Gruit

Gruit is a term that describes a mixture of herbs used as a beer flavoring, but it is also used to denote the drink that has been flavored with these herbs. Although it is sometimes classified as such, gruit is not technically considered a beer style.

It is believed that they first appeared in western Europe, probably Netherlands, Belgium, or Germany. The combination of herbs and spices used in gruit varied, and it mainly depended on location and availability. Popular options included bog myrtle, yarrow, wild rosemary, and mugwort, but laurel, cumin, nettle, lemon balm, caraway, mint, juniper, and other herbs and spices were also added.

Gruit was not only used for flavor. It provided bitterness and extended shelf life. Adding gruit to beer is an ancient technique that mainly disappeared in the 16th century when hops became the standard. Nowadays, gruit is only occasionally produced by few craft breweries.