Digger's Brew
Digger's Brew was originally brewed by the dwarves of the Grey Rise Mountains. The brew itself is a light ale, with a strong malted odor, similar to that found with more stout lagers. Digger's brew is an oddly sweet drink, a result of the mushrooms used in the brewing process. This sweetness takes the form of moderately strong hints of syrup, with a caramelized finish. As such, the drink is often enjoyed with desserts. In addition to its alcoholic properties, Digger's Brew is nutrient-rich and can serve as a meal supplement if necessary. The drink is extremely refreshing and light while maintaining the positive properties of Malt Shrooms themselves. The drink is helpful in curing illness, rejuvenating the body after fatigue, and provides feelings of euphoria that are more intense than typical ales. In many regions, it is believed that Digger's Brew can help individuals drink more. However, in reality, it is Malt Shrooms that provide the actual benefits to the liver, not the resultant Digger's Brew.
History
The drink was crafted originally by a dwarf named, Karhin Saris, during the Great Famine following the Hallowing War. With a lack of wheat, hops, and other essential brewing ingredients, he began experimenting with small batches of novel brews using the unique fungi and other plant life found in the hollows of the Grey Rise Mountains. After experimentation, Saris settled on Brown Agrius mushrooms to brew his beer. The strong flavor, which turned sweet when fermented with the other ingredients was reminiscent of malt syrup, and thus the plants became colloquially referred to as Malt Shrooms. The combination of sweet taste, pleasant odor, and high nutrient content became invaluable during the Great Famine. The brew became a staple in the diets of many dwarves throughout the lower Maelstrom Coast region, similar to the humans' use of mead as a meal supplement.
After the great famine, merchants began traveling more regularly between the sparse settlements of the world. With trade relations and kingdoms' borders solidified, the races and kingdoms returned to interstate commerce and trade. It was after human caravans began transporting kegs of Digger's Brew to settlements such as Venzor and Whitebridge that the drink became more well-known. Various breweries began constructing variants of the drink, often with only marginal success. The flavors of fresh Malt Shrooms, never having seen light, were more pungent and nutrient-rich than the variants. The sale of Malt Shrooms was restricted in order to limit the replication of the uniquely dwarven drink, for many years. Eventually, after Saris' passing in 1,268 CE, having no heirs, the tradition of brewing the drink fell to Saris' apprentice Halgath Stonebeard. The War of One-Hundred Kingdoms eventually slowed the distribution of Malt Shrooms to human kingdoms until its conclusion. In 1,279, shortly after the War of One-Hundred Kingdoms, humans began contracting with Halgath's brewery to re-establish trade and licensure. Eventually, scripts of licensure were issued to specific breweries across the western coast to continue the tradition of brewing Digger's Brew. Certified carriers began carrying shipments of Malt Shrooms from the mountain kingdoms to other settlements. The brew itself has been noted as a significant factor in reviving the economies of several larger settlements.
Important Locations
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