Brew Like a Viking *In-Person* *NEW*

Ale is one of the oldest beverages produced by humanity, a method of preserving calories from otherwise perishable grain while also providing a way to make water safe to drink. The Scandinavian people brewed both ale and mead, but their ale was quite unlike the IPAs available today. For one thing, hops did not come into common use as a flavoring agent until the 11th century, well into the Viking age. Instead, they flavored their beers with gruit, a mix of herbs which they could collect locally. These included mugwort, heather flower, yarrow, and meadowsweet. We will brew a beer, with your choice of herbs in the gruit, and send you home with a gallon of the brew. Course fees include a growler and gas lock, and all instructions to complete fermenting the ale. Instructor: Michael McComas

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Instructor

Michael McComas has a degree in creative writing and mechanical engineering. A graduate of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop, he has been an Associate Editor at Aboriginal SF and Avesta Blues Publishing. He is a founding member of The Mechanics Writing Workshop in Cambridge.