No hops beer ideas

[steppenwulf]

I am interested in no-hops beers for a couple of different reasons.

First of all, hops has been used in beer only for 300-400 years, while beer has been brewed for over 6,000 years. I figure there are probably a few good beers you can make without hops. Especially when you consider that one of the reasons that hops got in all beers was that it was the law, so that the government could make money by taxing hops. And there were riots when hops was first forced into beer - people gave their lives to drink beer without hops - they thought it made beer bitter.

Second, I noticed that most of my favourite beer styles are low in hops:
Bocks and Double Bocks (I love Spaten Optimator)
Belgian Dubbels, Quadrupels, and Strong Dark Ales (I love Le Trappe Quadrupel among many other Belgian and Belgian style brews)
English Milds, Brown Ales, and (low hop) Bitters
Scotch Ales

I also know my way around a few spices and have some ideas for brews - coriander, cumin, and fenugreek for a wheat brew, cardamom and warm spices for a dark ale

So I am planning to brew some no-hops brews. Any suggestions or successful recipes that people have tried are very welcome.

[jesskidden]

Especially when you consider that one of the reasons that hops got in all beers was that it was the law, so that the government could make money by taxing hops. And there were riots when hops was first forced into beer - people gave their lives to drink beer without hops -

Cite? Never read of that. Certainly acceptance of hopped beer took time, and was gradual and happened at different times in each beer brewing country but "taxes" and "riots"?

[steppenwulf]

I think I read it in a coffee table book called something like "The Taste of Beer". I'll try and check on it when I get a chance. Not necessarily the most authoritative of sources, but I remember being impressed with the amount of research and passion from the author of the book.

From what I remember was written in the book, English beers were originally strong and sweet, while the new hopped beers that the Flemish liked were hopped, bitter, and weaker. Weaker beer meant less grain meant more profit for breweries, so they breweries liked the new beer they were making for the Flemish workers, so started encouraging all their customers to drink hopped beers. Some liked it, some didn't.

If I remember, gruit was a proprietary spice mix for beer, that only the Brewers Guild could make, and it was taxed by the church. In England, the new hops were taxed by the crown, which then required everyone to brew with hops instead of Gruit, so the crown would make more profit. There were riots in some areas where ordinary people didn't want to be forced to drink beer with hops because it was too bitter.

[Fweezle]

I'm personally a fan of heather beers especially Fraoch Heather Ale. I haven't gotten around to brewing one yet but my local spice lady said she can get me in fresh heather tips if needed. I really love the taste. There's a no hop style beer for you.

[dparsons]

Anything you would consider good in bread can work with beer.