May is here, and as the old saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. In light of this, it seems appropriate to take a look at some of the beers on the market that are brewed with flowers.
For those who did not know, though, all beer is brewed with flowers; hops, the bittering agent that offsets the malt sweetness in beer are a type of flower with oils and resins that, when boiled, impart bitterness onto the beer. Even before hops were discovered, in fact – some time around the turn of the first millenium – beer was still brewed with flowers, along with other herbs and spices.
Gruit, as we now know it, was brewed chiefly with wild rosemary, bog myrtle, and yarrow, and was surely a far cry from the hopped beer that succeeded it. Nonetheless, these, as well as other bittering agents, aided in offsetting the malt sweetness that would otherwise render the beer exceedingly and cloyingly sweet and therefore undrinkable.
Let’s take a look at some modern commercially brewed beers that are brewed with flowers other than hops:
1. Perennial Saison de Lis: A hazy gold ale with a light body and a creamy mouthfeel. Accents include biscuit-like chamomile tea flavors with a hint of orange and black pepper.
2. Saison Cazeau: This saison from Belgian brewery Brasserie De Cazeau is brewed with elderflowers and is hazy gold in color. A stronger spice flavor can be noticed with a slight tartness and notes of lemon zest, rosemary, and a light vegetal character.
3. Rosee de hibiscus: A hibiscus wheat ale from Canadian brewery Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel. Reddish strawberry in color with flavors of rose petals, cherries, and lemongrass that give way to a crisp, tart apricot flavor and a dry finish.
4. Aztec Hibiscus Wheat: This hibiscus wheat ale from Aztec Brewing of Vista, CA is quite a bit different than the previous one and is closer to the style of an American wheat ale. It sports a light spice flavor of chai, with a tangy, grapefruit quality and a light hibiscus aftertaste.
5. Fraoch Heather Ale: An ale brewed with heather from Williams Brothers Brewing Company in Scotland. Sporting a murky gold color, this beer comes through with a sweetish, caramel malt flavor along with some mixed berries and herbs and a touch of honey on the finish.
So raise a glass to spring, and while you’re at it, to summer, because here in Southern California, summer has already arrived! Cheers!
