grutbier - the brewer

Beer existed long before breweries acquired a taste for hops. The forerunner of what we understand as beer today was called Grutbier and was flavored not with the aromatic cones, but with a combination of various herbs. Every brewery had its own blend of herbs, usually including yarrow, rosemary, juniper, heather, valerian, or mugwort. The top-fermented brew was spontaneously fermented with wild yeasts and, depending on the recipe, tasted herbal, floral, resinous, or earthy. Smooth malt rounded out the aroma. In Bavaria, the introduction of the Bavarian Purity Law in 1516 put an end to Grutbier, but the 16th century also marked the end of the style in other regions of Germany.

Five hundred years later, craft breweries are breathing new life into many outmoded brewing styles – and grut beer is among those revived. A particularly delicious version comes from the Hanseatic brewery Barbarossa I Am: Their grut beer is called The Brewer and is flavored with mugwort, heather, lavender, and yarrow. Aging in sherry casks gives the brew a modern touch.

The Brewer has the color of freshly brewed coffee and combines spicy herbs with floral hints and a velvety malt sweetness. The sherry provides woody undertones, fruity grape notes, and a fiery warmth.