I'm not certain if the Professor described the various types of spirits found on Middle Earth. I rather wondered what types of beverages each culture would have available.

Do you play LOTRO? If there's nothing canon in the books that one can reference there are a number of very interesting names some of which are named for local; such as Bullroarer's Brew.


There's also some cool names of different pipe-weeds.



If you don't play LOTRO I'm sure you can find these types of names on their wiki.

This got me to thinking, so I looked at a LotRO wiki I've used ... what I found wasn't too helpful. So, I took a stroll about the countryside and compiled a list of what was offered at many locales. I'm certain that this list is NOT complete, but it is a start.

Black Tea
Green Tea
Westfold Bold Coffee
Westfold Medium Coffee
Westfold Mild Coffee
White Tea

Crafted Spirits -- A type of spirit that may be crafted by characters in LotRO.
Apprentice's Ale
Blackberry Ale
Blue Bock
Blueberry Ale
Bold Stout
Honeybrew
Shire Spice Ale
Strawberry Stout
Ultimate Honeybrew
Winterberry Ale

General Spirits (All Heroic Races)
Ale
Beer
Hard Cider
Mead
Red Wine (W)
White Wine (W)

Dwarven Spirits
Beakbreaker Ale
Bombur's Beard Lager
Dragon's Breath Ale

Elven Spirits
Dorwinion Red (W)
Dorwinion White (W)
Limael's Vintage (W)

Hobbit Spirits
1404 Vintage Reserve (W)
Blagrove's Brown
Brandywine (W)
Green Dragon's Breath Ale
Old Winyards (W)
Old Withywindle
Thistleberry Brew
Toad's Tongue Ale
Whitebranch (W)
Wooly-foot Stout

Mannish Spirits
Barliman's Best
Forsaken Ale
Forsaken Cider
Isenwine (W)
Blind Troll Stout
Moor-boar Beer
Stars of Old Cider
Swill

Questing Reward Spirits
Bullroarer's Brew

A "(W)" by a name indicates a wine.

This post has been edited by Throrsgold on Jan 21 2012, 01:12 PM

A couple of quick questions. The first regards Throrsgold's, very helpful, list above.

Is Dorwinion Wine Elvish? I always had the impression that it was a Mannish wine that was favoured by the Elves of Mirkwood?
The second question is still related to the Wine of Dorwinion. I am using Karen Wynn Fonstad as my reference here when I say that the presumed of Dorwinion has a climate of Cold Winters and Mild Summers(north of the Celduin) and Cold Winters with Warm Summers to the south.
I know nothing at at all about wine production (Irish ) but I do know that I enjoy a nice Rioja.
What effect, if any, would the climate have on the type of grapes grown and would red or White varieties predominate?

I was also under the impression that Dorwinion wine was of mannish made favoured (among others) by the elves.

As for growing grapes in colder climate, I'm far from being an expert, but the problematic comes from early frosts that would prematurely end (and ruin) your harvest. Thus, many northern wine are produced with particularly early or resistant varieties of grapes, which nowadays you can find both in white or red varieties, but I believe that white grapes have a higher sugar ratio and thus resist to frost a bit better. Traditionally, northern producers of wine (Belgium, northern Germany etc) produce sweet white wines.

Here in Canada, we produce ice-wine, whereas the grapes are left on the vines until they are so ripe that harvesting is impossible until they freeze (otherwise they mush-up as soon as you try to harvest them). The tricky part is that once frozen, they will spoil if they thaw. The result is a very rich, very sweet white wine.

Glorfindel

Thanks for that Glorfindel. I suppose then, that realistically, the Wine of Dorwinion should be a White wine. At least, it will be in my games.

Dunlendings would probably produce a very strong grain liquor called Uisge beatha as well as local variants of black beer.

I reckon that amongst the Northmen and the Rohirrim, ales and beers would predominate. Honey Mead would be common amongst the Beornings and Woodmen of the Anduin Vale. Wine would probably have to be imported and be quite expensive.

Its a wine that those pansy elves enjoy above all others... Off course its a white wine!

I included it in the Elven section as I only found it available for purchase from an Elven vintner in LotRO.

Throrsgold,
It might be Elvish. I'm not really sure and I think the canon can be interpreted either way.

Glorfindel,

Actually, I'm surprised that it's not a Rose.

I was wondering about Beornings and mead. I thought it might make for a story hook.

I intend on editing my earlier posted list after I get some more free time for LotRO and go to a few places in Moria, Gloin's Camp above Rivendell, and Lothlorien. The Hobbits have several inns to visit ... the Men only two (the Prancing Pony and the Forgotten Inn) ... the Dwarves only one (in Thorin's Hall in Ered Luin) ... the the Elves none (you have to track their vinters down, it seems). I'm hoping more poking about will find a few more ... so, I hope to have more Dwarven and Elven entries.

It may be worth noting (on this thread - or even another) that there are number of named "Pipeweeds" as well to indulge in in that game as well.

One name I didn't see on your list was Bullroarer's Brew. I remember specifically getting that as a reward once - I think for the Spring Festival contest of walking the fence while drunk.

The big reward was the cool keg for your house though.


I love the Ale Association one that knocks you out and you wake up in a random (sans pants). That is hilarious.

Yeah, I didn't mention any of the ones you get from questing ... only the ones for sale or that can be crafted. As I typically don't do the Inn League or Ale Association quests, I really had no practical way to catalog those. I'll add 'em, though, as an edit, if provided the names.

I think a separate pipeweed thread should be started, though. For neatness' sake.