An Ag Beer Without Hops. Anyone Done It?

[HoppingMad]

Ok. I get that hops balance a beer out flavour-wise. That said, has anyone considered leaving the hops untouched and seeing what happens?

A pure no-hop all-grain beer. No spices, nothing. I'm not talking fruit beers, I'm not talking gruit beers. Or a medieval beer with twigs in it. I'm talking running nude in the brew den. Totally hop-less. With 100% grain. If you've done it what did it taste like?

Or am I nuts for even considering this? I suspect there are plenty of grains out there that could have nice flavours that could shine without the hop on top.

Hopper.

 

[NickB]

This is Malt Liquor is it not? Never tried it myself, but good luck to you if you do... You would at the very least need something to "bitter" the beer, otherwise it'll be way too cloying to enjoy.

If you really want a grain to shine through in a brew, bitter on the very low end of the scale for style... Certain grains such as Munich, Vienna, Maris Otter really shine when hopped lightly with a neutral bittering hop.

If you do decide to experiment, just do a small batch. No point wasting all that lovely grain if you're just gonna tip the result!

Cheers

 

[clean brewer]

I was thinking the same thing a few weeks ago as my F.I.L always has a winge about bitterness in beers.. :blink: Maybe 1 Grain and 1 Hop thrown in the Cube when No-Chilling, might try that and just bottle for when he comes around, as I hate when he has a winge :angry:
Or ill just buy some tasteless Coronas that he enjoys so much, alot easier..... :icon_vomit:

 

[QldKev]

I always through the original beers were hop-less :icon_chickcheers:

They only started to add hops as a preservative. I think it would work, but just not a beer to our taste buds. Would be very sweet.

QldKev

 

[MHB]

You have nothing to lose, just have a bottle of ISO extract handy, when the beer tastes as sickly sweet as I suspect it will, just add the iso to a keg, which isnt far from what they do with Corona, only 15-17 IBU I think.

MHB

 

[RetsamHsam]

I'll give it a bash.. I'll only do about 3 litres and bottle it though.

I'm thinking single malt, mash in the low 60's, seperate 3 litres from the main batch and boil and ferment seperately.

Has anyone got any suggestions on what yeast to use??

 

[Sammus]

you could do that, then umm..*coughdistillcough* it, and get some kind of malt barely spirits...

 

[mash head]

My last couple of beers were very lightly hoped 4aau in 23 litre batch. The one that I have tasted was great. Am too slack to change ibu as I am already down the path with aau. Taste however is like an opiniun every one has one and generally its all a bit different.
have a crack and post results.
Cheers Greg

 

[chappo1970]

Retsam have a bash mate. The results would be interesting to say the least. As for yeast I would reckon good old faithful S05, brews clean and the taste thrown is known therefore a good control to the experiment. My 2c FWIW.

 

[Screwtop]

Save time mix some malt extract and water with a nip of vodka. FFS

 

[Swinging Beef]

I think it is a good experiment.
If it all goes ares up you can blend this with a heavily hopped version of the same grist, and you have a medium version.

 

[jayse]

There is so many great ideas for beer around the place and it would take a life time to brew them all, this is not one of those great ideas :huh:

 

[PostModern]

It's not altogether insane. Not something I'd want to drink regularly, but... here's my experience.

I once made a couple 2L starters with some 1099. 1.040 with light DME. Brewed with one and didn't have use for the other. It sat in my kitchen in a sealed PET bottle until it dropped bright. I noticed it a couple weeks later. I was going to throw it out, but decided to check my starter sanitation. After taking an initial sample and deciding it wasn't infected, I put it in the fridge until cool and poured a glass. Wasn't bad. Not like beer, more like a cooler or malt alcopop of some kind. Could really taste the esters out of the yeast.

I wouldn't brew a whole batch of it, as I likes me hops, but it was drinkable. I'd recommend a mash around 63-64 and no spec malts, just a good base malt and nothing more. You want it to attenuate as much as possible to prevent sticky sweetness.

 

[drsmurto]

you could do that, then umm..*coughdistillcough* it, and get some kind of malt barely spirits...

I've got ~15L of a 'nude' beer thats been in secondary for 2 months or so now.

55% ale malt
45% peated malt

It doesnt taste too bad (~10%) but then i dont plan on carbing it up and drinking it.

 

[hazard]

I've got ~15L of a 'nude' beer thats been in secondary for 2 months or so now.

55% ale malt
45% peated malt

It doesnt taste too bad (~10%) but then i dont plan on carbing it up and drinking it.

So if you're not going to drink it, what are you going to do with it?

 

[Effect]

So if you're not going to drink it, what are you going to do with it?

use it to weaken his hoppier beers...

 

[Sammus]

So if you're not going to drink it, what are you going to do with it?

I don't think we are at liberty to discuss such an act here at this juncture.

 

[Katherine]

I've got ~15L of a 'nude' beer thats been in secondary for 2 months or so now.

55% ale malt
45% peated malt

It doesnt taste too bad (~10%) but then i dont plan on carbing it up and drinking it.

Keep it.... it will help in bread making... I have not forgotten I have asked Lloydie to PM you his being pretty busy...

 

[Sammus]

Wow my cough disguised the true meaning of my post better than I thought :lol:

 

[RetsamHsam]

Wow my cough disguised the true meaning of my post better than I thought :lol:

What :huh: We aren't talking about making bread??? :lol: