Gruit Ale.....14th Century Recipe!

[Laripu]

I'll be cutting them out and sticking them on this afternoon.

[Rookie]

The secret to brewing a gruit ale is to use herbs and/or spices that you like in food. I brew a yummy lemon-rosemary blonde ale that was inspired by a meal of lemon-rosemary chicken.
There's an article (Last Drop) in the current Zymurgy that talks about brewing hopless beer.

[Laripu]

The secret to brewing a gruit ale is to use herbs and/or spices that you like in food. I brew a yummy lemon-rosemary blonde ale that was inspired by a meal of lemon-rosemary chicken.
There's an article (Last Drop) in the current Zymurgy that talks about brewing hopless beer.

I love lemon zest in light beers (< 6% abv), but if you use it you have to drink the batch quickly because the zest flavor and aroma disappear within a couple of weeks.

It's funny that you mention Zymurgy, because the mix of herbs for this batch was roughly the same as one found in a recent Zymurgy, maybe the same issue you saw.

I've used spices a fair amount, but the only herb beer I've done before this one was a cilantro beer in the mid-90s. The only thing I can really recommend is: use less. I have a tendency to over-spice food, and if I restrain myself I make better beer and better food. (Except when it comes to garlic. I like medicinal amounts of garlic in food.)

[Laripu]

It's a little young, only 3 weeks in the bottle, but I cracked my first one today for a taste.

It needs a bit more time, maybe 2 or 3 weeks, but it will be very good. It has a bit of hop bitterness, but lots of herbal notes, especially lavender. I'll have another next weekend, then start drinking it for real the weekend after that.

The mouthfeel is very full, but I expect that to change a bit as it fully carbonates. As strong as it is, carbonation takes more time.

[WalesAles]

Is it Nice?

WA

[Laripu]

Is it Nice?

WA

Ha! I forgot to say that, didn't I?

Yes, very nice, and I expect it to get better in the bottle as it matures.

It needs more carbonation. It has enough priming sugar to get that, just not enough time.