Herbalism

How many times have you walked down a trail and thought, “I wonder if any of these plants are edible or useful in any way”? If you’re a brewer, that question inevitably becomes, “I wonder if I can make a beer out of this?”.  

Turns out that almost everything you see has a not-so-secret relationship with brewing that extends back thousands of years. Local herbs were being used for over 3000 years before hops became the singular plant for bettering and aromas.

As we explored the use of many native plants in our brewing, every reference text inevitably recommended that we “consult a local herbalist”. So, after a few free plant walks with local herbalist Ginger Webb, Trevor had already identified several plants with which to brew. And yet, Trevor still didn’t know enough about these plants and herbs to confidently brew with them. Thus, in 2019, he completed a nine-month program through Ginger’s Sacred Journey School of Herbalism. While plant identification was an important part of the program, the main focus was on the proper harvesting and the use of native plants. Knowing what a plant is made of, which parts are good for brewing, when to harvest, and finally how to harvest each part so the plant continues to thrive all contribute crucial components to our brewing process and our relationship with the land.

When you discover new ingredients and plants through our beer, food, or property, please remember that ethical harvesting and land stewardship is the first and most important part of our process.