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SchmohzZingiberene Ale

Before beer, there was gruit—hopless brew that gleaned its bit-terness from wormwood, juniper,

yarrow or whatever happened to be sproutingin the brewer’s yard. Then, in the early part of the last millennium, brewers discoveredhops’ antiseptic quality; later, Germanysealed hops’ fate as the ideal beer herb whenthe Reinheitsgebot made it illegal to brew abeer without them. Gradually, gruits becamethe lowly stepchildren of the brewing worldas hopped beer’s sedative properties werefavored over sometimes hallucinogenic gruit,and it was rumored the stuff was only craftedby witches.

But if gruit truly requires an eccentriccreator, it’s no surprise, then, that SchmohzBrewing’s Chas Thompson has revived thestyle. Loud, uproarious and a mad-geniusbrewer, he shuns residual sugar and harvestshuge flavor returns from raw ingredients. Suchis the case with 5.3%-ABV Zingiberene Ale,Thompson’s ginger-infused, sans-hop powerballad, touted as a natural energy beer by thenight brewing staff.

One whiff tells you this beer is no joke: With 20 pounds of fresh ginger in each 20-barrel batch (“I stick fresh ginger in theblender and press ‘annihilate,’ then leave it in the entire boil,” Thompson says), thehazy, cider-color beer’s aroma is decidedlyripe, but soft and rounded rather than tangy.Smells of fresh ginger and a bit of toast carrythrough to the sharp, zippy taste, wheresweet, tart ginger explodes on the tongueand extends through the entire swallow. Theginger could easily hijack the palate, butchocolate malt helps tame the beast, asdoes a tight, crisp mouthfeel that wards offcloying sensations and washes away all but a bit of ginger in the finish. Hop loyalistsmight need a sip or two to warm up to theabsence of bitterness, but will appreciatethe root’s ability to dry the drink and boostflavor; Farmhouse ale fans will notice thegruit’s similar sourness, with an earthinessreplacing a traditional sour ale’s musty barnyard notes. Sushi lovers will simplymake quick work of a bottle.

Price: $2 for a 12-ounce bottleGlassware: TulipPair with: Sushi, or a warm slice of mushroom tart Age: Up to one year

DRAFT 87

KEVIN ROBIE