Brewing with Walnut Wood

[cristallweizen]

Hello! I'm interested in brewing with walnut wood in lieu of oak. I'd like to toss a few walnut "spirals" into my brew - but! I was reading that the Juglone compound in BLACK walnut trees isn't great to injest (can be eaten, but will cause some apoptosis!). My question is - has anyone used black or other walnut wood varieties in a beer, and did you have any side effects? how did the beer turn out? TIA!

 

[RainyDay]

I've heard of Walnut having some potentially dangerous compounds (relating to consumption), but my biggest warning is that it's such a beautiful wood that it would seem like a waste to use it in a beer.

 

[Hamaki]

Twice while cutting black walnut trees I ended up feeling pretty crummy. I think it had to do with the amount of sap involved. I'd pass on the brew, myself.

 

[TWAL]

Go for it,let us know how it turns out..

Where are you going to get "walnut Spirals" from ?
Most people don't sell products that nobody is going to buy.

 

[gspot]

Go for it,let us know how it turns out..

I don't think I'd take that advice. I'm a hobby woodworker too, and several wood species are classified as toxic and/or carcinogenic. Better safe than sorry when it comes to ingesting unknown substances.

 

[Auger]

If you're looking for a woody/nutty flavor, maybe try using a lightly toasted oak for some wood aged character along with actual walnuts or walnut shells? Maybe lightly toasted shells? Try toasting some and see how they smell, that may be a safer way to get a unique flavor vs. the wood. I've never tried ingesting walnut wood, but I know that wherever they grow, they release something into the soil (either from the roots, or the nuts that fall) that really inhibits growth of other plants in the area to limit competition for growth. I'm not sure I'd want something like that in my beer.

 

[beergolf]

Don't do it. Have you ever smelled walnut when you cut it? Nasty.

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

Not sure where you came up with this idea but Juglone (occurs naturally in the leaves, roots, husks, fruit, and bark of black walnut) is toxic or growth-stunting to many types of plants. It is sometimes used as a herbicide, as a dye for cloth and inks, and as a coloring agent for foods and cosmetics. ...doesn't sound like something I'd want in my beer.

 

[TWAL]

I don't think I'd take that advice. I'm a hobby woodworker too, and several wood species are classified as toxic and/or carcinogenic. Better safe than sorry when it comes to ingesting unknown substances.

I was being sarcastic...

I'm a carpenter,ever been in a room filled with very fine walnut dust,it's quite bitter if you don't have a respirator on.

All woods are potentially carcinogenic, it's not the wood itself but the dust (or smoke) . I don't believe any woods that are commonly available or at all available are toxic,can make you itch and feel like **** but it's not going to kill you.
All being said why would anyone seek advice as to using walnut or anything in a beer if they heard it would potentially make you sick ?
If you're that dim I think you should by all means give it a shot,there's a special award given to those that "win"..

 

[gspot]

I was being sarcastic...

My bad. Sarcasm wasn't obvious.

 

[day_trippr]

My bad. Sarcasm wasn't obvious.

Yeah, he needs to work on his delivery a little bit...

Cheers!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I don't believe any woods that are commonly available or at all available are toxic,can make you itch and feel like **** but it's not going to kill you.

You would be wrong.

Brazilwood is common for making bows for stringed instruments and can cause blisters.

There are several other species of wood, commonly available at woodworking supplies, that can be deadly if ingested directly but only mildly irritant to work.

www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/

Yew, for example, is prized for box making. And can cause cardiac issues, as well as is a direct toxin.

 

[Roland_deschain]

Buckthorn will cause symptoms similar to poison ivy.....don't ask me how I know that.....

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Hello! I'm interested in brewing with walnut wood in lieu of oak. I'd like to toss a few walnut "spirals" into my brew - but! I was reading that the Juglone compound in BLACK walnut trees isn't great to injest (can be eaten, but will cause some apoptosis!). My question is - has anyone used black or other walnut wood varieties in a beer, and did you have any side effects? how did the beer turn out? TIA!

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ho/ho-193.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16271620

 

[cristallweizen]

I was asking to see if anyone had tried before - When I was looking for information, I saw a lot on how black walnut trees effect plants around them, but not a lot on humans. And only with black walnut trees, not other species. It's perplexing to me because we eat the fruit from the tree... I didn't appreciate how you all jumped to conclusions and being down right rude. I came here for advice - if you can't be constructive, move on. Thanks!

 

[Hamaki]

Hello! I'm interested in brewing with walnut wood in lieu of oak. I'd like to toss a few walnut "spirals" into my brew - but! I was reading that the Juglone compound in BLACK walnut trees isn't great to injest (can be eaten, but will cause some apoptosis!). My question is - has anyone used black or other walnut wood varieties in a beer, and did you have any side effects? how did the beer turn out? TIA!

You asked, "has anyone used black or other walnut wood varieties in a beer, and did you have any side effects? how did the beer turn out?" Looks like no-one has done so therefor no-one can tell you how it turned out. Several are aware that there may be health concerns related to black walnut and possibly other species and spoke up, thinking this would be welcome feedback.

Going to the extreme to illustrate a point, if you'd asked whether anyone had used methyl ethyl ketone as an ingredient and if so, how did it turn out, and no-one had but kept mum about potential health effects would that be good feedback? I don't think so.

Sorry if some of the replies rubbed you the wrong way. Forums like this can do that sometimes.

 

[day_trippr]

Wow.

I changed my mind. The OP should go for it, and have a surviving relative let us know what happened...

Cheers!

 

[FarmerTed]

If you decide to pass on the walnut, I hear that toasted Hemlock can be quite nice in a porter.

 

[gspot]

Heh heh! Savage!

 

[tektonjp]

Shavings of black walnut are toxic to horses and dogs. That tells me enough that it's not for me to use it in a beer. Try cherry instead.

 

[TWAL]

Yeah, he needs to work on his delivery a little bit...

Cheers!

Rarely is it,It's not a joke.
Either you get sarcasm or you don't.

 

[MVKTR2]

my biggest warning is that it's such a beautiful wood that it would seem like a waste to use it in a beer.

Burn this heretic!!!

Seriously I'm unaware of the compounds in the blk walnut so won't give advice on it's use. Just respect the science and don't poison anyone. That said drinking too much water kills several people every year and some essential minerals needed for various organ functions are deadly at higher levels.

I've used hickory wood, didn't bother researching it prior to use, and it turned out wonderful. It is actually my preferred wood for brewing.

 

[gspot]

Rarely is it,It's not a joke.
Either you get sarcasm or you don't.

Well if that's what you think, you're going to go through life being misunderstood.

Sarcasm and other extra-linguistic information are NOT transmitted electronically. That's why emojis were invented.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It's perplexing to me because we eat the fruit from the tree...

It should not be perplexing. It is a common occurrence that while the fruit, nut, or berry of a plant may be edible the plant itself is not.

Tomato and potato are perfect examples.

 

[TWAL]

Well if that's what you think, you're going to go through life being misunderstood.

Sarcasm and other extra-linguistic information are NOT transmitted electronically. That's why emojis were invented.

So i should have used a dancing banana or an afro wig smiley face to say tempt fate ?

I'm happy to say I grew up in an era where emojis didn't exist and sarcasm as well as calling people idiots was taken at face value..

If you are aware that something is poisonous why go asking people how to to get around it being poisonous?

And by the way ,it's not what I think,it's sarcasm by definition,may have flew over your head but it's sarcasm none the less.
Not a fan of putting dancing dicks next to what I have to say so someone gets a joke.