Coke-Fired Malt Production Enables Pale Ale Brewing

In 1642, coke was first recorded as a fuel for drying and roasting malt in England. Unlike many older drying fuels, coke could provide heat with less smoke, making it easier for maltsters to produce cleaner, lighter-colored malt on a larger scale. This technical change helped make pale malt more widely available and prepared the ground for English pale ale, a term that appeared around 1703 for beers made from malt dried with coke. In the longer beer-history arc, smoke-free pale malt also became essential for later pale beer traditions, including pale lager and pilsner.