Dreamweapon Herbal IPA

Valeriana officinalis

This recipe sort of came out of the blue, featuring some herbal ingredients that I had lying around and were nearing the end of their shelf life. What better way to preserve the health and healing capability of herbs than steeping them into a beer, which can last for months if not years if properly stored? Tinctures work much the same way, except they can last even longer considering they are often made with 30-40 % alc.vol. liquors. If you get the reference in the name I chose for this beer, you are one awesome dude/dudette. If not, I am not going to give you the satisfaction outright and you are going to have to do a little bit of googling around to figure it out.

The name is relevant though, trust me, since I have formulated this one to be the perfect compliment to the end of an evening. Not too forceful, but you are definitely not staying awake for the rest of that movie once you crack one of these buddies open. Featuring chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) blossoms and valerian (Valeriana officinalis) root, this wildly and differently flavored India pale ale is bound to cripple your chances of staying up late. Both of these herbs gently tone the central nervous system, relax muscle tension and sooth fried nerves and clouded minds. They both help prepare the body for rest by sedating and calming your entire body. Valerian can even be used throughout the day: it helps to naturally restore your body’s sleep rhythm and therefore will only help you sleep when you ought to be sleeping- at night time. Valerian and chamomile can lessen the severity of, or prevent altogether, muscle spams/cramps that can be associated with a host of normal or abnormal bodily functions.

Ingredients:

4 gallons water
3 liters liquid amber barley malt extract
1 ounce dried chamomile blossoms
25 grams Cascade hops
0.4 ounces chopped and dried valerian root
8 grams de-bittered ale yeast

Liquid amber barley malt

Chamomile blossoms and Cascade hops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

1. Bring one gallon of water to a boil.
2. Add liquid amber barley malt extract, pouring slowly and stirring to prevent burning.
3. Add valerian root, stirring a little to evenly spread it around. Start timer at 25 mins.
4. When there is 10 mins. of the boil remaining, add chamomile blossoms and hops. Stir again to dissolve.
5. Once timer goes off, remove from heat and allow wort to cool in the pot until it is around 60-75 degrees F.
6. Fill sterilized carboy/bucket with 3 more gallons of water and wort, adding the wort slowly along with the water so the two mix together as thorough as possible.
7. Wait until head dissipates and then pitch yeast.
8.  Insert sterilized airlock and wait until fermentation is complete (5-7 days usually)

Finished wart ready for brewing.

If anyone else reading this is interested in pursuing some experimentation with herbs in brewing, I highly recommend this. It has a pretty comprehensive list of most common and a few unusual herbs/trees that are of were historically used in brewing for various reasons. This is where I got the quantities of the herbs that I used for this beer. Smells pretty good already, so I am pretty confident that the folks at the California Fermention Society know what they are talking about.

Update: Pis en Lit G’root’ Ale

This beer has taken me on a real ride. Yesterday, I transferred the 4 gallon batch of this liver cleansing dandelion and milk thistle ale into my second carboy, attempting to filter out all of the yeast and herb parts that I left in during primary fermentation. This beer has been fermenting for 3 and a half weeks, way longer than a beer that was supposed to be straight forward and take less than 10 days to ferment. I did initially have to pitch the yeast in a second time, for 5 days after initially adding yeast I didn’t see any sign of fermentation. I don’t think this would have impacted the length of the fermentation though, because I have had to do this before and the batch still fermented at the regular expected time.

So, who knows? I don’t. It may have been due to fluctuating temperatures in the basement, or possibly warding off some unwanted bacterial colony that may have attempted dominance of the wort. I tried a little sample of the beer, even though it is not yet carbonated. It is pretty damn strong, I am estimating 8-9% alc.vol. which is way off the charts for the expected 5% alc.vol. The flavor is a little heavy on the malt, but with a the damp woody bitterness of dandelion.

Right now I am just going to wait until the beer stops fermenting during secondary. It might be later this week, or it might keep going for another few weeks. Thought I would free up the first carboy in order to make this beer. Can’t stand to not be brewing, even if it is a brew that is holding me up. Any suggestions/comments as to what I might have done to mess up (but not really) Pis en Lit would be appreciated.

Pis en Lis G’root’ Ale

Common dandelion – Taraxacum officinale

The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) delights our eyes with carpets of stunning yellow composite blooms that invade grassy fields, the edges of roads and other waste places throughout mid to late spring. Despite being labeled as a nuisance and having an impressive assortment of biological and mechanical weapons specifically devised for it’s eradication, dandelions still hold a firm grip on our landscapes as well as our folkflore and traditions.

For example, the common name ‘dandelion’ is derived from the French ‘dent-de-lion’ which means ‘lion’s tooth’ and refers to the jagged, irregularly toothed edges of the leaves. Another French name for this plant is ‘pis en lit’ which means ‘piss the bed’ [an excellent name for a beer!] and refers to the diuretic affect which results from consuming the leaves, flowers and roots. It has been known for centuries that the dandelion is a potent cleaner of the urinary system.

In fact, the roots of dandelions have been used as a powerful and safe medicine since antiquity, additional to cleaning and strengthening the urinary system. Numerous studies and hundreds of years of practice have revealed that the plant is rich in important minerals such as magneseum and iron, and has the capacity to heal and detoxify our liver, gallbladder and bloodstream from accumulated bacteria and other toxins.

Ground milk-thistle seed and dried, chopped dandelion root.

The bitterness of dandelion also excites and stimulates the production of gastric juices [yum!] and enzymes to be released into the stomach which assist in the proper assimilation and absorbtion of nutrients in our food. In Greece, salads featuring dandelion leaves are traditionally eaten before a heavy meal in order to increase the appetite and prepare the digestive system for the bulk of the meal which has yet to arrive.

I have always regarded the spring as a time of renewal, rebirth and healing. So what better way than the cleanse the body after a long, dark winter that is often accompanied by a monotonous diet low in fresh fruit and vegetables than with a spring tonic beer made with dandelion root? Here here, says I! Spring cleaning is most definitely not exclusive to the household. Part of experiencing the blessings of a new year includes making sure your body is healthy, clean and functioning efficiently.

Ingredients:

4 gallons water
3 litres liquid amber malt extract
2.2 ounces both dried and fresh dandelion root
18 grams ground milk-thistle (Silybum marianum) seed
8 grams de-bittered ale yeast

comments: I could not find any resources which describe the moisture content of dandelion roots. They do weight considerably more when fresh than dried, as would be expected. The original recipe from Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers recommends 4 dried ounces of dandelion root for a 4 gallon batch, which seems like a lot, so I am halving it based on what I have been able to harvest and not wanting to make the taste too strong. I definitely still want to feel the super dirty, earthy bitterness that is unique to dandelion. It is likely that arround 200 individual plants were harvested to compose the 2.2 ounces of roots.

The boiling wort with dandelion roots.

Instructions:

1. Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large pot (preferably one with handles as you are going to be handling it after it is boiled)
2. Once boiling, slowly pour in and stir 3 litres of liquid amber malt extract until it is dissolved in the water.
3. Add 2.2 ounces dandelion root, stirring to evenlydistribute them.
4. Simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. After the 15 minutes has passed, remove pot from heat.
6. Place pot of wort in a place where it can cool to room temperature.
7. When cool enough, carefully pour the wort through a strainer and into a sterilized fermenter, such as a glass carboy.
8. Pour the 18 grams of ground milk-thistle seeds into wort inside the carboy.*
9. Top up the carboy with cool water until it contains a total of 4 gallons.
10. Pitch 8 grams of yeast into fermenter and insert airlock.

The wort chilling out.

* The seeds of milk-thistle contain active compounds which are alcohol soluable and therefore not effectively extracted by boilding. The compounds in dandelions, however, can be extracted by water. By placing the ground milk-thistle seeds in the carboy during the fermentation process, those alcohol soluable compounds are extracted and remain suspended in the final product. I decided to add milk-thistle to this recipe because, like dandelion, they have potent liver strengthening and detoxifying capabilities and will also hopefully add an interesting bitter flavour of their own. More can be read about the medicinal applications of milk-thistle here.

Yeast pitched and ready to start fermenting.

Lemon Ginger Beer

This one really turned out unique; a very special winter treat that completely surprised me and turned out quite different from what I initially anticipated. Everyone knows what ginger ale tastes like, I know for me it comprised a large proportion of my liquid intake when I was a young’n. Likewise, with the onset of adulthood (whatever that really is) I turned the bulk of my appreciation of ginger ale to the fermented variety.

This beer tastes pretty much exactly like regular ginger ale, except it is most definitely alchoholic. It was brewed as a 3 gallon batch, and contains 750ml of liquid amber malt extract and 1 pound of brown sugar. Given the ratios involved (1 pound sugar or 1.1 pounds liquid malt extract = 1 gallon 5% alc./vol. beer) and the fact that 750ml of liquid malt extract weights approx. 3 pounds, this batch should be around 5.5-6%.

The little bit of boost provided by the extra concentration of alcohol as well as the spicy, warm flavour and aroma of ginger make this a real winter warmer. It’s really refreshing even though it’s beer. Another interesting aspect to this recipe was the addition of lemon juice. There is no hops what-so-ever involved with this beer, and yet it  is not sickingly sweet or tastes like table syrup. I think this is because the powerful sourness of the lemon juice cuts off the natural sweetness of the malt. This leaves a well balanced sweetness than is not overwhelming.

So, now for the specs: the color is a light yellow-amber, with a numbing soft carbonation (this ought to get better with time). The flavour is neutrally sweet, smooth and thirst quenching with a mild sour aftertaste. The scent is that of a clear cold stream; clementines, and crushed fir needles.

Would I make any improvements next time? Yes: grate or finely chop the ginger in order to get the maximum flavour released from them (I want a ginger flavour so strong it’ll make you cry) and do not leave the ginger chunks in the fermenter unless contained in a muslin bag and weighted down so that they do not float at the surface. The ginger chunks that were left in the beer as it fermented settled just below the surface and a few fostered some mold growth. There wasen’t enough growth to threaten the whole batch of beer and during bottling the patches (which only grew on the surface of the beer where it was exposed to air) were easily avoided. But still… best to avoid that as a possible complication.

Thanks again to Michelle Doherty for assisting with this recipe; this being one occasion among many. You have evidence in writing that half of this batch is yours. So come and get it! Preferably with someone that drives so you can pick it up all at once. Just give them a cut, pretty much anyone will agree to drive you around if they get paid in beer.

Winter Herb-Beer Review

This beer has been ready for a few weeks now and has successfully carbonated even though the primitive scale that I was using to measure out the dextrose (corn sugar) to mix with the fermented wort was faulty and cryptic to decipher. It took a little bit longer to fully cardbonate but it was definitely a success in that regard. All in all: this is one of the most laid-back and easy drinking beers that I have ever made. Let’s review what’s in it: water (duh), amber malt extract, wild carrot seeds, yarrow flowers, rosemary sprigs and yeast (double duh).

The flavour is light, well balanced and has a hint of cider-like dryness. The head is light but sustaining and if you dump this one into the glass it will remain for the entire duration of your drink. The color is a pale orange/light amber and quite clear (thanks Irish moss!). The aroma is sweet and mellow with a strange musk; possibly due to the yeast giving off wierd flavours because of the addition of unconventional herbal ingredients. The flavour is very pleasant and floral, with some herbal tang and an aftertaste of mild bitterness from the small amount of hops added (50 grams of Cascade).

This is a winner; I really couldn’t have hoped for anything better. I don’t mean to toot my own horn (best expression) by saying all this stuff, but I think after many attempts at herbal wierd beers I am starting to get the hang of what to expect from the unorthodox ingredients that I continually experiment with. I have had some good ones as well as my share of dives; let’s not forget the embarassing folly of the licorice/valerian beer that Rob Nagy and I partnered on which ended up culturing various blue and green moulds instead of fermenting cleanly. Oh well, It probably would have tasted like sickingly sweet sweaty socks anyways since Valerian (the roots of the plant Valeriana officinalis) has a reputation for putting people off. I personally like the flavour, but I’m a wierdo.

May 2013 be filled with more successful homebrews. I think I deserve another.

Cardamom Spiced Mead

Thanks Michelle for being another accomplice on this endeavour. Mead is delicious, wholesome and a time honored drink of heath and vitality. I am really looking forward to trying this one. Cardamom is a warm, sharp spice made from the ground up pods of the plant Elettaria cardamomum which is in the same family as ginger. Try it in your coffee; you will not be dissappointed. We also added cinnamon, just because it’s great.

Ingredients: 2L water, 1/2L amber honey, 1 tbsp. ground cardamom, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, wine yeast.

Instructions: Pour 1 L of water into a pot and bring to a boil. Add honey, stirring until dissolved, and let boil for 10 mins. Add ground spices and stir untill suspended and nearly dissolved and boil for another 5 mins. Allow pot and mead inside to cool to almost room temperature (80-90 degrees F). Siphon into fermenter (in our case, a growler) and add the remaining litre of water. Add wine yeast, and insert airlock.

Mead needs to be in a little bit of a warmer situation than beer in order for the yeast to efficiently ferment the sugars in the honey. Honey is also comparatively devoid of the nutrients that yeast requires for proper health. It is particularly lacking in B12 vitamins and it is recommended that one should add yeast nutrient as a suppliment for the yeast fermenting your mead. I didn’t add any yeat nutrient, and regardless fermentation has begun and seems to be humming along at a regular beat.

Sacred and Herbal Beers estimates that mead made in a 1:3 ration honey to water will take 16-26 days. After which it can be bottled (if you wanted carbonated mead you could add dextrose or a small amount of honey to each bottle) and stored for up to a year, likely longer.

Lemon Ginger Ale

I have always wanted to make a beer with ginger. It’s incredibly distinctive warm and pungent spice is flattering to the palate and compliments most foods that it may be prepared with. Ginger is the rhizomatous root of the plant Zingiber officinale which is a native of south-east Asia. It’s a spice, food and medicine that although once rare is now available to the masses. Ginger posesses digestive system strengthening properties that are unmatched in the herbal world. It also improves blood circulation, strengthens the heart, and clears the throat.

This was a collaborative effort with Michelle of Art-Time-Collective. She appreciates fine beer and was even a little bit wierdo enough to try making some of her own.  Apprentices for things that matter, right? Passing down tradition as it should be done. Lemon juice was another ingredient that we added to for some additional interest.

So here’s what we put in it, how much of it, and what we did with it all.

Ingredients: 3 gallons water, 750 ml amber malt extract, 1 pound brown sugar, 4-5 ounces sliced fresh ginger root, 8 ounces lemon juice, 1/2 tablet irish moss, ale yeast.

Instructions: Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil. Slowly add and stir in malt extract and brown sugar until dissolved. Add all the lemon juice and add half of your ginger slices. Start the timer at 15 minutes. At 10 mins, grind the irish moss tablet and add it to the wort, stirring until dissolved. At 7 and a half minutes, add the rest of the sliced ginger.

Allow to cool to near room temperature after boiling before siphoning into fermenter. Add 2 gallons of water into the wort to make a total of 3 gallons. Pitch yeast and insert airlock.

Updates: This beer did not start fermenting right away and needed to be relocated to a warmer location (directly under the heating vent on the ceiling) which was more suitable. It has now been fermenting for 3-4 days. There is some minor mould growth on the pieces of ginger which have floated to the surface. That’s not all that big of a deal though, as mould will only grow on the surface of the fermenting beer because it is exposed to the air. Therefore all the beer an inch or so beneath the surface is not affected. It’s important to know these things in order to avoid unecessary panicking.

Winter Herb-Beer

Ever since my Licorice Ale was ready about a week ago, I had my eyes set on producing another homebrew. Best not to run out of anything, right? At least that is my train of thought. Like a lot of the other beers that I have made (some of which featuring the mathamatical and logistical skills of Robert Nagy) this one was contemplated for a long while, although the fine tunings of how much/when to add it/how long to have it boiling were finalized on a whim. But that’s fine with me, I have developed a bit of a liking for haphazard beers that come together as they are being made. It’s sort of like with cooking. As long as you know the basics, you can’t really go wrong.

This recipe has quite a bit in it. I was originally going to use just Cascade hops and the seeds of the wild carrot plant (Daucus carota) to provide flavour and bittering, but at the last minute decided to include some other herbs/ingredients that I had lying around and probably were not going to use for anything anyways.

Batch size: 4 gallons. Ingredients: 4 gallons water, 4.4 pounds (1.5 litres) liquid amber malt extract, 50 grams Cascade hops, 3 ounces dried and crushed wild carrot seed, 1 ounce dried yarrow (Achilles millefolium) flowers, a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, 1 irish moss tablet and ale yeast.

The hot wort cooling down outside next to the bbq.

Instructions: I brought 1.5 gallons of water to a boil on the stove and then added all of the liquid malt extract, stirring in order to avoid the malt sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. Right after I added all of the hops, and then started the timer at 20 minutes. After letting the hops/malt to boil for 5 minutes, I added 1 irish moss tablet and then allowed the wort to boil for another 5 minutes.

With 10 minutes remaining, I added the yarrow flowers and wild carrot seeds, stirring to dissolve them and to ensure even cooking. After another 5 minutes, I added the sprigs of rosemary and let the wort boil for the last 5 minutes. Then I transfered the wort (with all of the ingredients still in it) outside near the door to cool down. I waited about 5 or 6 hours for the wort to cool to room temperature (18-23 degrees C / 65-75 degrees F) and then strained the wort into a sterilized glass carboy where fermentation will take place.

Since I only brought 1.5 gallons to a boil instead of trying to boil all 4 gallons of water at once, which is totally impractical unless you have all the right equipment, I needed to top up this concentrated wort with 2.5 gallons of water to bring it up to a grand total of 4 gallons. Then, in went the yeast and on with the airlock. Process complete.

Yeast freshly pitched into the room temperature wort.

Progress: In less than 24 hours this beer was feverishly fermenting and has started to taper off now (I made this on Thursday night and now it is Monday afternoon) so I estimate that by the middle of this week it will be done fermenting and ready to be added to bottles to condition and carbonate. Today (Tuesday) the activity has almost completely stopped. Note: home brewing is extra fantastic.