Dry "Hopping" With Fennel?

[snakebräu]

Hullo again!

Not posted in a while as we haven't had many issues brewing relatively bland kit beers. Currently brewing is a Young's Stout kit with roughly 250g Demenera sugar, 500g Dark Spraymalt & 500g Soft Brown Sugar. It's been fermenting 10 days and although we're running at a decent 4.9%, tastewise (from the trial jar) it's a bit rough.

Looking for advice on dry hopping (or dry "herbing") with Fennel as I had a taste of Tinpot Fennel Stout a couple of months ago at the Paisley Beer Festival which was wonderful. Do I use just a whole "bit" of fennel, or should I cut stocks off? Also I see people on Youtube sterelising things with Alcohol and I have Rosewater left from making Turkish Delight shoould I use it or would it probably be a bit overpowering?

 

[beffrey]

You should use fennel seeds - bung a few in a mug and add boiling water, strain the seeds out and add to the fermenter. Quite a pronounced flavour but we are talking about a stout here so I'd start with 20g and add more a in a few days if the flavour isn't strong enough.

Or I suppose you could even use Twinings fennel tea and steep that in hot water.

 

[Buzzing]

Snake, as beffrey suggests, an extract of the seeds in boiling water or the tea (will add some tannins, colour and increase mouthfeel too) would work great.


I bit off topic, but still in line I guess - I am read about some baltic porters having a "liquorice" flavour, apparently achieved by adding "brewer's liquorice". What exactly is "brewer's liquorice" and how is it added.

Would it really make a noticable difference if I used a fennel-seed extract, as the two have very similair tasting flavours and when used in something like a stout or porter, would not be dominating ?