Long before hops became the just about the only herb used to make beer, many different herbs and spices went into beer, and mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris L.) was often the brewers choice. Prior to the 17th century in Europe most beer was spiced with an herbal mixture called gruit. The exact blend of herbs and spices was often a closely guarded secret, but commonly used were mugwort, yarrow, cinnamon, nutmeg, and nettles. Mugwort has a mellow sage-like aroma, but it has strong bittering properties and is one of the best herbs aside from hops for this purpose. From 1/2 to 1 oz. of dried Mugwort for bittering is sufficient for a 5 gallon batch. Mugwort is often used in herbal medicine, and is very good for treating digestive disorders, as an antidepressant, and to calm nerves.