Kveik Rye with Mugwort, Spruce, and Oak Apple Galls

Kveik Rye with Mugwort, Spruce, and Oak Apple Galls

As mentioned in my previous post two and a half years ago (!) I don’t drink much anymore. Consequently, I’m not brewing much. But this summer I did use up almost all of the malts I had lying around in a pair of 2.5-gallon brews 

New page of herbal brewing tips

New page of herbal brewing tips

I’ve been putting off writing a page of tips on how to brew with herbs and spices. Then today, quite by accident, I rediscovered just such a list I’d pulled together for my original homepage some 15 years ago, and had long since forgotten about.

Juniper-Yarrow ESB (Extra Scandinavian Bitter)

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.

All-grain homebrewing for lazy cheapskates

All-grain homebrewing for lazy cheapskates

Our very ability to experiment with things like gruit blends without worrying too much about the yeast and the malts is a direct result of the precision and predictability achieved by industrial brewers over the past 200 years.

Meadow in a bottle

Meadow in a bottle

Up until that moment, I’d been intending to make some kind of very standard beer style—an IPA or a porter—and simply substitute yarrow for the usual hops.

Homebrewing made difficult in 72 steps

Homebrewing made difficult in 72 steps

Apparently possession of homebrewing supplies combined with seditious views can now get you charged with terrorism in the USA.

Brewing without a recipe

Brewing without a recipe

This was the first time in many years that I didn’t carefully weigh and measure everything and write it all down for future reference. But I have to say, it felt liberating not to.

Beer Tasting 101: Yarrow Sarsaparilla Ale

Beer Tasting 101: Yarrow Sarsaparilla Ale

It’s, uh, crisp and floral, medium-bodied, dry! (Can it be all those things at the same time? You sure hope so.)

Sassafras beer: a short history

Sassafras beer: a short history

The small tree known as sassafras (Sassafras albidum) was once one of the most prized plants of North America.

Digging for beer

Digging for beer

Aniseroot (Osmorhiza longistylis), a close relative of sweet cicely (O. claytonia), would represent a new brewing ingredient for me, and I can’t find any mention of its use as a brewing herb online or in print.