Gruit Ale

After brewing a few batches of delicious beer, I'd like to try something a little more interesting.

I've decided on a gruit. After looking around everywhere including this forum and "Sacred Brews," I think I have a good recipe. I'm just looking for some feedback.

Right now I'm only set up for extract brewing, so I had to convert grain to extract.

9lbs pale malt extract
1lbs wildflower honey
2 ounces each of:
Sweet Gale
Marsh Rosemary
Yarrow
Bog Myrtle
Scottish Ale Yeast

Does this sound good for a 5 gallon batch? Also, when should I add the herbs. I was thinking 1/2 ounce at 60, 1/2 at 10, and dry hop the rest.

Thanks!

My hat is off to you sir, for being willing to commit a 5 gallon batch to this noble adventure.

I'm sure you know the history: many moons ago, many different herbs were tried in beer, until hops supplanted them all, and became the almost universal bittering agent. In my humble opinion, there was a simple reason for this: the results were vastly preferable to those using other herbs. That's why you don't see triple-yarrow Miller Lite, or dry-mugwort Founder's.

This is not to dissuade you - you may like the result. I would advise that you start with making tea with the herbs, to decide if the flavor is really what you want.

I made a Scottish Ale with heather tips once. It turned out well, and while the heather flavor was not unpleasant, it was a bit odd - I guess "not what I'm used to" was how I would put it.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

my next brew is going to be a Gruit how did this turn out?

Not sure yet. I've been delayed at every turn with this one. Hoping to actually brew this weekend.

As soon as I get a taste, I'll let you know how it is.

mulleram said:

Not sure yet. I've been delayed at every turn with this one. Hoping to actually brew this weekend.

As soon as I get a taste, I'll let you know how it is.

Click to expand...

Wondering if you brewed this and what it is like. I too am beginning to experiment with gruit. So far I have decided to only use 2nd runnings before I really know enough about herbs in beer to commit a full batch.

Oh... bog myrtle and sweet gale are the same plant, Myrica gale; it's moderately toxic so be careful with that. I would also recommend you warn any women consuming anything with bog myrtle/ sweet gale because it is an abortifacient. More so than alcohol that is. I plan on substituting it w/ a native relative Myrica pennsylvanica or bayberry leaves which is still toxic but w/o the abortifacient qualities as far as I can find. Still would warn anybody when serving them gruit containing any strange herbs. Since many traditional gruit herbs are mild to moderately toxic.

Myricas and Yarrow leaves are also extremely astringent/ bitter so using more yarrow flowers post boil definitely a good idea. Almost any herb is less bitter when you don't boil it and boiling always drives off aromatics associated with volatiles.

Very malty beers are sometimes more suited to gruits because of how assertive some of the herbs can be.

If you haven't tried this yet; or are attempting a second iteration. I recommend 'dry topping' with the yarrow flowers (if you have access to whole yarrow) and using only the leaves in the kettle for bitterness.