Venn - Sauerbier

Long before the introduction of the Bavarian Purity Law in 1516 and before beer was flavored exclusively with hops, all kinds of herbs were thrown into the kettle This so-called Grutbier was particularly widespread in the far north and was brewed there until well into the 16th century The plants used varied, but the most common were sharp fork, young spruce shoots, all kinds of wild herbs, heather and gale were used particularly frequently The latter is a shrub that is common in the north of America, in Asia and throughout Europe and was used for brewing a thousand years before Christ Gale was also used to make liqueur and insect repellent and for tanning

The brewery Kemker Kultuur, which specializes in brewing historical beers, has used the herb to make its Gagel beer Following the example of the classic Münsterna Grutbier, Jan and his team have brewed fresh Gagel to give their beer a special aroma

After completion, the brew was filled into wooden barrels The majestic vessels previously housed the finest red wine and held the unusual beer for an incredible 21 months At the end of this long maturation, the result is a creation that combines soft cereal notes with resinous hints and the taste of freshly grated orange peel

The beer is called Venn and is a noble drop that can add holiday flair to any Monday!