both in taste and aroma. Three other beers are based on international styles but all their names originate from Gilbert White's writings or direct associations with The Wakes and local landscape.
This part of Hampshire was once known for its prolific production of hops and is close to the brewing town of Alton. Gilbert White grew hops in his garden which continues to be cultivated in much the same manner as it was in the 18th century. Garden Kalendar is a brew that, in the autumn season, is brewed using hops grown in this garden. Out of season, whole dried hops, which produce a similar taste, are used.
Seasonal beers are also produced and these tend to have a higher ABV. Cask ales are brewed to order and require a lead time of at least four weeks prior to being available. Tastings on-site can be arranged but you are advised to check the website for opening times of the Jubilee Tap which has been set up in the building on the opposite side of the road. This building was The Queens, but had been left derelict for about ten years until this tender loving care was bestowed upon it.
PS. Having popped into the Jubilee Tap in anticipation of finalising this brief article I can assure you that:
- Gilbert's 1765 really suits my palate.
- The collective noun for a 'group of brewers' just has to be 'a friendship of brewers'.
- The brewers recognise the eclectic tastes of today’s beer-drinking public and are constantly trying out new variations. I am sure they keep detailed notes of their experimentations in true Gilbert White tradition.
- Gilbert White used locally grown hops, the brew that is being set up today includes hops that have grown over the door of his very own brewery.
- Business is thriving, perhaps embarrassingly so!
References:
- The Natural History & Antiquities of Selborne by Gilbert White. (1788)
- Gilbert White in his Village by Cecil S. Emden (1956)
- Gilbert White’s Year - Passages from The Garden Kalendar & The Naturalist’s Journal. Selected by John Commander. Introduction by Richard Mabey. (1982)
- Turning the clock back by Mark Lovatt which appeared in BEER Autumn 2021.
Sue Bell