Making 400 Year Old Buttered Beere

Hot Buttered Beer

(Tudor / Thomas Dawson, adapted by Max Miller — Tasting History)

Ingredients

• 3 pints ale or beer
• 225 g Demerara (natural brown) sugar
  • Substitution: regular dark brown sugar acceptable
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 stick unsalted butter, diced (U.S. stick ≈ 113 g / 4 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Ginger — mentioned and stirred with the other spices; use to taste or match the cloves/nutmeg amount

Equipment & prep

• Large deep saucepan, stock pot, or Dutch oven (historically a pewter pot was used)
• Whisk (hand whisk)
• Measuring spoons, bowls for beating eggs and sugar
• Optional: two cups or pots for traditional cup-to-cup frothing
• Prep: dice the butter; separate 5 egg yolks; beat yolks with sugar until light and frothy, then set aside.

Method

1. Pour the ale into the large saucepan. Try not to create excessive froth while pouring.
2. Stir in the ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
3. Heat over medium until you reach a light boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low for about 2 minutes.
   • This short simmer preserves most of the alcohol.
   • Alternative for children: heat to a vigorous boil (~285°F / ≈140°C) and boil for ~20 minutes to reduce alcohol (as claimed in the video).
4. Remove the pot from heat. Stir the beaten egg-yolk-and-sugar mixture into the ale.
5. Return to low heat and cook until the liquid begins to thicken, about 5–7 minutes. Expect only slight thickening.
   • Do NOT increase the heat — higher heat can scramble the eggs or burn the sugar.
6. Stir in the diced butter until melted.
7. Froth the mixture with a whisk, or by transferring quickly from one cup to another (traditional method), to create a creamy top.
8. Keep on low and let simmer another 10 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and allow to cool to a warm, drinkable temperature. Whisk again before serving.
10. Serve warm in glasses.

Tips, chef notes & common mistakes

• Don’t turn up the heat after adding the egg mixture — high heat will scramble the eggs or burn sugar.
• If the mixture doesn’t noticeably thicken, that’s normal; only slight thickening is expected.
• Avoid excessive frothing when adding the beer to the pot.
• Demerara sugar gives a more “natural brown” flavor and color, but dark brown sugar works fine.
• Traditional presentation included transferring between vessels rapidly to froth; a whisk is a practical modern shortcut.

Serving & variations

• Serve warm (traditional). Let the drink cool slightly so it’s “warm but drinkable.”
• Chilled variation: mix 1 part milk with 1 part cold buttered-beer mixture for a creamy cold drink.
• Alcohol variation: short simmer (2 minutes) preserves alcohol for adults; long boil (~285°F / 140°C for ~20 minutes) reduces alcohol for serving to children (per the video).

Historical reference: Thomas Dawson, 1594 — “The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin” (as referenced by Max Miller — Tasting History)

Sources / presenter

• Presenter/channel: Max Miller — Tasting History
• Historical reference cited in the video: Thomas Dawson, 1594 — “The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin”