Millefolia Gruit

Silver Medal Club-Only Competition 2011 Sep/Oct Specialty Beers Category

Recipe by: Victor Macias of Pacific Gravity Homebrew Club

"Gruit or sometimes grut was primarily a combination of three mildly narcotic herbs sweet gale (myrica gale) yarrow, (Achillea millefolium) and wild rosemary (ledum palustre). Gruit varied somewhat, each gruit producer adding additional herbs to produce unique tastes flavors and effects. Other adjunct herbs were juniper berry, caraway seed, aniseed, ginger nutmeg and cinnamon."

-Important note: Wild rosemary is NOT the same thing as culinary rosemary found in the grocery store. Wild rosemary does not possess the familiar aroma of culinary rosemary, but has its own unique qualities (slightly narcotic) that make it one of the foundational herbs used in gruit.

A more in-depth discussion of gruit recipes and the herbs used in the making of gruit can be found in "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation" by Stephen Harrod Buhner

All Grain Recipe 5 Gallons

Statistics

Original Specific Gravity: 1.076
Final Specific Gravity: 1.014
Boil Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

* Or visit the Homebrewopedia to learn how to make your own yeast starter.

Directions

Heat water to 170F, pour onto malt, enough water to make a stiff mash. Let stand, covered, for three hours. Sparge slowly with 170F water. Boil wort for 1 1/2 hours, adding herbs as noted. Cool to 70F and strain. Pour into fermenter and add yeast. Ferment until completion. Dry-herb after fermentation in secondary over the course of several days. Prime bottles, siphon, cap. Store four months before drinking.