Beetroot in a Saison?

[Fat Bastard]

You can beat an egg, but you can't beat a root!

I saw an image of a beetroot saison come across appear on my facebook feed, and I thought it looked spectacular, and even though i think fruit and vegetable has no place in beer, the earthy taste may work quite well in a saison.

How much beetroot do you think I'd need to use, in what form, and at what point? I've got a bunch of Bulls Blood cultivar in my garden at the moment, so I was thinking of about 1.5 kg, grated in either the mash or late in the boil.

Which Saison yeast should I use to accentuate the earthy flavours?

Cheers!

FB

 

[kevo]

Not sure where or why - but split the batch, multiple yeasts and report back.

Good luck

 

[Toper]

Would it really add anything more than colour? to my tastebuds, fresh,non canned beetroot is pretty bland :unsure:

 

[Fat Bastard]

Really? I think fresh beetroot is earthy, a little spicy and has it's own funk. Kind of like a Saison. I reckon you'd only need a tiny bit for colour, but becaue it's quite subtle, a fair bit to get some flavour.

Given that I've never brewed a saison before, I reckon I'll need to do a plain one first of course!

 

[bum]

Yeah, toper01 is way off on the blandness thing but my feeling (based entirely on my work with the very different pumpkin) is that if you add it to the mash or boil you'll lose nearly all flavour. If flavour is the motivation then I'd be looking at secondary. Gut-feeling, pinch of salt, etc.

 

[kevo]

Righto...brew a plain saision, split that, add bettroot.

Then...

Split each batch between each of the available saison yeasts.

Report back.

 

[boonchu]

I have used beetroot for colouring by grating it and adding to the boil in a hop sock at 10min.
There was no decearnable taste but it was in a smoked red dipa.
2 mediun beetroot coloured 20L a deep red. Next time I would use 1 1/2.

 

[pk.sax]

Add some to glass to taste to try out?

 

[insane_rosenberg]

Are you sure they were not referring to sugar beet?
I know that Silly Saison uses beet sugar as it is grown local to the brewery. I've been meaning to source some beet sugar syrup for a while.

 

[Mardoo]

Wouldn't adding it to the mash mess with mash pH? Senna like the funk you want would come best from adding in primary. That's the little mouth talking though.

 

[tricache]

Imagine everything you add the beet too though....pink EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[milestron]

Yeah I had the yeastie boys beetroot saison on the weekend - great beer although not sure it added much in flavour. Brilliant colour though.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Think it was the Yeastie Boys one I saw. Looked brilliant!

So, general consensus seems to be to add to the fermenter. What's the go with sanitising a couple of kilos of root vegetable? (heh, root etc..)

10 minute covered boil in the minimum liquid to cover the grated root before adding to the FV?

 

[Pickaxe]

Yeah, beetroot flavor really comes from texture if raw, bit of natural sugar, other subtleties. You're not confusing pickled beetroot flavors with raw beets and intended brewing outcome?

 

[bum]

Really, you're gonna have to suck it and see then let us know. Can't see many with practical experience?

Maybe shooting Yeastie Boys an email may pay dividends?

 

[Fat Bastard]

Nah Pickaxe, I want it to taste like the Bulls Blood beet I pulled from the garden this arvo, Earthy, spicy and a bit sweet. most of the interesting flavours come from the skin I feel, so I'd like to preserve as much of that as I can, hence a short covered boil to kill off the cat wee and rabbit dung germs without losing flavour.

Might shoot the yeasties an email and find out what they do,cheers bum!

 

[boonchu]

The wig and pen in canberra also played with beetroot, I believe it was the main taste to the beer and very polarising with drinkers.
If you talk to them or get in touch with the Canberra Brewers club they may be able to help.

 

[tazman1967]

Yeasts..
Wyeast 3711 French Saison would be my pick..
Ferments well and plays nice with spices and herbs flavours.. nice silky mouthfeel.

 

[Mardoo]

Nah Pickaxe, I want it to taste like the Bulls Blood beet I pulled from the garden this arvo, Earthy, spicy and a bit sweet. most of the interesting flavours come from the skin I feel, so I'd like to preserve as much of that as I can, hence a short covered boil to kill off the cat wee and rabbit dung germs without losing flavour.

Might shoot the yeasties an email and find out what they do,cheers bum!

There ya go. A 10 min boil of the whole beets then grated with a sanitised grater (gloves, gasmask etc.) and into the fermentor with ye.

 

[Tex083]

Yeah the Yeastie Boys was the Golden Age of Bloodshed it was brewed for GABS in reply to last years Tea Leaf IPA both winners in my book!
I think the Yeastie Boys is a Belgium ale and not a saison - dont let this stop you I think its a great idea.
I would be greating/chopping roughly the Beats into a pot of water (2-3L) and boiling for 10/60 and adding into the fermenter - lumps and all!!
Leave it for 3 days and transfer to secondary fermenter to finish.
If you do put it in a plastic fermenter I can see it turning pink and being VERY difficult to clean.