Perfidious Albion
Edinburgh University Medieval Society
"Gunnar's Viking Vengeance" Ale
1 tin Boots Malt Extract
2 lb Honey
2 lb Sugar
1 handful of cloves (about a dozen)
2 sachets Boots Brewers Yeast.
Boil all the ingredients except the yeast in 4 pints of water for a few minutes. Put a few pints of cold water in a brewing barrel and add the boiling mixture. Make up to about 30 pints with more cold water. Check the temperature. If it is between 18 and 25 °C add the yeast. If not, either heat it up or cool it down as appropriate until it is in that temperature range. You'll usually have to wait for it to cool. Leave in a warm place or otherwise ensure that it remains at a temperature between 18 and 25 °C for about a week until the original gravity is about 1.000 to 1.005 (or until no further bubbles have risen for a day or two). Add some finings and leave in a cool place to clear for another week. Bottle and leave to mature for another couple of weeks (or as long as you can bear to wait!) Bring me some so I can offer an opinion!!
This will produce an unhopped ale, lightly spiced, which is similar to the sorts of fine ales produced in the medieval period. It worked for me, anyway, and was quite well received.