IrishJew
Member
I don't think it's 100% accurate to say that it isn't beer if it doesn't have hops. In the middle ages, English law distinguished "beers" and "ales" on the basis of hops. It was illegal to make ale with hops, and in fact for a long time it was illegal for a single brewer to make both ales and beers. As many mentioned, ales were often (but not always) made with other spices and bittering agents, called "gruit."
This is one option that has been thoroughly discussed in this thread.
But there is another option. Just make the beer without hops! It wouldn't pass the Reinheitsgebot, so if it really bothers you call it a barleywine or something, but it is doable. I have had such a drink and found it decent. You'll have to play around with recipes and styles, but off the top of my head I would go for something rich and high alcohol, either a malty bock style beer or else something thick and toasty like a stout or porter. Just seems like that would work best to me.
Whatever you do (did?) please update and let future generations know how it turned out!
This is one option that has been thoroughly discussed in this thread.
But there is another option. Just make the beer without hops! It wouldn't pass the Reinheitsgebot, so if it really bothers you call it a barleywine or something, but it is doable. I have had such a drink and found it decent. You'll have to play around with recipes and styles, but off the top of my head I would go for something rich and high alcohol, either a malty bock style beer or else something thick and toasty like a stout or porter. Just seems like that would work best to me.
Whatever you do (did?) please update and let future generations know how it turned out!