Gruit Beer

Has anyone had a go at one of these?

[oldbloke]

Yes, but I can't recall who. I think putting fruit into the search might turn it up

Yes, I made a gruit beer a few years ago. I did a lot of research on what was used to flavour beer before hops, and it seems everyone had a different recipe. The most common ingredient was yarrow, used for its bitterness. Heather was another common ingredient, but from my research that was more often used further north than I am so I didn't use it in mine.

I "hopped" mine with yarrow, mugwort and horehound. Here's my recipe for a 1 gallon batch

1.000Kg Pale Malt
0.050Kg Crystal 60

1.5 grams Yarrow
1.5 grams Mugwort
1.5 grams Horehound


Yarrow and Mugwort in for a 60 minute boil
Horehound for 15 minute boil

It tasted like a sour beer, quite nice but an acquired taste, it has to be drunk young as it doesn't age well.