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Gruit Ale

5 gallons or 19 L, all-grain; OG = 1.064; FG = 1.014; SRM = 45; ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients

• 8.5 lbs. (3.8 kg) pale ale two-row malt 3–4 °L
• 1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess flaked barley (1.5 °L)
• 2.5 lbs. (1.14 kg) dark Briess Munich malt ( 20 °L)
• 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg) Briess roasted barley ( 300 °L)
• 1.0 lb. (approx. 0.45 kg) Weyermann dark wheat malt (6—8°L)
• 1/2 oz. (56 g) dried lavender
• 2 oz. (56 g) dried woodruff
• 1/2 oz. (14 g) dried juniper berries
• 1/2 oz. (14 g) dried rosemary
• 1 package ale yeast (English or German wheat beer)
• 1/2 cup dry malt extract or corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step:

Place the herb mixture into a pot. Boil about two quarts (or two liters) of water. Pour over the herbs and let steep for about one hour. Meanwhile, single-infusion mash the grain at about 152 °F (67 ºC). Let rest for about an hour. Then sparge, allowing the grain bed temperature to rise to about 165–170 °F (~75 ºC), but not above.

Boil for about half an hour to coagulate the proteins into trub. Turn off the heat and strain the herb tea through a sieve into the wort. Let the wort rest for about 30 minutes to precipitate the trub. If your gravity is slightly off at the end of the boil, do not worry: You are making gruitbier!

Heat-exchange the wort to the fermentation temperature of the selected yeast. Rack the brew after about three weeks, prime and package. The brew is ready to drink after about a week of conditioning.

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(5 gallons or 19 L, extract plus grain; OG = 1.064; FG = 1.014; SRM = 45; ABV = 6.6%

Ingredients:

• 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) pale ale liquid malt extract
• 1.0 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess flaked barley (1.5 °L)
• 2.5 lbs. (1.14 kg) dark Briess Munich malt (20 °L)
• 0.5 lbs (approx. 0.23 kg) Briess roasted barley (300 °L)
• 1.0 lb. (approx. 0.45 kg) Weyermann dark wheat malt (6–8 °L)
• 1/2 oz. (56 g) dried lavender 
• 2 oz. (56 g) dried woodruff
• 1/2 oz. (14 g) dried juniper berries
• 1/2 oz. (14 g) dried rosemary
• 1 package ale yeast (English or German wheat beer)
• 1/2 cup dry malt extract or corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step:

Prepare the herb mixture as described for the all-grain version. Mill the specialty malts and steep in four bags for about an hour in about two gallons (eight liters) of water at about 160 °F (71 ºC).

Remove the bags and stir in the extract. Add another 2 gallons (7.6 liters) of additional water. Boil for about 20 minutes. Then strain the herb tea into the wort and measure the gravity. Because it is not certain how great a contribution to extract you achieved from the steeped grain, take a gravity reading and add enough water to get close to the target OG.

Then heat-exchange the wort to the fermentation temperature of the selected yeast (most likely close to room temperature). Rack the brew after about three weeks, prime and package. Age at least a week and enjoy!