Medieval Feudal System

The ale created by brewers helped everyone on the manor stay alive. Lords, vassals and peasants helped keep the economy steady. The knights provided protection for the manor land. Without brewers and farmers, people would not have enough food to survive. The feudal system provided a stable economy, military and, job system.

Feudalism was their political system that consisted on organization, power and influence. Feudalism was the rise to the economic and political system. Feudalism was important because it created a social ladder. The people were given their roles in society based on what they were born into. They were either born into the Noble class or the peasant class. (Jovinelly) If you were born into the Noble class, you had power in

A manor was built from many different parts. The manor was built of wood and stones and were surrounded by gardens and buildings like stables. They were protected by either a high wall or a moat. (Frey 24) The Nobles built their structures out of stone to show how rich they were. While the rich lived with stone, he poor lived in timber-framed long houses with walls made of branches and mud. (“Medieval Manor.”) Some houses had hundreds of people like priests, master hunters, and the knights in training. One person was the lord. He could be a duke, knight or anyone on the hierarchy line. (“Serfs and Manorialism.”) Some manors might have 16 serfs and maid serfs, 9 woman cottages, a miller and a beekeeper. (“Medieval Manor.”) Mainly wealthy knights and lords lived in the manor house.(Frey 22) A manor had many different aspects to

Ale was the drink of choice in the middle ages and it was not an easy drink to make. The first thing they did was prepare the malt before making the mixture. They would soak grain or barley in water then dry it with hot air to get the malt. (“A Day in the Life of a Medieval Alewife.”) They would then get oats from the miller and crush them in the malt. They then add boiled or hot water to the dried mixture. After it sits for roughly fifteen minutes they add another layer of boiling water to cover the layer of dried ingredients and let it sit for another fifteen minutes. It should then feel thick like a porridge. Next the brewer would add more water and let it sit for thirty minutes. They add the last of the water and stir so it is well combined. Lastly they would strain the liquid and fill barrels. (“A Day in the Life of a Medieval Alewife.”) Sometimes they would add flavoring like alecost, costmary or ground ivy. (Frusher) Brewers had many different machines to keep up with the demands for ale. They used around seven machines. They used a kiln, which was for boiling water and roasting the grain. A mill, which brewers didn’t use themselves but the main ingredients came from it, was a wheel powered by water or horses used to grind the barley or grain. A bushel was a sack they stored the barely in. A copper vat was used to boil the water over the furnace then was transferred to the mash vat. The mash vat was where they mixed the