Beer Style: Spice, Herb and Vegetable Beer
Gordon Strong’s Gruit
Balancing the bitterness and spices can be difficult due to unknown freshness and potency, so be prepared to make infusions (teas) to tweak the balance once the beer is finished.
Gruit
While it is true that it is an unhopped beer that uses other herbs to add character, traditional gruit is a very narrowly defined and specific beverage that was highly regulated by various governments in the Middle Ages in northwestern Europe. Learn more about this concoction of lore.
My Special Ale
An ode to Anchor Brewing Co.’s annual holiday release Our Special Ale with advice gleaned from former longtime Anchor Brewmaster Scott Ungermann.
Spiced Beer
Wintertime for homebrewers can often mean high-ABV beers and spiced ales. Get some pointers on adding a little spice to your next brew.
Homebrew Chicha Beer
Homebrew Chicha Beer (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.048 FG = 1.010IBU = 0 SRM = 2 ABV = 5.1% This is a more traditional, rustic version using homemade and
Cervecería Quiteña’s Fandango clone
Cervecería Quiteña’s Fandango clone (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.040 FG = 1.002IBU = 0 SRM = 2 ABV = 5% My deepest thanks go to Andrés Erazo of Cervecería
7venth Sun Brewery’s Saison in Paradise Clone
With a subtle spice character and quick turnaround time, this is a great summer sipper.
Fairgate Gingerbread Stout
Fairgate Gingerbread Stout (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.088 FG = 1.021IBU = 51 SRM = 50 ABV = 9% Ingredients8.8 lbs. (4 kg) North American 2-row malt2.1 lbs. (0.95 kg) Munich
Carillon Brewing Co.’s Coriander Ale clone
Based on a recipe from the mid-19th century, Coriander Ale is yellow to yellow-gold in appearance. Its aroma is moderately spicy with a fruitiness from the coriander seed. Fruity esters from the British Ale yeast are married to the citrus notes of the coriander and there is a lingering impression of heat from the chili peppers. There is also a soft well-rounded malt character reminiscent of honey and moderate hop bitterness.
Carillon Brewing Co.’s Ginger Pale Ale clone
The base of their Ginger Pale Ale is a traditional mid-19th century English pale ale but with fresh ginger, honey, and a moderate dose of hops added. This beer is golden in color, aromatically floral with underlying notes of spice and hops. Despite being a dry beer, Ginger Pale Ale has a deceptively sweet character that balances the strong ginger spiciness with the hops playing a supporting role. If you don’t have toasted malt, perhaps substitute Munich malt.
Sahti: A traditional Finnish farmhouse ale
As the oldest continually brewed beer style in the world, sahti production does not follow modern brewing practices. Explore what makes this Finnish farmhouse beer unique.
All Aboard for Gourds
Pumpkin beers get a bad rap nowadays. I think it’s a natural backlash to over-exposure, since they went from a highly-anticipated fall seasonal beer to a faddish trend about ten years ago.
