Lavender, rosemary and thyme gruit ale “St. Luke’s Verse” available now

St Luke’s Verse, a lavender, rosemary and thyme gruit ale from Beau’s Brewery’s Gruit Series, is available now in select LCBOs in Ontario for a three-month engagement this fall. It is also available for sampling and purchase at the Vankleek Hill’s craft brewery’s onsite retail store, and at select retailers in the province of Québec.

Brewed with an aromatic bouquet of herb and spice, the flavours in St. Luke’s Verse present in unison as a deliciously drinkable potpourri. The 5.7% ale pours copper in colour, with a white foam. Intense lavender aroma is complemented by contributions of thyme and rosemary. The flavours parallel the aromas and are held together with medium-bodied malt backdrop. The finish is medium dry with echoing herbal inflections.

The food-like flavours in this unusual herbal ale lend themselves perfectly to pairing with cheeses or dinner, or to cooking with as an ingredient. Recommended pairings are soft cheeses like fresh mozzarella, ricotta and mascarpone, herbed autumn stews, or savoury desserts like Alsatian-style tarte flambé (bacon, caramelized onions, thyme and fresh cheese).

Beau’s Gruit Series takes inspiration from centuries-old brewing tradition; a time before the Bavarian Purity Act of 1516 declared that all beer be made solely with barley, hops and water. In gruit ale, herbs, spices and other botanicals replace a dominant hop character, throwing the door open to experimentation. Each gruit in the series has a unique combination of ingredients and flavours. St. Luke’s Verse replaces the outgoing Buenos Dias summer gruit in the 2016 Beau’s Gruit Series. A fan favourite since 2008, Bog Water winter gruit will be coming up next in the series in December.