Beer used to be a LOT stranger than it is today.In this episode of The Growers Show, we continue our journey through the history of medieval brewing with one of the most influential beer regulations ever written: Bavaria's famous beer law of 1516, later known as the Reinheitsgebot or German Beer Purity Law.The law restricted Bavarian beer to just three ingredients: barley, hops, and water.But what was in beer BEFORE the law?For centuries, brewers had flavored their beer with mixtures of herbs often referred to as gruit. Depending on the time and place, medieval brews could contain plants such as mugwort, yarrow, sweet gale, heather and other herbs—and historical sources even describe dangerous or intoxicating additives finding their way into some beers.The official explanations for brewing regulations included maintaining beer quality, protecting consumers, controlling prices, and reserving valuable grains such as wheat for bread.But we wanted to dig deeper.Who benefited when the ingredients in one of Europe's most important drinks became legally restricted? How did the rise of hops change medieval brewing? What happened to the enormous diversity of herbal beers that existed beforehand? And how were beer, taxation, political power, monasteries, brewers, and the ruling classes intertwined?We also explore some of the more controversial theories surrounding the law—including the idea that eliminating certain herbal brews may have changed not only who controlled beer production, but the kinds of experiences people could have from drinking it.Was the Beer Purity Law simply an early form of consumer protection?Was it economic regulation?Was it about political and religious power?Or was it some combination of all three?Grab a beer and join us as we explore medieval brewing, gruit, monks, hops, strange herbs, Bavarian politics, and the surprisingly complicated story behind the law that changed beer forever.As always, expect history, plants, speculation, questionable jokes, and plenty of Growers Show chaos along the way.

What did medieval monks actually do all day?Believe it or not, the answer involved a lot more than sitting quietly in a monastery praying.In this episode of the Growers Podcast, we're going back to medieval Europe to explore the fascinating history of monastic brewing, medieval beer, monastery breweries, farming, herb gardens, bread making, and traditional crafts.Monasteries weren't simply places where monks lived and prayed. Many became important economic and agricultural centers, producing food, beer, wine, medicines, herbs, bread, and other goods for their communities.The Benedictine tradition famously emphasized ora et labora — "prayer and work." Monks were expected to devote themselves not only to spiritual life but also to productive work, craftsmanship, farming, gardening, and self-sufficiency.And apparently, some of those monks got really good at making beer.We'll explore how medieval monks brewed beer, why beer was such an important part of medieval life, how monasteries became centers of agriculture and craftsmanship, and how monks helped preserve and develop knowledge about plants, herbs, farming, fermentation, brewing, and food production.We'll also look at the gardens and farms that supplied monasteries, the herbs used by medieval monks, the role of beer and fermentation in medieval society, and how some monastic brewing traditions survived for centuries.And, of course, we'll have plenty of jokes along the way.Prayer. Work. Farming. Gardening. Brewing. Baking.Maybe medieval monks had figured out something we've forgotten.🍺🌿Growers Show Ep 35

Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) has become one of the most talked-about medicinal mushrooms in the world—but does it live up to the hype?In this episode of the Growers Podcast, we dive into the fascinating history, health benefits, and culinary uses of lion's mane. We discuss the research surrounding brain health, memory, focus, nerve growth, inflammation, and holistic wellness, while also sharing our own thoughts on why growing and cooking your own food can be such a rewarding part of a healthier lifestyle.We also cover where to buy fresh lion's mane at local farmers markets, how to grow it at home from grow kits, where to forage for it in the wild, and some of our favorite ways to prepare it in the kitchen. From "crab cakes" to steaks and stir-fries, lion's mane is one of the most versatile edible mushrooms you can find.As always, expect plenty of jokes, random tangents, and the usual Growers Podcast chaos along the way.If you enjoy learning about medicinal plants, mushrooms, regenerative agriculture, holistic health, and sustainable living, be sure to subscribe for more episodes