Gruit Ale

[Druss]

After much consideration on the subject I decided to give it a go. 500g of dark Spraymalt, water to a gallon and a gram and a half of ale yeast per DJ. Simple as that, probably too good to be true though :?

 

[Hawks]

Shouldn't there be herbs in there as well ? Yarrow, bog myrtle and the like ? :wha:

 

[fbsf]

I was gonna ask that - a gruit needs some bittering for balance. Well, it doesn't need it, but traditionally it does have some.

Interested to see what this turns out like if there's no bittering in it at all...

 

[Druss]

That's what I thought, I came across a recipe that just called for malt extract, water and yeast...thought it sounded a bit odd so I emailed the people who run the site and they assured me that it is a tried and tested recipe and that it should yield good results. Time will tell I suppose

 

[fbsf]

Fair do's! Make sure you let us know how it turns out!

 

[mike77]

Couldn't get any simpler. I wonder how long a beer like this lasts given that hops is a preservative. Do you plan to drink it young or let it condition for a while? Carbonated or un-carbonated?

 

[pittsy]

sounds like my yeast starters :?

 

[Druss]

The absence of the preservative effect of the hops in a worry, hopefully the alcohol content will stop it from going stale too quickly. I plan to carbonate with carbonation drops (one and a half per 500ml bottle) and probably drink it young, if it goes south, it was pretty cheap to make, so I'll just have to put it down to experience. Hopefully it will be a good one though :)

 

[Hawks]

sounds like my yeast starters :?

Doesn't sound much different - can you share the site you found it ?

 

[Druss]

http://eartheasy.com/eat_homebrew.htm

 

[Druss]

Just tasted this and my first instinct was correct, it is FOUL, it failed to carbonate and tastes like mildly malt flavoured water. I have twenty odd bottles of this stuff that are probably destined for the sink, lesson learned I suppose

 

[fbsf]

Leave it out to the air - malt vinegar