Rosemary and Bay leaf Ale

[xyombee]

I made this with astonishing results... tasted completely differant from my expectations. recipe I used was in the book "Booze for Free" by andy hamilton

Ingredients (scaled down to appropriate measures for 5 litres):
200g malt extract
2 large rosemary sprigs
4 bay leaves
100g (winemaking) sugar
Some honey
Ale yeast
1 gallon (boiled then cooled) water.

after 14 days i was left with 6.1% Sweet almost fruity pale ale...
i can heartily recommend this to anybody... I'm doing a full 23 litres in a few days... HOORAY!!

 

[graysalchemy]

I saw that recipe myself in that book. I have thought about a pale ale with rosemary added. interesting :hmm: :hmm:

 

[xyombee]

personally, I've always bee a soiderrrrr drinker... this beauty could change my mind though.

I'm trying to find some other "woody" herbs floating about locally, to see what i can make from them.

 

[SloeBrewer]

I have this book, but yet to try any of the recipes. Sounds very promising, although my Rosemary is looking rather yellow and sickly this year, with all the rain we've had

Might have to try it if it perks up a bit and starts looking healthier.

Did you use light malt extract?

 

[xyombee]

i went ot holland and barret and bought the "malt extract"... have never used it before this.

on that subject, the differances between (for example) honey, malt extract or molasses... it it simply down to texture / flavours and colours? or is there more to it than that? anyone know?

 

[SloeBrewer]

Ahh yes, I know the one, it's for use in baking. I assumed you had used DME :smile:

As for the difference, they are different sugars, some more readily used by yeast than others, but they also impart flavour. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable can give you a better answer.

 

[graysalchemy]

Yes there will be a difference. Malt extract used for brewing is 'mashed ' at a particular temp around 66c so that you are left with some fermentable and some unfermentable sugars, where as that for food may be mashed at a different temp and thus the balance will not be the same. Since you beer ended up at 1.004 I would sugest that holland and barret malt extract has a lot of fermentable sugars in it.

The unfermentable sugars leave the beer less dry and it will have body and mouthfeel.

Honey and molasses and honey is virtually all fermentable.

I used the H&B malt extract in a brown loaf this weekend and very good it was too. :lol:

 

[xyombee]

i thinki'm oging to be doing the "homebrew community" a dis-service by the end of my overall project.... i try to use folk-science as much as possible (meaning "guesswork").... I regrettably havent the time to dedicate to real headscratching in the name of finer alcohol... i likes it simple

 

[Sean_Mc]

I have rosemary and bay in the garden :thumb:

 

[Hawks]

Mmm.. rosemary in beer... I quite like the sound of that...

Sounds like you just had it in the fermenter so I could easily make a normal batch of pale ale and split some into DJs for experiments :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

I was thinking a pale ale with some hops for bitterness and then Rosemary for aroma flavour

 

[Sean_Mc]

I was thinking of draining a gallon or two from the boiler at the end of a boil and steep the rosemary and bay for half hour......it might go well with the APA I have planned at the weekend

 

[Hawks]

I was thinking a pale ale with some hops for bitterness and then Rosemary for aroma flavour

an 80C steep would be easy for some drained out the boiler - and lob hops in the rest..

Sounds great, but not sure I am going to commit to 10 gallons first time out :sulk:

 

[xyombee]

yet to tell the blog, but i made a 23l mix of this again last night.... yummers

 

[Titus A Duxass]

I also received this book as a Christmas present, LM going to give that a bash when I get time.

 

[mcscruff]

I have only made cider and wine but this has grabbed my attention. Im trying to imagine the taste but cant so i will have to have a go.
I dont suppose you have any pictures of a poured drink

 

[GeorgeSalt]

I might give this a try too, I've seen it in the book and have rosemary and bay to hand in the garden.

Do tell Andy of your success (he's on the SelfSufficientish forum).

 

[paulgumby]

I made this with astonishing results... tasted completely differant from my expectations. recipe I used was in the book "Booze for Free" by andy hamilton

Ingredients (scaled down to appropriate measures for 5 litres):
200g malt extract
2 large rosemary sprigs
4 bay leaves
100g (winemaking) sugar
Some honey
Ale yeast
1 gallon (boiled then cooled) water.

after 14 days i was left with 6.1% Sweet almost fruity pale ale...
i can heartily recommend this to anybody... I'm doing a full 23 litres in a few days... HOORAY!!

How long have you left this in the keg or bottle before sampling? Also would it make a difference using dry bay leaves from the supermarket or is it best with fresh leaves?

 

[xyombee]

Sorry for the delay.... I'm sick!!

Tbh, I'm pretty much a starter... I went into this totally blind, and didn't have any tastes at intervals. I left the whole brew for two weeks and waited for it to stop bubbling!!! FG reached 1.004, from start of 1.050, so it seemed like it had done the job. I also kept an eye out for any noticable changes, namely in the colour and smell.... It looks like beer, smells like beer...

I recently made a full 23litre brew... Ballsed it up by using molasses. Anyone new to brewing and reading this... DON'T USE MOLASSES... EVER

*edit*
I used fresh wherever possible, simply because of the nature of my project and that I'm tight fisted. I should imagine using dried bay would be a little stronger.... Give it a whirl and let me know

 

[Grand gris]

Never done a none kit beer before

I am deninitley doing this :thumb: :