# Hibiscus Beer



## Kevin_mtl (17/10/10)

Hi, 
Does anyone ever try to make a hibiscus beer ? If yes, would it be possible to give me some guine line ? I'm thinking to the Blanche d'Hibiscus from Dieu du Ciel as a reference.
Actually, I was thinking about adding hibiscus syrup (http://www.wildhibiscus.com/shop/index.html) at the end of the fermentation and prior to bottling. I will take the OG of the syrup before to know how much to add. I was thinking using that with a standard wheat ale and may be some liberty and sterling hops. Does that sound feasible ? 
Thank you ! 
Kevin


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## Muggus (17/10/10)

Blanche d'Hibiscus certainly is an interesting beer.
If I remember correctly, it's loosely based on a Belgian Wit with flowers(i think) added, assumingly after the primary ferment. 
It seemed to have a distinct tartness to it, like some raspberry beers. Not sure if that comes from fruit/flowers themselves, or the base beer.

As for those flowers in syrup, it might work. Not sure how strong the flavour is of them, but you're on the right track taking a gravity reading of the syrup...could be used in place of sugar in 2ndary ferment?


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## waggastew (17/10/10)

You might be best off using dried hibiscus flowers boiled up in some water. Lots of middle eastern countries make a tea out of dried red hibiscus flowers. We had it alot in Egypt, served cold with a sh*$load of sugar. Ends up tasting like rasberry cordial with a bit of tannin, quite nice. The product is called Karkade (pronounced kar-ka-dee), I have attached a photo below. 

We bought ours from a Middle Eastern grocer in Sydney, try places like Lakemba, Fairfield etc. Make sure you get the whole flowers, not black tea mixed with bits of flowers. It was pretty cheap ~$5 bag.

I hadn't thought about using it before but you have got me thinking. I am currently brewing a wheat/wit/weiss combo beer to some of which I was going to add some passionfruit. I might split it again and put some hibiscus in it! If I do I will report back.



















PS. The flowers themselves make the drink quite tart, so I guess thats where the acidity in the commercial examples comes from


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## beers (17/10/10)

Interesting.
Have not tried it myself but I would think that priming with the syrup should work. Just not sure on how much flavour you would pick up. I have tried the flowers in syrup in Champagne, & IIRC the person mixing them was adding a good dash of the syrup & a flower to each glass. I'd be inclined to buy a similar commercial & a jar of the flowers to experiment 1st in the glass.


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## winkle (17/10/10)

Rosellas will give you a similar result.
_(No not the parrot)_ <_< 
I do a seasonal Rosella Wit that is ok if a little tart, boil the rosellas down to a syrup for late kettle and secondary additions.


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## brett mccluskey (17/10/10)

winkle said:


> Rosellas will give you a similar result.
> _(No not the parrot)_ <_<
> I do a seasonal Rosella Wit that is ok if a little tart, boil the rosellas down to a syrup for late kettle and secondary additions.


You lucky bugger to have access to rosella,ihavent tasted them for 20 years, when i lived in Mackay and had some growing there.It would make a very interesting beer i think :super:


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## brettprevans (17/10/10)

To make hibiscus tea u used the dried flowers. I concur that this would be the way the go. You might need a fair sack of flowers though


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## Kevin_mtl (19/10/10)

Thanks for your replies,
I continue un little bit my research regarding the hibiscus and the commercial hibiscus flower syrop is 50$ for a pot of 1000g. The ingredient are: Hibiscus (40%), water, cane suger. So, I will follow Muggus's tips and buy some dry hibiscus and make my own syrop. I will give you some feedback !


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## justsomeguy (19/10/10)

Check with Asher.

He has a mighty fine Hibiscus blonde that goes down a treat.
I think he used around 1.5kg of hibiscus flowers in a 60 litre batch.

garyd


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## Shed101 (19/10/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> To make hibiscus tea u used the dried flowers. I concur that this would be the way the go. You might need a fair sack of flowers though



That's surprising - a teaspoon of dried flowers makes a very strong hibiscus tea.


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## Asher (19/10/10)

This beer was made with dried hibiscus sabdariffa - around 20g/litre . I use a little less for wit's
The glass on the left is the beer. The glass on the right is a rose


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## waggastew (19/10/10)

Asher, any details on how you added the hibiscus? Dry/steeped? Boil/primary/secondary?

Cheers



Asher said:


> This beer was made with dried hibiscus sabdariffa - around 20g/litre . I use a little less for wit's
> The glass on the left is the beer. The glass on the right is a rose
> View attachment 41515


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## The_Duck (19/10/10)

Hmmm... a bit off topic... but I have been experimenting with mead and lately been sampling my "Champagne Mead" made with "Tropical Fusion" honey from up near Cairns.

After one of SWMBO's girly nights recently, there was a jar of the Wild Hibiscus flowers left behind. I have to say my mead is alright but changes completely with the addition of a flower and some syrup.

It adds a layer of complexity without completely overwhelming the base mead. I'm not saying that I am now some flower-laden champagne sipping nancy but it was an interesting experiment nonetheless.

Also means SWMBO has another beverage option that does not involve a trip to the bottle-o  


Duck


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## Effect (19/10/10)

Asher said:


> This beer was made with dried hibiscus sabdariffa - around 20g/litre . I use a little less for wit's
> The glass on the left is the beer. The glass on the right is a rose
> View attachment 41515



primary, boil, did you make a tea or just 'dry hop'?


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## thanme (19/10/10)

The_Duck said:


> I'm not saying that I am now some flower-laden champagne sipping nancy



Hahah


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## Andyd (21/10/10)

Funnily enough, Asher is one of the brewers for this year's ANHC Food and Beer Pairing dinner, and he's pumped out a mighty fine Hibiscus Blonde for us... if you're coming along, look forward to a crackin' dessert!

Thanks Asher!

Andy


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## sirhendo (5/11/10)

Asher said:


> This beer was made with dried hibiscus sabdariffa - around 20g/litre . I use a little less for wit's
> The glass on the left is the beer. The glass on the right is a rose
> View attachment 41515



Asher - I know I asked you this at the ANHC dinner but it was club night after and I'd had too much Wild Hog....where did you get the hibiscus from again?

Cheers!

Hendo


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## Effect (5/11/10)

Recipe please!


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## dr_pepper (18/11/10)

Phillip said:


> Recipe please!



i second this notion!


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## Asher (18/11/10)

Asher's ANHC Hibiscus Belgian Blonde No 2
--------------------------------------------------------

Batch Size (L): 55.00
Wort Size (L): 55.00
Total Grain (kg): 13.80
Anticipated OG: 1.065 Plato: 15.96
Anticipated SRM: 5.7
Anticipated IBU: 25.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 78 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar
----------------------------

79.7%	Weyermann Pilsner
9.4%	Cane Sugar (add to kettle at start of boil - adjust amount to hit pre-boil gravity if efficiency off)
7.2%	Weyermann Wheat Malt Light
3.6%	Bairds Amber malt


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
55.00 g. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.70 14.4 60 min.
55.00 g. Hallertau Hersbrucker Pellet 3.70 11.3 60 min.


Yeast
-------------
Your favourite Belgian Strain. - Ferment low to minimise ester production and produce clean alcohols


Mash Schedule
-----------------------
Mashed at 66deg for about an hour with a HERMS Mash out
Single Infusion : Liquor to grist ratio of 3:1


Notes
--------

Hibiscus Beer 
- 1000g of Hibiscus sabdariffa Get it here online flowers added at flame out. 
- Steep for 10mins.
- Whirlpool
- Pump to fermenter through CFC



Stop. Look. Smell. Taste. Enjoy!

Asher


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## sirhendo (18/11/10)

Asher said:


> Asher's ANHC Hibiscus Belgian Blonde No 2
> --------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Batch Size (L): 55.00
> ...



You - Asher - are a freaking legend.....cheers!

Hendo


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## Asher (18/11/10)

Some more interesting facts about Hibiscus Beer for you:

LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE & CONTROLL CHOLESTEROL
Studies have shown hibiscus beer(well actually tea...) to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure and may control cholesterol. To the point if fact that it should be avoided by those with low blood pressure.

HIGH IN VITAMIN C
The beer is rich in vitamin C that helps to fight cold and other infections, by strengthening immune system of the body. 

ANTIOXIDANT LEVELS SIMILAR TO RED
If used in similar concentration to my recipe it has antioxidant levels similar to red wine. These include antioxidants like citric acid and ascorbic acid, that aid in protecting body cells. Thus the beer protects the body against bacterial attack and also increases defense mechanisms against infections. It is both antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic in nature.

LOOSE WEIGHT
Hibiscus Beer contains an enzyme inhibitor which blocks the production of amylase. Amylase is an enzyme that breaks down complex sugars and starches. Enjoying a glass of hibiscus beer after a meal will reduce the absorption of dietary carbohydrates and will assist in weight loss.

PLUS
Regular consumption of hibiscus beer will help prevent constipation and bladder infection. 

So to sum up. It is the 'ultimate' beer for the ciggy smoking, sedentary alco :lol:


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## brettprevans (18/11/10)

asher - how does it compare to the Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rose D'hibiscus? Id say by the look of your grian bill that yours is a little less sweet?

even with the flowersd costing $24 a kilo its still cheaper than making a strawberry wheat.

im also interested as to whether or not youve played around with putting som of the floweres in secondary for extra kick?


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## brendo (18/11/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> asher - how does it compare to the Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rose D'hibiscus? Id say by the look of your grian bill that yours is a little less sweet?
> 
> even with the flowersd costing $24 a kilo its still cheaper than making a strawberry wheat.
> 
> im also interested as to whether or not youve played around with putting som of the floweres in secondary for extra kick?



Having been lucky enough to taste this at the dinner - I can say it was a kick-arse beer and certainly didn't lack anything in the flavour coming through - the balance was really quite good as is.


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## bconnery (18/11/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> asher - how does it compare to the Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rose D'hibiscus? Id say by the look of your grian bill that yours is a little less sweet?
> 
> even with the flowersd costing $24 a kilo its still cheaper than making a strawberry wheat.
> 
> im also interested as to whether or not youve played around with putting som of the floweres in secondary for extra kick?


Depends on where you get your strawberries...
I pay $5 for a box of jamming strawberries and get between 3-5kgs...


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## brettprevans (18/11/10)

bconnery said:


> Depends on where you get your strawberries...
> I pay $5 for a box of jamming strawberries and get between 3-5kgs...


ok yes true. in melb i havent seen prices that cheap. last time i made your straw beer i paid a lot more than $25 for my 3kg


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## bconnery (18/11/10)

citymorgue2 said:


> ok yes true. in melb i havent seen prices that cheap. last time i made your straw beer i paid a lot more than $25 for my 3kg


I'm lucky to have markets with several growers stands up here.
This season particularly there was a glut on strawberries. I got around 5.5kg for my $5 this year instead of the usual 3/3.5...

Related to the topic I enjoyed the Hibiscus beer very much. Had a lovely tart finish that I enjoy in a fruit beer.


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## ledgenko (18/11/10)

Asher , thanks for the recipe .. I am digging the thought of it .. and will def be having a go at it .. then adjusting to wifes taste !! looks like it would be a nice summery beer !!

thanks again!!

Matt


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## boriskane (27/11/10)

if im not mistaken The Monk Brewery in Fremantle, WA has a drink that combines their Wit with the Hibiscus and one more ingredient. 

They call it: The Hibeerscus.


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## waggastew (2/12/10)

Brewed a wheat/weiss/wit mongrel as per the link below. 

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry711258

Did a small trial using 1L of the weiss (after 1 week in primay) mixed with some hibiscus tea (handful of dried flowers, boiling H2O, 30g of dex) and left for 2 more weeks.

Cracked the bottle tonight






Ummm.....wow......hibiscus is made for this beer. Tart, hint of rasberry, convert even the most staunch non-beer drinkers. Nice colour.

Will brew a full batch next year. Do it......do it now!

Stew


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## Tanga (7/12/10)

Yes freakin' please. That looks gorgeous. I was eyeing your wheat bastard earlier. I think I'll have to brew one when I can get hold of some decently priced extract.


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## jyo (7/12/10)

Cheers for sharing the recipe, Asher.
Shared this with the missus last night. What an amazing beer! On the to-do list.

Cheers John.


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## waggastew (29/1/12)

Update here re: this years attempt at a hibiscus weizen

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry872870


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## of mice and gods (28/5/13)

winkle said:


> Rosellas will give you a similar result.
> _(No not the parrot)_ <_<
> I do a seasonal Rosella Wit that is ok if a little tart, boil the rosellas down to a syrup for late kettle and secondary additions.


I think you'll find the common name wild hibiscus and rosella both refer to the same plant (i.e. - _Hibiscus sabdariffa_).

You can buy the seeds cheaply and the plant flowers profusely with little care. The mrs is currently filling my freezer from only a small patch (less then a m2 planted with 10 dwarf rosella's) I planted in the veggie garden, so a cheaper alternative is to grow your own (dependant on climate, infrastructure or gardening prowess) and make your own syrup by simmering them in a water/sugar solution.

cheers,
Al


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## of mice and gods (28/5/13)

I may have miscontrued this statement. Apologies to winkle if that was the point you were making (re: rosellas giving a similar result to wild hibiscus).


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## indica86 (20/4/14)

Rosella time again. I may have to make this.
I wonder what weight of fresh will be needed for a 25 litre batch?


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## TimT (20/4/14)

Nice, I made a tagetes beer last year. Tagetes are a kind of edible flower (mostly - check your variety, there'll be information about it on the net) with an amazing strong sweet pineapply aroma, often used in salads or, in traditional South American brewing to add flavour and aroma. I just chucked a bunch in at flame out too. Turns out the aroma was so strong that almost none of it was lost in the heat or during the primary fermentation, and although it tended to be lost after the brews got a bit old - like, a few months - it left behind a very attractive spiciness. One of my best beers last year


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