Wildest batch you ever brewed?

[zman18b]

Hey all. New brewer here, and I just can't get enough about reading the wild yeast threads. I understand that for many, brewing is all about the detailed, painstaking science of producing the beverage that we all love. I am pretty much the exact opposite and want to talk more about crazy failed and hopefully successful experiments in brewing. I am an all grain guy and so far I have brewed a wheat beer with six grapes thrown in, and I am currently brewing a wheat-honey-chili thing with what was either from the honey or from the air sitting on my deck open for an hour in the 6gal fermenting bucket. It has a nice krausen and smells a little like fruit/rhino farts. The one I did from grapes was really rhino farty for a long time, but turned out okay. I have reused that yeast several times and the latest was a mango wheat that has really turned out well. What is the wildest thing you have ever brewed?

 

[grathan]

A lot of my beers haven't turned out "great" so I have showed some restraint. My latest includes coriander, orange peel, and apricot as well as a bunch of wheat and a pile of late hops. I don't know what a rhino fart smells like, but I am not expecting much from this one, hopefully it will be a pleasant surprise.

 

[zman18b]

I have found that I like brewing almost as much as I like drinking beer When I was doing the batch that had that smell I was worried that something was wrong and had to do some searches. It describes a grassy, somewhat sulphury smell that is kinda good and kinda bad at the same time. The beer it was in was a ginger, basmati jasmine rice, lime, thing so it was no surprise it was kinda funky. I have had some people really like it and others.........

I love me some coriander wheat beers that I have tried, so it sounds good to me. Since I like brewing I am not too afraid to try weird stuff. Let me know how yours turns out.

 

[imrook]

I brewed a batch that was inspired by Thai food. I called it a Thai chili-coconut amber ale. I started with a lightly hopped amber with mostly 2-row and a little crystal. I threw in a pound of flaked coconut and 7 susan chili pepers in the secondary. The coconut didn't really come through, but the chili peppers did! I have had many friends say it's the most interesting beer they have ever had. And some who just can't drink it.

 

[zman18b]

Nice. I think Thai food is one of the best foods to drink beer with, so it seems logical that it would be a good inspiration for a beer.

 

[crushingblackdoom]

One of my earliest beers was an ambitious attempt at a Gruit. I tossed in a LOT (maybe 10) toasted, broken allspice berries, 1/2# fresh ginger, 2Tbls black pepper, 1Tbls Toasted Cardomom.
That's just what I remember.
It's been well over a year in bottles and all it's good for now is brining meat & cooking.
Completely UNdrinkable. Lesson learned.
Watch those spices!