Lavender Beer - Recipe Needed

[Capper20]

The missus said she'd help out with a brew but has specified that she wants to make a lavender beer. Is this possible? I reckon a shed load of lavender flowers at flame out or even in the secondary based on a light bitter ale. Anyone tried and succeeded? I couldn't find any reference to lavender in Radical Brewing so I'm already intrigued to try it...

[Lime Corridor]

Capper, what can I say? Great minds and all that. I am brewing this tonight, never done it before, so keeping it simple, but something from my own head…

“Fred’s Lavender First”

1048 – 1012, S-04, 23 litres

5kg M.O
0.265kg Crystal

75g Fuggles @ 90
20g EKG @ 15
15g Lavender @ 15
15g EKG @ f.o.
15g Lavendar @ f.o.

The grain bill is adjusted for the intricacies of my set up as my efficiency has dropped to around the 70% mark.

Hoping that I get something interesting and around the 4.7% mark.

Any thoughts on the above are always appreciated…

Capper, I have read elsewhere that you need to be sure of the type of lavender that you are using i.e. there are aromatic and edible varieties. You want the edible, of which “English Lavender” is one.

LC

[trucker5774]

Won't it just smell of old ladies

[Lime Corridor]

Trucker, I have been trying to nail that Oxfam aroma for some time now!


LC

[trucker5774]

You've cracked it

[Capper20]

Let us know how it turns out! Cheers.

[Lime Corridor]

Good overnight brew yesterday. Missed my target by a couple of points and ended at 1046, but hey ho. After a conflab with Mrs Corridor (a regular user of lavender in soap) I reduced the amount of lavender in the end to 10g @ 15 and 5g at flame out. This felt right and on initial taste the lavender is certianly coming through. I am hopeful that it settles down a bit in the coming weeks. I will let you know.

LC.

[Capper20]

Excellent.

[critch]

lavender root is used in gruit as a bittering agent, theres a bit about it in extreme brewing by sam calagione, as stated ensure you use the edible one!

[Lime Corridor]

Still in the primary, 1.011 for the last two days, so moving to secondary tonight for a few days prior to bottling. I have tasted it and to be honest I think I may have over done it with the lavender - less than 10g in total would probably be more than enough. Pretty strong aroma and flavour, hoping the flavour calms down in the bottle. We will see.

'Old lady ale' may be one not to repeat...

I will let you know when I crack the first.

LC

[Capper20]

I bought 25g on the weekend so I will be trying it out this weekend.

[Capper20]

Made it the othe day: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=44157

[Lime Corridor]

OK, so an update. Cracked a couple of these after about three weeks in the bottle. Apart from over carbonating a little (late night priming and bottling) I am pretty impressed with this beer. Yes, it tastes of lavender, yes it is a bit of an old lady ale, and I am embarassed to say that I like it but Mrs. Corridor does not...not the plan.

The lavender aroma and flavour have settled down somewhat, although I am sure perhaps 10g total in 23l would do the job. Compliments the wonderfl EKG.

Capper20 it would be good to hear how yours has gone.

LC

[Capper20]

Still in secondary. Just landed from France. Bottling tomorrow morning. Need ale. Hate French lager.

[Capper20]

Tasted very soapy going into the bottles, will have to wait for a few weeks and try again.