October 21, 2004

Reproduction of Gruit Beer in the Middle Ages
The second stage of the ‘Five Thousand Years of Beer’ research project
“Exploring the roots of the modern hopped beer”

Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. (Koichiro Aramaki, President) has reproduced gruit beer in the middle Ages, the second stage of its ‘Five Thousand Years of Beer’ research project, which aims to “explore the roots of the modern hopped beer.”The project is being conducted by the Kirin Research Institute of Drinking and Lifestyle. Gruit beer is made with a mixture of several herbs called the gruit^*1, and was widely consumed in Europe in the Middle Ages before beer flavored with hops became common. For this project Kirin reproduced brewing equipment in the period, and succeeded in reproducing gruit beer based on rare historical documents and knowledge of brewing. This is the first project of its kind in the world.
An exhibition presenting the process of brewing gruit beer during the Middle Ages, “Reproducing Gruit Beer- Herbs Inviting to Europe in the Middle Ages” will be held at Kirin Beer Park Kobe from December 21, 2004 through February 27, 2005.

*1	“Gruit” means a mixture of crushed herbs, and is considered to be derived from “Grob,”from the German brewing term “Grobschrot”(coarse material)

The project was begun in 2001, in anticipation of Kirin's centennial in 2007. Its goal is to reveal the 5,000-year history of beer by combining accumulated research on the origins, science, lifestyle and culture of beer. The first stage of the project, following the theme of “exploring the roots of beer,”was a reproduction of the beer of ancient Egypt.
During the second stage, Kirin explores the roots of modern beer, beginning research into the gruit beer of the Middle Ages. This beer is brewed by a mashing-fermentation process similar to the modern, not using hops but gruit for flavoring. With the assistance of Professor Karl Wackerbauer, a world-renowned expert in the field of brewing science from Berlin Technical University, and Assistant Professor Koichi Horikoshi, an expert in the lifestyles and literature of the Middle Ages from Toyo University, Kirin succeeded in brewing gruit beer by referring to rare historical materials.

Gruit was used in the same way as hops are used today, mainly to provide beer with a distinctive taste and fragrance. For this project Kirin used a gruit from the period, a combination of six herbs^*2 that included the distinctive sweet gale (Myrica gale), which gives the beer a crisp fragrance. In addition to the barley and wheat used to make modern beers, during the Middle Ages beer was brewed with oat^*3, an ingredient not often used today. The reproduced beer has an alcohol content of 8%. It has a full-flavored taste, a complex fragrance interwoven by the variety of herbs, and a refreshing bitterness.

*2	Sweet gale, ground ivy, betony, fennel, peppermint and mugwort.
*3	Oat is a material of oatmeal or used for animal feed.

The third stage of the project will explore the roots of beer in Japan, and will involve the reproduction of the first beer brewed in Japan.
As reflected in its corporate slogan, Ureshi wo, tsugi tsugi to (“Happiness, time after time”), the Kirin Group seeks to reproduce value that enriches everyday life. We will continue to study the culture and history surrounding our mainstay business of beer, thereby adding to its enjoyment.

Overview of the Reproduction of Gruit Beer in the Middle Ages

Overview of the Exhibition
Reproducing Gruit Beer-Herbs Inviting to Europe in the Middle Ages