The Variant [Part One] [Wanda Maximoff [FF] | Elizabeth Olsen

Chapter 48

Earth-222 - Past

High Priestess Agnetha's Pov

Unlike their enclosed sanctum, my coven and I worship our Great Mother-Goddess Brigith through the open air, and what better way to celebrate the Samhain than through a nice cup of beer brewed straight from nature? With enough resources, we managed to incorporate both magic and technology. Bit by bit progressed till we moved forward. Recently a warlock and his wife discovered something unique. We combined science and alchemy through our newly-found craft of ale-making.  They both discovered nitrogen carbonation they presented me with their alchemical apparatuses for demonstration.

“Here, Priestess Agnetha we have in a regular ale carbon dioxide bubbles continue to absorb CO2 as they float to the surface becoming larger and more buoyant.” the warlock explained to me while pointing at the apparatus in the open air to show amongst the warlocks and witches.
“The nitrogen does not dissolve well with liquid so the bubbles stay tiny and compacted together to create a mousse-like head (beer foam).” said the warlocks' wife. The Sedylmeyrs that's the couple's surnames.

As if to prove their point further for a better understanding they pour me a glass of roasty stout and in an instant, it indeed appears alive inside the vessel. I held the pint as I watched its contents come to life in front of my eyes: nitrogenated bubbles move toward the surface and they simultaneously appear to cascade down the inside of the glass. It’s an amazing optical illusion. I nodded. “Interesting... From what ale styles can we incorporate these?” I question the name of this newly-discovered process.

“Nitrogen brewed,” Said the warlock, a Sir Sedylmeyr
“Nitrogen brewed.” I repeated.
“We could incorporate that to porters, barleywine, imperial stouts, even darker dubbels, tripels, and quadruppel ales.” suggested the witch, the Lady Sedylmeyr.

“Fantastic idea! Perhaps we could invite the sorcerers and the sorceresses to our celebration of Mother Goddess Brigith's festival,” I announced. The coven of the witches and warlocks seemed to agree with my idea. And if it weren't made any better, I saw Elder Ulvaeus walking towards me as if curious of the apparatus outside his eyebrows furrowed at the sight. “What is this?” He said.

Sanctum Elder Ulvaeus' Pov

High Priestess Agnetha showed me the invention of the husband and wife duo within her coven, a Sire and Lady Sedylmeyr discovered a brewing process with the use of nitrogen bubbles, truly a marriage of ale-making and science. “Here.” the High Priestess has given me a glass of nitrogen-carbonated dark quadrupel ale. I took a sip to try it out – despite its ebony color; its toasty notes come across as dry cocoa; the rest of the nose (aroma) and palate is dominated by fruit. Lots of plums & raisins marry a refined, vinous (wine-like) palate. It's a creamy ale – yet also thinner and sharply alcoholic-like brandy – all thanks to its nitrogen-carbonated quality; it has amplified it. It's a beautiful beer.

“Perhaps you could join us,” High Priestess Agnetha said those grey eyes looking at me. As much as it is sacrilegious for our Abbey's laws to join in what the council of monk-like sorcerers and nun-like sorceresses I could not say no. The coven of witches/warlocks of the Volur had done nothing but kindness and charity to us. I talk to 'Saint Brigid' (Wanda in disguise) myself and even she has agreed with how tight-fisted the Abbey monastery-like sanctum of sorcerers and sorceresses with the mission to aid has become. Far from her teachings. Far from the service of her welcoming embrace and her cauldron full of amity. It is a shame.

“I would,” I said, “We could join your festivity,” I added. The High Priestess smiled at me and then gave me a basket with growlers containing nitrogen-carbonated ales of dubbels, tripels, strong dark ales, and quadrupels – The first witch/warlock-made beers to enter the walls of the Abbey sanctum. I distributed it to the sorcerers/sorceresses of the sanctum to try them and taste them for the first time.
“Ales from the coven!” I declared. Knowing how conservative Brother Claudius is I managed to convince him that it is a matter of a village get-together as proposed by High Priestess Agnetha and nothing more. Though not in complete detail I manage to magically inscribe the miracles of this new nitrogen carbonation discovered by Sir and Lady Sedylmeyr and what are the magnificent characteristics it could give to beer. Though I haven't studied the intricacies of it unlike the Sedylmeyr couple for sure soon I will. So far, ales are the ones tested with the nitrogen carbonation and not the sanctum's lagers yet.