wales ales----gruit ale

[timbo41]

The beer monster known to forum as WalesAles kindly sent me an unusual offering----a gruit ale. To those unfamiliar with this speciality ale, its unhopped, I can't at moment I can't link his recipe in, bloody Crapberry phone! But will try plus piccies later. Review exactly as I wrote it ....early beer I know but wanted a clear untainted taster!

" Beautiful clear deep tawny colour,red highlights. Highly carbed,saison like, off white head with fine but lively beading. The small yeast cake began to break up so it was a quick pour--my fault. Good head three fingers. Fairly compact. Lasting. Nice gulp rings. Some lacing. Were there hops? An almost fugglish aroma,earthy like the first shovel of good loam after rain. Fizzy on the tongue. Herby tinge not heavy. I get a dry stone fruit, drying,ginger acidity. A little alcohol warmth"

Excuse the jilly goolden. Never wrote review before

This ones a little wierd. Old school. No big arse kicking citrus. But didn't last long and I wanted another. Can't really think of anything like it except ely rugby clubs castle eden years back, when nothing had been pulled for a day or so--slightly gritty if you get my poor description. Stick this through a handpull and you'd go the session with it. A marmite beer as wales says. Well thanks mate I like marmite---really like this Cheers

[Wonkydonkey]

Sounds interesting, I was reading about gruit ales the other day, in the book " for the love of hops" want to make a beer where it's got alcohol and it stimulant rather than a sedative.

I'm getting old and find it hard to party all night long, and the doc refuses to give Viagra