/Home Brew/

[Anonymous No.17305097]

I have a bunch of dry malt extract, but no more hops. What else could I add for flavor?

[Bele Regis Notarius No.17305154]

>>17305097
There is a large selection of botanicals and herbs that you could add to a brew, most of which were regularly used before the widescale domestication and availability of hops. If you wish to use something which is actually closer to the hop plant in flavour, I suggest Saint John's Wort, Mugwort or Alehoof. Yarrow and Wormwood could also work, but these are more dubious in nature. Make sure you check up on the potential side-effects of these herbs, as some of them could be toxic in large quantities.

If you're interested, research the topic of Gruit and beers prior to the domestication of hops.

[Anonymous No.17305240]

>>17305154
Valarian is also an option

[Anonymous No.17305251]

>>17305154
Cheers, thank you for the information.

I don't have any of the herbs you mentioned, and I need to start a batch right away with whatever I have on hand or can get at the local grocery store, or I'll run out of alcohol. Do you think any household herbs would compliment an otherwise plain malt beverage?
I have a bunch of dried allspice berries, nutmeg, anise, vanilla, and stuff like that. I know it's hardly traditional, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Bele Regis Notarius No.17305391]

>>17305251
It's more traditional that you'd think. Marjoram, oregano and lavender were used in infusions and brews quite often prior to the introduction of hops. You'd be surprised just how many unique and interesting drinks fell into obscurity due to the dominance of hops. Meadowsweet, spruce, bog-myrtle, lemongrass, sage, heather, rosemary, coriander, juniper berries - these are just a few of the original ale-herbs which people used to flavour fermented drinks. Most of these things today are used as teas or spices for cooking, so I'd suggest you give a look to your stores' tea and spice aisles.

Alternatively, you can try to use citrus zest for flavour - just the outer layer, none of the white bits or juice. If you want to get really fancy with it and thoroughly utilize your zest, you can give a shot to making an oleo saccharum. Be warned, if you do this chances are that the sugar used will be consumed by the yeast you used for your fermentation.

As for what would compliment your malt liquor, I do not know. This is very much up to taste, but I do suggest you look up the herbs and spices you'll pick to use. Their potency per volume ratio varies wildly.

[Anonymous No.17305418]

>>17305251
just wing it

[Anonymous No.17305497]

>>17305251
honestly if you drink your beer quickly and don't mind it being more balanced towards the sweeter side you don't need hops. just brew as is. corriander and citrus zest are common flavorings.

[Anonymous No.17305824]

>>17305391
>>17305418
>>17305497
Again, thanks for the input guys! I have a jar of dried orange peels (it has some whites, but they were tangerines or manderins that don't have too much white compared to thicker skin oranges). Going to try adding those and some crushed allspice berries, and maybe a bit of staranise.
>>17305497
>honestly if you drink your beer quickly and don't mind it being more balanced towards the sweeter side you don't need hops
This batch is necessarily going to be drunk right out of the carboy, without being bottled or carbonated (yes, I am a wretched alcoholic), so even if it was just plain fermented malt it would get the job done, but if I can spice it up a bit with something on hand, all the better.

[Anonymous No.17305847]

what are some interesting cider flavours? the best one i've made was rhubarb + strawberry + apple