Hi from Newtown

[sirons]

Hey-yo. I'm a new member brewing in Newtown (inner-west Sydney). I've brewed for a few years now - did 13 beers last year. I'm getting more and more curious about brewing with Australian natives, like myrtles, geraldton wax, kakadu, that sort of thing. Would love some tips on using natives. I like to switch between a pale and a specialty beer. Just started kegging last year. I like ales mostly, on the bitter/hoppy side. Love brewing with fruit.

Current beer in the fermenter: raspberry milkshake IPA
Up next: Wattleseed brown ale
On deck: Lemon Aspen and Geraldtown Wax, Eclipse/Vic Secret pale

 

[Barry]

I make infusions and add them to glasses of beers that I think might go well with the spice/herb. You can do the same to several bottles when bottling (if you do). This avoids 20+ litres of a failed experiment. I have good results, IMHO, with lemon myrtle in a Saison and Pepperberry in stouts. Must try wattleseed. Hope this helps.

 

[sirons]

I make infusions and add them to glasses of beers that I think might go well with the spice/herb. You can do the same to several bottles when bottling (if you do). This avoids 20+ litres of a failed experiment. I have good results, IMHO, with lemon myrtle in a Saison and Pepperberry in stouts. Must try wattleseed. Hope this helps.

Nice. I've read someplace that you can make an infusion by boiling wattleseed in water for 15 min. or so, adding it to the beer during bottling/kegging.

For this brown beer, I was thinking of making a "potion", putting some wattleseed powder into cheap vodka for a few weeks. I have no idea the ratios I need to get the flavor balanced in the beer. But, I thought I'd start with 2 tablespoons of wattleseed powder in ~60mL of cheap vodka. Then, add this to the keg when I keg the beer.

How are you doing your infusions?

 

[Barry]

Nice. I've read someplace that you can make an infusion by boiling wattleseed in water for 15 min. or so, adding it to the beer during bottling/kegging.

For this brown beer, I was thinking of making a "potion", putting some wattleseed powder into cheap vodka for a few weeks. I have no idea the ratios I need to get the flavor balanced in the beer. But, I thought I'd start with 2 tablespoons of wattleseed powder in ~60mL of cheap vodka. Then, add this to the keg when I keg the beer.

How are you doing your infusions?

Usually in a coffee plunger, hot water at 75-80oC until it cools. Very simple.