Alcoholic root beer, Prohibition-style
A light, refreshing, warming beverage with a very well-balanced flavor profile. Does it taste like root beer? Not really; there’s nothing caramelly about it. More like a spiced pilsner.
Beer Style: gruit
Meadowsweet, Heather and Gentian Gruit
This was my other stand-out beer of the winter 2014-15 brewing season. The idea was to make a vaguely Neolithic-style ale inspired by archaeological findings in Britain.
Sassafras-Black Birch Beer
Sassafras and black birch (i.e. wintergreen, more or less) are the dominant notes here; the other flavors blend into a citrusy background. This is a refreshing, summery drink, a bit acidic — imagine a cross between unsweetened herb tea and a nice mild ale.
Juniper-Yarrow ESB (Extra Scandinavian Bitter)
Is there such a thing as a juniper head (like a hop head)? I think I could become one.
Summer Meadow Ale
My idea was to flavor a summer ale with a mix of common meadow plants, all gathered at the time of brewing, and thereby to try and capture the essence of a midsummer meadow. Much to my own surprise, I seem to have succeeded on the first attempt!
Ground Ivy Gruit Ale
I’ve never found ground ivy to be anywhere near as bitter as the books say, but it could be the wild stuff I use tastes different from British or cultivated varieties.
Mugwort Chamomile Oatmeal Stout
My tasting notes say only “very tasty and strong,” but the fact that I still remember how good it was five years later ought to tell you something.
Juniper-Ginger Beer
Juniper forms the dominant note, resiny and vaguely citrusy, supported by the camphor quality of yarrow and the spiciness of ginger. The bitterness is mild, equivalent roughly to a standard wheat beer.
