Gordon Strong’s Gruit
All-Grain Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.058 FG = 1.015
IBU = 0 SRM = 4 ABV = 5.8%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) oat malt
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) pale ale malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) wheat malt
1 qt. (0.95 L) juniper branches, small branches only
1 qt. (0.95 L) fresh spruce tips, new growth only (60 min.)
10 g sweet gale (0 min.)
10 laurel berries (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) juniper berries (0 min.)
10 g caraway seeds (0 min.)
Fennel fronds from 1 bulb (0 min.)
White Labs WLP011 (European Ale), Wyeast 1007 (German Ale), or SafAle K-97 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride to the mash.
This recipe uses a step mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Put the juniper branches in the bottom of the mash tun. Mash in the malts at 131 °F (55 °C) and hold for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature to 144 °F (62 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 15 minutes. Begin recirculating, then raise the mash temperature to 169 °F (76 °C), and recirculate for 15 minutes.
Sparge slowly and collect 8 gallons (30 L) of wort.
Boil the wort for 3 hours. Add the spruce tips with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add the remainder of the herbs and spices at the end of the boil, and steep for 10 minutes before removing.
Chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C), pitch the yeast, and ferment at that temperature until complete.
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Extract-Only Recipe
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.058 FG = 1.015
IBU = 0 SRM = 4 ABV = 5.8%
If you are unable to source the oat malt extract, you can steep 0.5 lb. (230 g) Simpsons Golden Naked Oats® malt and swap out the extract for 3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) pale ale liquid malt extract. Steep the grains while the water heats up to 158 °F (70 °C).
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Muntons oat liquid malt extract
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) weizen dried malt extract
1 qt. (0.95 L) juniper branches, small branches only
1 qt. (0.95 L) fresh spruce tips, new growth only (60 min.)
10 g sweet gale (0 min.)
10 laurel berries (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) juniper berries (0 min.)
10 g caraway seeds (0 min.)
Fennel fronds from 1 bulb (0 min.)
White Labs WLP011 (European Ale), Wyeast 1007 (German Ale), or SafAle K-97 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Turn off the heat. Add the malt extracts and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Add the juniper branches. Turn the heat back on and bring slowly to a boil, removing the juniper when the first bubbles from the boil appear.
Boil the wort for 3 hours. Add the spruce tips with 60 minutes remaining in the boil. Add the remainder of the herbs and spices at the end of the boil, and steep for 10 minutes before removing.
Chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C), pitch the yeast, top up the fermenter to 5.25 gallons (20 L) and ferment until complete.
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
