Herbs in non-hopped beers

[TimT]

I like, you could have a beer that glows in UV.... and protects you from malaria. There's a selling point!

 

[Muzduk]

I have used lemon verbena before but way back in the days i did K & K without any science or forethought. Can be used dry or fresh

 

[TimT]

Think they sell some at the naturopath down in Northcote.... be willing to take some advice on how best to impart lemon verbena flavours, though. When I throw it in during secondary fermentation, very little flavour comes out (18-20 degree liquid just doesn't bring out its flavours). You can make a lemon verbena tea at the end of the boil, just throw in the leaves then - but then much of that flavour gets lost during fermentation. I wonder if I could make a strong lemon verbena essence by using a lot of leaf to a little water, and adding this at the end of the fermentation?

 

[Edak]

Has anybody tried adding Leptospermum (citral variety) leaves to their brews? It smells awesome when you rub it between your fingers but I am yet to do anything interesting with it.

 

[philistine]

You may find it better with resinous aromatics, like verbena, to do a simple essential oil type steam extraction/distillation first. You'd only be able to use the hydrosol, but I would think that it'd be much more stable and less likely to degrade than raw material or tea that has been introduced late/post boil.

 

[philistine]

actually, now that I think about it, perhaps using the essential oil itself might work because it would obviously float above the water and possibly impart its flavour into the wort with losing its own integrity... Racking to secondry or bottles would be easy to do in such a way that leaves the oil behind

 

[Muzduk]

actually, now that I think about it, perhaps using the essential oil itself might work because it would obviously float above the water and possibly impart its flavour into the wort with losing its own integrity... Racking to secondry or bottles would be easy to do in such a way that leaves the oil behind

May work with bay leaves in this manner too??!! Bay leaf brown ale anyone?

 

[TimT]

I found this useful link that gives some good advice on how to go about extracting the delicate flavours; I'll be trying it soon, I think.

 

[Ninegrain]

Giving a strong dandelion tea a go at the moment. Slightly medicinal taste - but very spicy and a strong earthy bitterness; it could go very well in a brew.

My previous (very uncontrolled) experiment with lavender - after having tested 1) lavender, steeped in hot water following a boil, 2) lavender, boiled for 10 minutes, and 3) lavender, just steeped in cool water - they all taste the same! But lavender in boiling water tends to colour the water. The taste seems to me one that would work best with light additions of lavender, not strong additions.

Many years ago my dad and I made our own dandelion brew. We collected the roots and roasted them until they were dry and looked like coffee. Made a 'tea' out of it by steeping in hot water, or maybe we boiled it cant remember for sure. Anyway I remember it having an extremely bitter flavour but a really nice roastyness and slight coffee like flavour as well. Was a dark colour too. I would try it again if I had some nice plants and the time.

I think it could be used in a dark ale/stout brew as a partial substitute for some of the darker roasted grains and using a slightly different combination of malts perhaps. Would certainly give allot of bitterness if used in an adequate quantity as well as the nice roasty, coffee flavour.

I think more or less all wattle seeds in aus are edible, but there's a bit of variation from species to species. From what I've heard, the most palatable wattle seeds come from Wirilda (Acacia retinoides), which is more a coastal plant in Vic. No idea whether the seeds from the silver wattles and blackwoods and lightwoods we get along the creek are any good.

That Drunken Botanist book looks amazing. TimT, is it worth the buy, would you say?

Wattle seeds give a nice coffee-like flavour and aroma to things. Not super strong, kind of subtle though and lacking bitterness. We have made ice-cream with it, used it in in nut mixes for deserts and used in it savoury mixes like dukkah. Very nice spice and it may be nice to use it for subtly flavouring a light-medium style ale or other fruity/nutty style beers to give some spiciness. Or, use it in combination with the dandelion perhaps, in balance with the malts of choice.

 

[Ninegrain]

Another possible native is Smilax glyciphylla, or Native Sweet Sarsaparilla Vine http://bushcraftoz.com/forums/showthread.php?1273-Smilax-glyciphylla-(Sweet-Sarsaparilla).

Back in the day it was used for medicines and even to make the sarsaparilla drink. Apparently, it was better than the plant used for the original northern hemisphere drink. Cant remember the name of the book that was written in but could of been Robinson's plant id book. Its nice to chew and suck on the leaves of it, tastes like sweet aniseed. Nice. Could be nice in a light lager or ale or in a heavy beer where licorice is sometimes used.

 

[Vini2ton]

Great thread.What do you think a "Bob Marley Lager" would taste like and would my parole officer have any issues with me drinking it?

 

[Yob]

Like lawn in a glass...

I got some peach mango tea today, thinking of cubing it, only a light bittering and small aroma addition..

Maybe do a second with heather, Tim if you are still keen for some, let me know

 

[TimT]

Very interested Yob, but can't really justify expense at the moment - thanks anyway! Most of my herbs I'm currently pulling up from the front garden.

Going to try another yarrow brew tomorrow, hopefully cranking up the bitterness content a few notches. I've been collecting quite a bit from our yarrow in the front and drying it gradually, including the flower tops which I want to use to give some good aromas.

 

[Yob]

Wouldn't even know what to charge ya man, you can have it for nix

Ed, can't even remember what I paid for the order I got, was a bulk buy run by citymorgue some time back

 

[Mardoo]

Great thread.What do you think a "Bob Marley Lager" would taste like and would my parole officer have any issues with me drinking it?

if you want to enjoy the cousin's special company in a brew you're best off making a tincture and adding it at bottling. If it's the flavor you're after follow standard hopping practice. But as Yob says, mostly grassy for most varieties.

 

[TimT]

Stephen Harrod Buhner in his book on the subject - Sacred Healing and Herbal Beers or Sacred Herbal and Healing Beers, I can never remember which way round - argues plausibly that a lot of herbal beers will have stimulative, psychoactive or psychotropic effects, because by removing hops you're removing the sedative element and you're getting active ingredients from the other herbs you put in. Henbane ale apparently was one fairly common brew that was markedly psychoactive. Heather ale is another interesting one; he says it was apparently highly intoxicating, partly because of the fogg, a white moss which commonly grew on heather and which went into the brew along with the rest of the plant.

 

[Ninegrain]

I can not remember if this has been linked earlier but here it is anyway. An American Hombrewers recipe for Sweet Gale Gruit. http://www.homebrewparty.com/SweetGaleGruit.pdf

The same recipe is likely suitable for use with any herb that has similar characteristics to sweet gale. Native lemon myrtle perhaps?

 

[TimT]

Really? Same as lemon myrtle? Maybe true, maybe not, I wouldn't hazard a comparison until I've tasted it myself. The recipe looks like it might be worth a try though. I recommend the use of citrus peel as a bittering agent; I made some kumquat saison in summer and it was excellent - I think if you chuck in the peel in during secondary fermentation you'll get a good strong bitter citrussy taste - though it may dissipate after a while, so it's good for fresh beers.

 

[Ninegrain]

Well not the same, but the characteristics of it such as the type of leaves may make it similar. The flavour would be way different though. Sweet gale is described as resinous, spicy, astringent and bitter in a quick goggle search, lemon myrtle is, well lemon...But I think the basic recipe looks sound. I agree with the peel too, late additions and drink early. Be careful with the pith though if using normal oranges.

 

[TimT]

My yarrow brew went well, I'm pleased to report, though now I think I probably should have waited before adding the yarrow flower heads as some of the smell will probably be lost when the fermentation kicks off.