alterna-beers

[landarc]

I recently went to a homebrew club meeting to listen to a presentation on alternative brewing materials. One of the ideas that was brought up was a return to using various herbals in the brew. Ignoring the Rheinheitsgebot, the beers brewed had various herbals added, and some ignored hops all together. Ideas such as spruce tips and orange peel are common, ideas such as lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves were a little more exotic. There was also talk of various sugars, such as palm sugar and dates to add fermentables and flavor. Think about the idea of a coconut wheat for shrimp dinners, or a maple porter for that chicken and waffles.

[ohiorganic]

last year we made (using home grown green hops) a killer coriander beer and a parsnip ale as we a lot of both laying around the farm at the time each beer was made.

[Alan]

My interest in brewing actually lies mostly in alternative methods, particularly those which rely on ingredients easy to find or grow within my local area. I'll definetly be looking more into this this winter.

[ohiorganic]

Alan, all the common ingredients for beer (hops, barley, etc..) grow well in our area. The township just NW of Cincinnati was once one of the biggest hops producers in the USA and Cincy had over 200 breweries before prohibition because of this fact.

I am not taking away from exploring alternatives to hops et. al. I'm just pointing despite what many believe, that hops can only grow in places such as Germany or the NW Coast of the US, is false. Hops it seems can grow successfully anywhere. You just need the correct varieties for your area.

That gets me to thinking about truly local beer where the brewery sources all the ingredients with say, 50 miles of the plant. I don't think any commercial brewers are doing that yet.

[landarc]

Hops will grow most anywhere, this is true. However, a lot depends on what you want from the hops. Many of the hops grown in areas other than very specific areas of Germany, the Pacific Northwest and New Zealand do not have the same flavor and bittering characteristics. This is not bad, just different.

The purpose for alternate beers out here on the west coast is that hops are going to be in short supply commercially for the next few years, and most of the next two years crops have been purchased by the large brew houses. Further, some of the locavore type folks that are brewers are starting to find some interest in locally sourcing ingredients, and hops are not always available.

[plantsnobin]

Ran across a website last night that might be of interest- www.freshops.com

[landarc]

Thanks for that link to Freshops, they have a very good reputation in the brewing community. I try to support my local shops, but, it is good to have a resource. I am now thinking of trying to figure out a root beer to brew.

[Alan]

Thanks for the link Karen.

I think my interest in alternative beer brewing methods really lies witin the same interests of all the other things that I do, mostly to change pre-concieved notions of what an item could be, should be or can be.

Just like selling some of the off colored or shaped produce, it gets attention, wins taste and looks tests, and creates a new market.

or in raising easter egg type chickens, different colored eggs seem to interest and throw people off, even if we all know the truth, regardless of color they all come from the same orfice.

so even though I wouldn't be trying to sell or commercialize my theoretical brew Its in my personality to play with alternatives to tease quisical friends and relatives with a taste of something "different", some could say "exotic" but that would be wrong as I want to source everything locally that I can.

I am really excited about brewing, finding the funds to make the purchase is the problem at the moment (when you run a business do you actually make money?). I've been making note of anything and everything important presented here on the forum and can't wait to give it a go. I am very envious of those of you who are already tasting the sweet ambrosia of all of your work, very cool indeed.

On the other hand, I'll definetly be growing some hops and some more "traditional" ingredients to brew with as well. There are pros and cons to it all I suppose.

[plantsnobin]

Alan, wasn't there a microbrewery between Salem and Pekin? Maybe those folks would have some equipment left if they are still in the area. I don't remember the name of it.

[landarc]

Alan, while I am doing the brewing the modern and standard way, there is nothing to say that there is not another way. The thing to remember is that brewing has happened a lot longer than stainless pots and pre-malted barley. Another interesting thing is the brewing with sorghum, molasses, maple syrup, it is remarkable how man finds a way to get drunk no matter what is at hand.

[cff]

Oct 27, 2008 21:02:42 GMT -5 landarc said:

Alan, while I am doing the brewing the modern and standard way, there is nothing to say that there is not another way. The thing to remember is that brewing has happened a lot longer than stainless pots and pre-malted barley. Another interesting thing is the brewing with sorghum, molasses, maple syrup, it is remarkable how man finds a way to get drunk no matter what is at hand.

Hey........... lets not forget about mead = booze made from honey

[Alan]

I have made mead a few times in the past, usually right around halloween, but alas I have not done so this year.

I'll definetly be experimenting with a little bit of everything I think.

I've seen some strange things used to make alcohol in my time.

The two absolute worst are tomto wine and oak leaf wine, disgusting.

[johno]

Oct 27, 2008 21:02:42 GMT -5 landarc said:

Alan, while I am doing the brewing the modern and standard way, there is nothing to say that there is not another way. The thing to remember is that brewing has happened a lot longer than stainless pots and pre-malted barley. Another interesting thing is the brewing with sorghum, molasses, maple syrup, it is remarkable how man finds a way to get drunk no matter what is at hand.

I read the Mother Earth News article, and was a bit intimidated by all the special equipment. It froze and cracked long ago, but I used to brew my own beer with a simple ceramic crock. I learned it from another hillbilly... It was so long ago (I rarely drink anymore) that I've forgotten the method, but I do remember that it was much simpler than all that mess, and it was considered to be good beer (actually malt liquor) by all my friends.

I briefly mentioned this on a thread at Tomatoland months ago, in a discussion about sterilizing equipment. I certainly didn't use any special sterilizing fluids - had never heard of them 'til I read the article, in fact - I just washed the crock and bottles with plain old soap and water. They say without them your brew will "skunk," and I seem to recall I did have one or two batches that this happened to, but it was a rare occurence.

[Jim]

you should sanitize your equipt just so the yeast you innoculate the brew does the work not some unknown fermenter. I'll ellaborate about easy equipt tomorrow when I have a bit of time.
It need not be expensive or complex.

[landarc]

oak leaf wine? gack! who would even, eesh....tomato wine, i just don't understand, going for that Bloody Mary thing I guess.