I want a distinct basil flavor and aroma. How much fresh basil should I use for this? Should I boil some and dry "hop" some? How much would be needed. I want a bit more than subtle. I'm actually going to try a tomato basil golden ale. Small batch in case it's awful.
Basil
- Thread starter Rosvineer
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
BobbiLynn
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,943
- Reaction score
- 803
I have a bunch of oregano growing, and just planted some basil, it was one of the few things that did great last year. I have thought about using oregano. I know when I used cinnamon, it made me sneeze to smell the wort, but in the end I could barely taste it, an undertone. I would say taste the wort and see how much to keep adding. I bet if you squish the basil to release flavors, then drop it in, for a drop hop, you'll get the flavors. If it's anything like cinnamon, the flavors will really mellow over time until you can barely taste them. So use extra.
I'd suggest steeping it in some vodka (or whatever booze you want), and tasting samples every day or two. When you feel like there is a strong flavor, then add it to the beer in secondary a bit at a time until it tastes right. This would give you control over how strong the flavor is, because it would seem to me that the basil flavor could get out of hand if you use too much.
Brewing today or Sunday. I'm using the centennial blonde recipe as the base. I will have 3 x 1.6g batches.
1 I will leave as the blonde
2 tomato basil (still working on the amount of both to use)
3 chicken and waffles. I'm going to use bouillon for the chicken flavor and maple / vanilla extract for the waffles.
I'm going small on these batches in case they suck. That way I won't have as much bad beer to fight through.
Wish me luck!
1 I will leave as the blonde
2 tomato basil (still working on the amount of both to use)
3 chicken and waffles. I'm going to use bouillon for the chicken flavor and maple / vanilla extract for the waffles.
I'm going small on these batches in case they suck. That way I won't have as much bad beer to fight through.
Wish me luck!
GrogNerd
mean old man
good luck, but chicken & waffle beer just made my SOUL throw up a little bit
Also a couple other things, first I think most bouillon cubes are loaded with preservatives which could impede yeast activity. Second (and maybe someone with knowledge on this can contribute) but when I think of bottling something with meat I think of the dangers of very serious infection problems, i.e. botulism.
BobbiLynn
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,943
- Reaction score
- 803
Artificial ham flavoring might be better than chicken in the waffle one. I don't think the artificial ham seasoning would have enough preservatives to impede fermentation. I brewed with a whole box of store bought cereal(Kashi cinnamon harvest), I'm sure it has preservatives, and it fermented just fine. Turned out good too. Go for it, don't let anyone stop you!!
Hogarthe
Well-Known Member
so I'm not the only person to have thought of broth beer?
I'm sure the first person who said "hey I'm going to throw these bitter hops flowers in and see what it tastes like" was told that he was going to ruin a good batch of beer. If nothing else, you guys might be on to something you can market to treat constipation. 
BobbiLynn
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,943
- Reaction score
- 803
My hubby adds salt to his beer and I know others that do the same. To each their own. I highly doubt salt would impede fermentation. I'm sure the box of cereal I used had plenty of salt in it and it fermented normally.
BobbiLynn
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,943
- Reaction score
- 803
I might try ham and pineapples in a pale ale, maybe just a one gallon batch. I pretty much already have all the ingredients. I made a sour lemonade extra blonde strawberry wine/beer thing and I thought it was tasty when I tried it recently. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out after aging. Except it's half beer and half wine, so not sure how long to age it, and I'll probably carb and bottle it. Both wine yeast and beer yeast in it. You never know until you try.
GrogNerd
mean old man
PIZZA BEER?
who hasn't thought of racking onto some sauce, pepperoni, mushroom and mozzarella in their secondary?
c'mon, I'm not that original, some of you have imagined it before
who hasn't thought of racking onto some sauce, pepperoni, mushroom and mozzarella in their secondary?
c'mon, I'm not that original, some of you have imagined it before
petey_c
Senior Member
The oils in the chicken bouillon will probably impede any sort of head development/retention. I love bouillon, but I would shoot for the low/no sodium first. You can always add salt, but it's hard to remove it. I suppose you could always drop some bouillon in a glass of amber similar to the style you're making and see how that tastes.
That was my first thought when I read this. I worked in restaurants for almost 10 years and went to 2 years of Culinary school. Bullion, and concentrated stock mixes are LOADED with salt. It may not neccisarily ruin a beer, but consider the additional salt flavor in your recipe.
Hogarthe
Well-Known Member
check out Mama Mia Pizza Beer. you can order from thier website. my sister got me a 6 pack for Christmas. It isn't bad. I can see not everyone liking it, but I found it pretty tasty.
SteveM
Well-Known Member
Just to get back to basil, I made a batch of Basil Pale Ale last year and it was great. I bought a little bottle of organic basil at Trader Joe's - not sure, maybe a half to 3/4 of an ounce. Half went into the boil with about fifteen minutes left, and the rest went in at the end of the boil.
It was delicious, and it just kept getting better as it aged.
It was delicious, and it just kept getting better as it aged.
GrogNerd
mean old man
now I'm going to have to hunt down a 6pack to share with my brew club
bobot
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I have nothing to add about basil. BobbiLynn, I'm intrigued. That cereal is really good (cinnamon and whole wheat, and kashi is not plagued with preservatives...), and I have thought before about using cereal.
Please elaborate, or link to your recipe?
BobbiLynn
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2012
- Messages
- 2,943
- Reaction score
- 803
Here. Not a well written recipe, but whatever.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/any-comments-my-kashi-cinnamon-harvet-brew-392503/
