New Derry Siege beer debuts after 300 years in the making

By Alan Healy

A new locally brewed beer which uses a recipe which was reportedly found in the home of a key figure in the Siege of Derry was unveiled in the city at the weekend.

The ‘1689’ Mumm ale was developed by the Walled City Brewery, and has its roots in a 17th Century beer reportedly found in the home of Governor George Walker during the Siege of Derry.

James Huey, owner of the Walled City Brewery, then set about resurrecting the recipe, using the Siege Diaries housed in the city’s archives as his basis.

However, it was no small task, given that the tonic was infused with around 77 soothing herbs and spices, many of which are either now extinct or declared poisonous by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

His research also showed that the special brew appeared to have been an elixir to treat a range of ailments including ‘lingering distemper’ and toothache, and was not intended to be drunk for pleasure.

The recipe also had 11 uncooked eggs added at the end of the fermentation process, but James has assured local beer lovers that this process has not been replicated in the new product.

And while it does not claim to have any medicinal properties, ‘1689’ did go down a treat with tipplers at the Slow Food Festival in Derry at the weekend.

James revealed that while the original Siege ale had an alcohol content of around 13 per cent and was preserved in stoneware bottles, the newly created Mumm-style beer will be around 10 or 11 per cent, which is still significantly higher than the average for per cent for most beers brewed here.

James said: “Obviously we can’t say there are any health benefits, we are redefining the liquid to a modern palate.

“People are not going to be having a pint of ‘1689’, it comes from a category of beer called barley wines and is more like an aperitif.

“I am delighted we can deliver a product that the city can be proud of, that is immersed in history and it reflects the fantastic larder of local ingredients that we have in the North West.

“This is very much a collaborative approach with Brian McDermott though the Foodovation Centre at North West Regional College and the Council, who have helped and supported throughout in launching this new product and getting it to market. It has taken a lot of time and effort and hopefully it will be rewarding.”