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.
Recent Posts
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.
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.
Calaguala Ale
Calaguala, A.K.A. samambaia, is a tropical fern with many healing properties. Combined with cinchona bark — herbal quinine — this ought to be “good for what ales you.”
The promise of translucence
Bottling beer is complex enough without having to worry about cleaning all the bottles yet. If they’re already clean, all they need is a soak in sanitizer solution.
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
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
The small tree known as sassafras (Sassafras albidum) was once one of the most prized plants of North America.
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.
