Yarrow not just a pretty weed

I want my first blog to be about the photo here. The photo is of some yarrow I have growing in my front yard. It was here when we moved in over 5 years ago. So recently I brewed a Yarrow Ale I like to call "Always a Bridesmaid" because Yarrow Ale is a primitive, traditional ale brewed specifically for wedding receptions because it causes one to become intoxicated more quickly than other ales. I like to call that more bang for your buck.
When I found out, a few years ago, that one of my nephews was allergic to hops, I told him I would help find him a beer he could drink. I always love a good challenge. In my endeavor to find a way to make a beer for my nephew, I discovered that some of the herbs and plants that I use for my healing salve can also be used to brew beer. I mean really, brew beer with herbs and weeds from my yard? Sign me up. No hops needed. I think that is pretty neat. I don't like a very hoppy beer. I found a way to do that! It is called gruit. Gruit is primitive "beer". Hops can be traced back to the 14th century in the Netherlands, and about the 16th century in England. That is more centuries without, than with hops. Hmmm... Germany and England were slow to start using hops in their ales. They liked their ales just the way they were. There were a lot of controversies and fighting behind that story.

Some of the common herbs and plants that have been used in brewing Gruit.
Sage
Rosemary
Lavender
Fennel
Yarrow
Lemonbalm.
Bay
Myrica Gale

Back to yarrow.

Yarrow is a small, feathery plant, almost fernlike with a large flower on top in season. I love ferns and thought it was neat to find these cute fernlike plants growing wild in our yard. And now I am learning so much about this beautiful plant. Yarrow is also called "earth hop" and "Soldier's Wound wart" It is an Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, pain reliever, Back in the 17th century it was used for swelling of female genitals after birth. It also is known to sleep bleeding, stuff that up to your nose, and curing wounds. I love adding this to my healing salve, we will get to that one day. Yarrow brings a bittering to ale and a preserving action. A lot like hops. When I recently brewed a SMASH with it. A SMASH is a Single Malt Single Hop beer, nut in this case it means Single Malt Single Herb ale. I discovered that yarrow does not have a strong flavor. The flower has a very nice smell, and if you use them to "dry hop" but I call it "dry herbing" you then can pull some of that aromatics through again because they will not withstand the boil. Sound familiar? Yarrow is pretty resilient and will thrive in either dry or wet conditions. Do you possibly have yarrow growing in your yard?
There are so many variations of gruit, just like beer. Here is a simple 1-gallon Gruit recipe for you to try. I'd love to hear about how the adventure went and what you thought about the ale afterward. I super love it, myself. And I am enjoying learning more about different herbs and plants I could add to my next batch.


Gruit Ale
Ingredients:
1-gallon water
1 3/4 pounds pale malt, I use 2 row
1 1/2 pounds CaraPils  or Crystal Malt
1 1/2 grams Myrica Gale
1 1/2 grams Marsh or Bog Rosemary
1 1/2 grams Yarrow
Yeast, I use Abbey Ale

Heat water to 170 degrees F pours onto malted grains enough to make as tiff mash. Let stand, covered, for 3 hours. Yup. Sparge slowly with 170 degrees F water until 1-gallon total liquid is acquired. Boil wort and herbs(in a brew bag) for 90 minutes.  Cool to 70 degrees F and pull yer bag out. Pour into the fermenter and add yeast. Ferment until completion. Prime bottles, siphon, and cap. Store 4 months before drinking.

I will do a blog when I do this recipe. I am curious about how rosemary tastes. I have not brewed it yet, but I do have some growing in my Secret Garden of Lost Things. 

And there you have it. Gruit in a nutshell. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. And I would love to see your photos of your brew day and brew.

Until then, keep brewing, keep cooking, and most definitely keep on healing.
Cheers,
MysTorri
Do the best you can, even when you don't want to.