What you're looking at is a fourquet, an old piece of equipment used by continental breweries to stir mashes. You can see it on labels of old European breweries, particularly those in Belgium. I imagine the "fork" was a lot easier to wield than a paddle in the olden days, when tax law compelled breweries to make extremely thick mashes. (Here's an example, from Brasserie St. Feuillien.) Block 15 had a carpenter friend of the brewery fashion one for their use, and there it is in action. Although I generally frown on the use of "craft" to describe beer-making, I have to admit this shows at least a deep affection for the art.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete