Stone Hibiscusicity Attempt

[TripleBT]

I searched around, but I haven't seen anyone make an attempt at Stone's Habiscusicity. They give us some clues on the stochasticity website so I played around with that to get my numbers.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WLP550
Yeast Starter: Yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.071
Final Gravity: 1.013
ABV: 7.6%
IBU: 26
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Primary Fermentation: 3 weeks @ 68F

Grain
2-row malt - 75%
Wheat malt - 25%

Mash at 152F for 60 minutes.

Hop Schedule
0.75oz Magnum (13% AA) - 60 Minutes
1oz Sterling (7.5% AA) - 0 Minutes

Extras
40 bags (8 bags/gallon) - Tazo Passion Hibiscus Tea - 0 Minutes

Ingredients listed on the box says: Hibiscus Flowers, Natural Tropical Flavors, Citric Acid, Orange Peel, Licorice Root, Cinnamon, Rose Hips, Lemongrass and Fruit Juice Extract (Color).

Yeast
WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast

My SO wanted more of a hibiscus flavor from Stone's version and we both love Tazo's Passion tea. I use 1 bag in my 16oz thermos every morning, which is where I got the 8 bags/gallon number. I want to do a test batch soon, possibly next weekend.

Is adding the tea bags at flameout the best way to achieve the desired flavor profile? Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[rickyjphillips]

I follow The Mad Fermentationist and he made a hibiscus Wit beer. In his blog he says he made a tea with 3 oz of hibiscus and 3 cups of water that was near boiling, then he added it at bottling. He reported that he got a ton of flavor and color.

I think if you add the tea at flameout you will lose a ton of the aroma. I would also recommend using loose hibiscus tea instead of the ground tea in the bags. If your gonna jump in the pool you might as well go head first right?!?

I'm also working on a Hibiscus Saison and this is where I plan on starting my process. Let me know your thoughts and I will follow what you do to see how it turns out. GOOD LUCK

 

[TripleBT]

I wanted to do a 1 gallon test batch, so I might as well do 2 different versions. Split the batch at the end of the boil, add tea to one at flameout and tea to the other at bottling.

Also, I assume this is the kind of beer you would want to drink fresh, as I imagine the flavors will fade with time.

 

[rickyjphillips]

I would imagine fresh is better. I just had this last night and I checked the bottle but there was no bottled on date.

 

[neilpcraven]

I just bottled about 3 gallons of saison with tea from 1oz of hibiscus - it didn't add much flavour (was noticeable though) and it ended up a peach colour. If you want a strong presence, I would use at least 3oz in a 5gal batch.

 

[100million]

they use hibiscus powder. I was just at stone and saw the boxes

https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/hibiscus-flower-powder/profile

 

[killerkhezu]

Keep me posted on this I'm wanted to make pretty much the same thing but a sweet tea lemonade version