adding dates to a stout?

[lukasfab]

Anyone done this?

have a stout in the fv cc at the moment and thought about adding dates, will this work?

 

[Kranky]

I haven't done it. You might want to pasteurize them first. Also I'd try and break them up a bit, like you do when you add fruit to a beer.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I am in the process of brewing the plum porter, I bought 2.2 kg of plums but before I had time to freeze them my wife and kids had eaten most, so I am going to put Sunraysia Prune juice into the secondary now, after tasting the commercial Plum Porter I think that prune juice is what was added.
I believe it is best to put them in a secondary from what I read about adding fruit.

 

[lukasfab]

so just chucking in couple kg of dates into to the fv isn't advisable?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

From what I have read it seems most add the fruit to the secondary, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't add the dates to the primary if you don't use secondary. Try it and see you are not going to be left with something that is undrinkable

 

[TimT]

The idea has a bit of history.... going back to ancient Sumer, more or less!

It's speculated that either honey or dates were used in the original Sumerian ales, (probably both were, in different ales). Yeast to begin the fermentation may have indeed come from wild dates. When I made my experimental ancient Sumerian ale last year I used both honey and dates.

The smell of dates and coriander in the wort was kind of amazing. So I reckon dates + coriander + other spices would be a winning combo in a stout. Go for it!

 

[JDW81]

What about a date puree? Puree some dates and a little bit of water then heat up to pasteurisation temperatures. Dump into a secondary or at the end of primary.

If you pull out some pectins it won't really matter in a stout as in small numbers they mainly affect clarity, not something that is a priority in dark beer.

 

[lukasfab]

Had a chance to find some info, seems that a lot would chop up the fruit, freeze, thaw and soak in some star san or vodka
and also because of the sugars another ferment kicks off?
current stout has been in primary for nearly a month and now is at 2c for the last week so maybe ill do another one and add dates after a week or 2 after pitching. Wonder if 2kg is to much?
couple sticks of cinnamon ?

 

[jyo]

I have fermented date syrup in a Belgian Dark Strong and an ESB, both turned out great. Subtle date flavours and aromas. I was actually considering doing the same in my case swap stout coming up.
However, I chopped the dates, boiled in water, strained, then caramelised the resulting juice to a tasty, sticky syrup, and added this to the end of the boil. I would like to try adding this to secondary, but it's supposedly a fairly simple sugar and ferments out anyway.

Here is some more information and pics- http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/59210-belgian-dark-strong-with-dates/?hl=%2Bbrewing+%2Bwith+%2Bdates

 

[wynnum1]

Organic dates without preservatives.

 

[sponge]

Had a chance to find some info, seems that a lot would chop up the fruit, freeze, thaw and soak in some star san or vodka

I haven't added dates to a stout before so can't comment on that, but I wouldn't be soaking them in starsan and adding it to my beer. Vodka is a much better option IMO.