About
Who I Am
My name is Curtis Carrington, and I am a dedicated home brewer and historian who, for over 30 years, has followed my passion for the art and science of fermentation in its various forms through human history.
Because of my special fascination for the ancient and medieval aspects of brewing, I spend much of my time learning techniques and following recipes from various cultures and eras, as well as the place of brewers and brewing in different civilizations. So, I read everything I can, trying to analyze passages and references to brewing and/or fermentation, building equipment and following processes to find out how fermentation evolved.
Hopefully, this website will be useful to others who share my passion. The blog contains articles about fascinating aspects of brewing I have run into along the way. The projects are the practical side of things as I study the material world of malthouses and tapperies through the ages, as well as an ever-growing timeline that fits brewing and fermentation into a longer historic perspective.
As an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA, Inc.), my alternate self, Declan MacDockery (11th c. Irish), enjoys fermentation in all its forms and sharing knowledge (and the results of my experiments) with anyone who will listen and is brave enough to taste the results!
What I Do
Teaching
My alternate persona Declan often teaches brewing-related classes at SCA events as well as private groups (upon request) and at local community centers.
Demonstrations
Along with brewing at SCA events, I enjoy demonstrating at local festivals, museums, and brewing supply stores.
Competitions
Brewing competitions, both in and out of the SCA, are a fun and exciting part of the brewing experience.
Research
As the body of archaeological evidence around ancient human food and drink grows, so too does my fascination around the impact fermentation has on a society.
Writing
I am currently writing (and plan to soon publish) a series of books discussing important aspects of brewing as relates to the development of human civilizations.
Recreations
Attempting to follow the ancient brewing processes gives valuable insight into how ancient peoples included fermented food and drink into their daily lives.