Chili Beer Help

[skb]

I am about 6 days into primary with my Chili beer as below :

can of coopers draught malt
bag of brew enhancer #2
5 'hot' chilis ( from the fresh food section of woolies, franklins, coles etc)
cut with scissors into rings all but the stems into primary fermentation , ferment till finished , rack for 4-5 days and bottled.. compliments barramundi.

I got it out to see the specific gravity.... it smelt a little strange thats ok I thought Chilis and all.... but what gets me is that it is bubbling away in the glass and hydrometer ?? like a carbonated beer.... and I mean bubbles, it has more than my Ales. Strangly enough the fermenter airlock is hardly moving so not much coming out.

Is this normal has anyone seen this or know what it might be ?? I thought about it for a while and crossed my fingers and tasted a bit, nothing special but did not taste off... albeit it was a very small sample as I was unsure.

 

[captian black beer]

How hot are you aimming you chilli beer to be? By adding chillis your providing an increased surface area for gas to absorb onto so your effectively improving the beers ability to store CO2, that might be the cause of the excess bubbles. I wouldn't worry too much about it and just wait until it's done fermenting then taste it.

Depending on hotness I've found that 1 chilli per stubbie gives you the right amount (if you like it real hot). Will be interested to see how yours turns out.

 

[skb]

I have 6 chilis for 20ltrs so not too hot, just a small side flavour.... I will wait and see

 

[TimBob]

I have 6 chilis for 20ltrs so not too hot, just a small side flavour.... I will wait and see

I've been playing a around a bit with Chilli Beer... I put about 150 grams of chilli's - not the birds eye fire ones, but still fairly decent heat (about 20 of them). I rinse them in boiling water to clean, then freeze them... apparently this break them down a bit some how(?), then put them in whole into the primary. Away it goes stems and all. I then keg it.

I've found that the heat is good - not over powering, but certainly there. The only problem I have is that there's a bit much "fresh capsicum" taste... I'm going to try dried chillis next time.

I'm also growing Pequin chillies, really tiny hot ones that have a smokey flavour... hopefully without the volume, that fresh capsicum flavour will not be there. Just have to wait for the buggers to grow

 

[A3k]

The only problem I have is that there's a bit much "fresh capsicum" taste... I'm going to try dried chillis next time.

Hi guys,

I experimented with chili beer a few years ago. I didnt do any full batches, but put them in the bottles of some lagers I made.

I added the flesh of the chilies at first and found the capsicum taste overpowering and unfavorable. I then tried using just the seeds. This added the heat of the chili without the capsicum flavor.

Another thing I found from the capsicum is that the flesh has fermentable sugar in it, so if putting it in bottles, watch out.

 

[A3k]

The only problem I have is that there's a bit much "fresh capsicum" taste... I'm going to try dried chillis next time.

Hi guys,

I experimented with chili beer a few years ago. I didnt do any full batches, but put them in the bottles of some lagers I made.

I added the flesh of the chilies at first and found the capsicum taste overpowering and unfavorable. I then tried using just the seeds. This added the heat of the chili without the capsicum flavor.

Another thing I found from the capsicum is that the flesh has fermentable sugar in it, so if putting it in bottles, watch out.

 

[hairofthedog]

ive had a go at making chilli beer a couple of times & recon anymore than about 10 birds eye chilli in 20 lts & u lose all taste of the beer & the chilli does seem to make the beer highly carbed

 

[steve.m]

The bloke who runs the Lovely Valley Micro Brewery at Myponga, SA does a wicked chilli beer using mostly cooper's kits. Worth picking his brain if you get stuck.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I get my chillis from www.thehippyseedcompany.com he has many different chilli from mild to holy shite Haberenos.Mostly dried and also supplies seeds to grow your own. Drop Neil a email and you must check out his youtube vids it will bring tears to your eyes.Happy customer and personal friend.
Cheers GB

 

[Koikaze]

How does a chilli beer taste i wouldn't have thought beer a spicy flavors would go together?

@ timbob freezing the chillis would break the cell membranes of the chilli (the water expands inside the cells when frozen) and let the spicy flavors be released upon defrosting.

 

[skb]

I will give an update on tasting... probably a good month away like to let my beer sit.

 

[skb]

Tested the beer ago... not too good. drinkable but only because I made it. Drank another glass this week slightly better but a long way from good. I am going to wait a while and see if it improves.