Brunswick Mum

Brunswick Mum (German: Braunschweiger Mumme, Latin: Mumma Brunsvicensium or Mumia, French: Mom de Bronsvic), was originally an alcoholic beer from Brunswick in Germany, which ranged from weak to strong depending on the brewing method.[1] One of the first black beers recorded in history.

An 1899 advertisement for the Steger Brewery, one of the firms that brewed Brunswick Mum
Advertising approx. from around 1900 for Braunschweiger Mumme, bottled in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Recipe "To make Mum" in John Nott's The Cooks and Confectioners Dictionary, 1723

History

Mum originated in the Late Middle Ages.[2] The composition gave the beer a long shelf life that allowed a wide distribution; Mum became the most important export from Brunswick and, in the early modern period was shipped to places such as India and the Caribbean. The drink is still sold in Brunswick where since autumn 2008, for the first time in about 200 years, it is produced in alcoholic variants.[3]

Composition

The 17th century author David Kellner describes Mum as being held in high esteem for its exquisite strength, lovely taste and beautiful color.[4] It is brewed from barley-malt and hops in different proportions.

In contrast to German sources is Mum in English literature from the early modern period an unhopped strong wheat-beer, made with the addition of various aromatic herbs.[5] The oldest English recipe seems to be published 1682 in The Natural history of coffee, thee, chocolate, tobacco by John Chamberlayne and is said to be recorded in Brunswick.[6]

The recipe calls for seven bushels of wheat-malt, one bushel of oat-malt and one bushel of ground beans to make 63 gallons of Mum. Eggs are added to prevent the beer from becoming sour. Variations of this recipe are published by later authors, for instance John Nott.

References
  1. "Krünitz, G. K. (1773). Braunschweiger Mumme. In Oeconomische Encyclopädie". Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  2. "Mugwort - Muscovy yarn". British History. Retrieved 2010-03-24.
  3. Braunschweiger Mumme-Meile
  4. David Kellner (1690), Hochnutzbar und bewährte Edle Bierbrau-Kunst
  5. John Bickerdyke (1889), The Curiosities of Ale and Beer
  6. John Chamberlayne (1682), The Natural history of coffee, thee, chocolate, tobacco

Further reading
  • Christian Basilius: Die Mumme-Fibel der Mumme H. Nettelbeck K.G. Geschichte(n) seit 1390. Braunschweig 1999.
  • Gerd Biegel (December 2009), Braunschweig Stadtmarketing; H. Nettelbeck (eds.), Das Braunschweiger Mumme-Buch. Geschichte und Rezepte (in German), Braunschweig, ISBN 978-3-00-029718-2{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Andreas Döring: Wirth! Nochmal zwo Viertel Stübchen! Braunschweiger Gaststätten & Braunschweiger Bier damals. Braunschweig 1997.
  • Anna Klie: Brunswyksche Mumme. Braunschweig 1898.
  • Heinrich Mack: Zur Geschichte der Mumme. Insbesondere des Mummehandels im 17. Jahrhundert. in: Braunschweigisches Magazin. Zwißler, Wolfenbüttel 1911,17.
  • Ernst A. Roloff: Heimatchronik der Stadt Braunschweig. Archiv für Deutsche Heimatpflege, Köln 1955.
  • Gerd Spies: Das Mummetor. Miszellen. Bd 25. Städtisches Museum Braunschweig, Braunschweig 1976. ISSN 0934-6201
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