From Torchlight Brewing in Nelson BC comes their "Gruit (Traditional Medieval Ale)". The beer pours a deep brown colour with a tan head. The aroma consists of lots of different spices and a sweetness but I can not really differentiate what is what. The flavour is of a mixture of spices, sweet caramel, some sourness and lots of fruit notes. The alcohol content comes in at 8%. I will admit the first time I had this beer when it was still fresh I was not a huge fan but this bottle has really mellowed out and I quite enjoyed it. I will also admit I enjoy very few Gruits as I am not a big fan of most of spice combinations they use.
Commercial Description: Definitely not for everyone this ancient ale is sour and less carbonated than anything we drink today. The recipe is from the Middle Ages and the herbs used to make it were used before hops were discovered. Flavoured with things like mugwort, yarrow, meadowsweet, heather tips, and fermented with some brettanomyces this is definitely a strange taste experience and not for the wary. It's bottle conditioning and best when aged so putting it away to cellar will vastly improve its taste and carbonation.
