Now What To Make With Them?

[Kieren]

Ahhh yes.... and there is the other side of the coil i was thinking......... do you make a simple beer so the Hibiscus stands out or do you make a big beer with lots going on and use it too add colour and complexity without being the main focus of the beer.

something like this would be a "red" ale using the hibiscus for colour and with a good malt backbone and hop character to ballance it all.

Oh man....... keep it coming....... lovin it!

My thoughts too.

You could make a 'standard' hibiscus beer, a wit or something that will let the hibiscus stand out and accentuate the tartness. Or brew a beer that will balance the tartness with some extra maltiness. i wouldn't push the late hops too hard, maybe 1g/L @ 20min and flameout. Brewing a bigger beer could let you add a bit more hibiscus without it becoming too much. Oak age and add brett if you want to push the tartness a little.

I might brew this myself.

 

[Florian]

When I was young we had a row of hibiscus hedges on our property. My dad used to dry the fruits and make tea out of them. Quite enjoyable actually, make sure to steep more than just a few minutes for full flavour, about 30 minutes does the trick. Add sugar if to sour. Refreshing in summer, and I still drink it when visit my dad.

Us kids used to collect the seeds out of the fruits, grind them up to powder and put it into the shirts of neighbour kids we didn't like. It itches like hell, it was actually also sold to kids for that exact purpose packed in small bags, called itchy powder.

 

[Tony]

mmm im leaning towards the heavier beer with the Hibiscus in a suporting roll...... i dont want a Hibiscus beer. I would tire of that fairly fast i think.

I just soaked a bit in some cold water and it went red quite fast........ should colour up some hot wort nice and quick i think.

Might run them with some NZ flowers to be decided on

 

[notung]

Check out the mad fermentationist's recipe and notes about jasmine-hibiscus summer ale? It's a gruit style beer.

 

[beerbrewer76543]

Hibiscus Berliner Weiss???

 

[Malted]

I'd do a french press or tea just to check the flavour extraction. I have had mixed quality from those suppliers.