Beer Flavoured Beer
Valhalla has finally arrived here on Arran, and we’re all delighted with how it’s turned out. Since it’s a big Stout infused with our very own Opa Blend of Coffee from the wizards at the Arran Coffee Company, to celebrate its launch I thought we could take a look at the history of using ingredients other than hops to give beer its flavour. And this is my blog, so you’ve basically got no say in the matter. (Leave a Comment below for ideas for future blog posts)
Obviously, right off the bat, infusing a beer with flavours is nothing new. And while there are hundreds of thousands of beers on the market infused with everything from grapefruit to habanero and hibiscus, it’s worth reflecting on the traditional styles of infused beer.
Scotland has a long tradition of brewing and distilling, shocking as it may seem. We have evidence of brewing taking place in Scotland as far back as 5,000 years ago (including some earthenware uncovered in ruins right here on Arran!). Records dating to 325BC showed that the ancient Greek explorer & geographer Pytheas noted that the inhabitants of Caledonia were skilled in brewing a potent beverage - and since grapes don’t grow in Scotland, it’s safe to assume he wasn’t talking about wine!
Similar to grapes for winemaking, hops (the wonderful, wonderful ingredient that gives beer its bitterness, aromas and flavours) are not grown in Scotland. Tragically, our northern climate (read: cold) means that the plant is unable to grow fully, and can never develop the alpha- and beta-acids necessary for brewing purposes. So if hops were not available for Scottish brewers, what was in the potent beverage that Pytheas enjoyed in 325BC?
The beer produced in pre-historic Scotland, up until the end of the 1800s, was most likely what beer geeks like myself call Gruit; a beer flavoured with botanicals in place of hops. Similar to gin making, botanicals such as heather, bogmyrtle, meadowsweet or juniper can be added to the boiling wort to extract desirable flavours and aromas in the final drink. It’s very different to the beers we know of today, but it’s beer nonetheless!
While we still use hops in the Valhalla brew every year, I like to think that the addition of botanicals such as coffee is a tribute to the skills of our brewing forefathers; and I’m certainly looking forward to using more locally produced botanicals in future brews!