The ground ivy is beginning to grow like crazy here in Pennsylvania. I tried making a ground ivy ale last year and something went seriously wrong. It tasted awful. Very sour. I gathered the ground ivy and dried it. Then I brewed a 1 gallon batch of basic beer using DME golden light and added the ground ivy - a handful. I don't have exact notes, but I think I boiled it all together for about an hour.
Prior to this exercise, I had made some decent ground ivy tea, just brewing it in a coffee maker.
One problem is that I haven't found much of a recipe anywhere. Does anyone have actual experience with this herb and know what to do with it? Is it better to use fresh or dry? Should it be boiled? Do you just boil it like hops - longer for bitterness, shorter for aroma? I have the book "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers", which is very interesting, but I'd like hear from someone that has actual experiences to share.
Prior to this exercise, I had made some decent ground ivy tea, just brewing it in a coffee maker.
One problem is that I haven't found much of a recipe anywhere. Does anyone have actual experience with this herb and know what to do with it? Is it better to use fresh or dry? Should it be boiled? Do you just boil it like hops - longer for bitterness, shorter for aroma? I have the book "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers", which is very interesting, but I'd like hear from someone that has actual experiences to share.