Once upon a time, people of all ages drank a good deal more beer than is common now. In these days of yore, brewing was often a family business. While this may no longer be the case, the tools and techniques of the historical brewer remain handy to use and fun to make. One example is the yeast ring. From the Middle Ages, people used yeast rings to capture yeast from one batch of beer and start the next batch. Scandinavian and Baltic peoples made wooden yeast rings to replace earlier types of rings made from braided straw, bark, and twigs.

In this course, history pairs well with woodworking as students learn to craft a beautiful wooden yeast ring. Students will refine their understanding of joinery and gain skills including sharpening, layout, knife skills, mortise & tenon work, and a knowledge of wood grain and its expansion and contraction. Students will leave class with a yeast ring fit for a homebrewer or an eye-catching decoration.

Required Tools

• Mora carving knife 106 or 120
• 4mm or 3/16” chisel
• Fine tooth backsaw 
• No. 2 pencils