beers of yore

Today’s beer style is the Ancient Ale also known as the Ancient Herbed Ale or the Scottish Gruit. They are herbed and spiced elixirs brewed to stimulate the mind and evoke euphoria. Specifically, original Gruits were brewed with yarrow, wild rosemary, and sweet gale. Some of these have even been aphrodisiacal. The beer I will be sampling is Dogfish Head’s Birra Etrusca Bronze. The ingredients list on the label includes honey, hazelnut flour, heirloom wheat, myrrh, gentian root, raisins, pomegranate juice and pomegranates. It is a very interesting mix. Dogfish Head specializes in Ancient Ales such as Midas Touch, which is brewed with barley, honey, white muscat grapes, and saffron. They take residue samples from millennial old pots and urns and reconstruct the beers.
Appearance: serving this slightly chilled in my favorite Duvel tulip. An easy pour delivers a nice, tight, two finger head. The color is a nice, bold, tea-like.
Nose: it is very intoxicating, rich and deep. There are flashes of sweet bread, corn meal, flour, and dark honey.
Taste: very biscuity with a sourness on the tongue and a twist of lime. I honestly am not sure what myrrh and gentian root is supposed to taste like. I do get the smell of pomegranate every time I take a sip.
This is a very intriguing brew. I think there was a little too much going on, though. I think the dominating taste was the flour and one of those ingredients gave the sourness, which was a nice touch. I think I will have to research the taste and smell of myrrh and gentian root. Another Gruit that can be found at select ABC stores is Froach Heather Ale by Williams Brothers Brewing Company.