Has anyone had any positive results from brewing beer with garlic?
I picture using it like fresh hop cones - dry hopping in the secondary. I have found many recipes where brewers have crushed, braised, and roasted and added to the boil. I think that is not the best use of the oils, and I don’t want something that will rot my tongue. IMHO, the whiff of garlic as you taste the malt should be sufficient. Like a spicy hop, but only for your nose.
What experiences have any of you had with this idea?
Definitely an allium note but more like rotten onions than garlic. Maybe Summit hops roasted in olive oil?
[quote=“The Mad Zymurgist”]Has anyone had any positive results from brewing beer with garlic?
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MZ, I’ve never put garlic in a beer and it’s a safe bet that I never will but I did taste a garlic beer brewed by a brewpub in Connecticut a year or so ago. The brewer made it just for laughs but it did have a wonderful (if you like garlic) roasted garlic aroma and flavor. I could only drink a few small sips to sample the beer but it was a hell of a good effort. I think he roasted large quantities of garlic and added to the wort towards the end of the boil.
@Denny: I have run across that very suggestion before (and may probably try it someday).
Why? Because I have a desire to perform scientific biochemistry experiments in my own home, and then consume them.
Because I think properly done, garlic can add a spicy aroma similar to (yet unique) some of the higher-alpha hops.
It does seem to me, however, that the oils in garlic that impart that flavor/aroma degrade quite quickly, and the optimum time to drink such a beer (if it’s successful) will be short. Week 1, it’ll be waaaay too strong. Week 2 - 4 = perfection. After Week 4, the garlic flavor will be nonexistent. Or something like that.
Nevertheless, I fell compelled to try.
+1 to that. I LOVE garlic. I LOVE beer. I have no desire to integrate the two. Having said that, it’s your beer and I’m all for experimenting, so go for it!
When i went to Beer Camp at Sierra Nevada, one of the other homebrewers had been chosen to be there because he made a Philly cheese steak beer. The SN people admire his audacity. He said the beer was completely disgusting, though.
I’ve tasted a restrained garlic beer at a local restaurant which was interesting and not objectionable, though I wouldn’t order another one. I’ve also made a garlic wine that was fabulous. I never drank a glass, but it was fantastic to cook with.
There are no bad data from a proper experiment. I kind of like that thought.
I suppose I could achieve the desired effect by rubbing fresh-crushed garlic on my hands before opening and drinking the beer…that would give me the aroma I am looking for… 8)
When i went to Beer Camp at Sierra Nevada, one of the other homebrewers had been chosen to be there because he made a Philly cheese steak beer. The SN people admire his audacity. He said the beer was completely disgusting, though.[/quote]
Was he from New Jersey? Kirk? A guy in my brew club, who went to SN Beer Camp has been trying to make a GOOD cheesesteak beer. The beer camp group brewed an Alt. Can’t remember the name of it though.
When i went to Beer Camp at Sierra Nevada, one of the other homebrewers had been chosen to be there because he made a Philly cheese steak beer. The SN people admire his audacity. He said the beer was completely disgusting, though.[/quote]
Was he from New Jersey? Kirk? A guy in my brew club, who went to SN Beer Camp has been trying to make a GOOD cheesesteak beer. The beer camp group brewed an Alt. Can’t remember the name of it though.[/quote]
Yep, that’s who it was! Alternate Ending was the name. Say hi for me!
The only way I could wrap my head around this would be to make a Bloody Beer / Red Rooster.
A possible accompaniment when you craft your garlic beer would be (maybe) to add some dehydrated powdered tomato spice to secnodary, as it just might be a good marriage with the garlic.
Roasting the garlic would be a good exploration as the carmelizing effect would mellow the garlic and take out the sting that usually accompanies fresh.
Have a go at it and report back. Btw; you married? Girlfriend? Re: Garlic Breath.
