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HoppyWeasel · 11-29-2010, 02:36 PM

So I want to make a beer that has the same ingredients that you would fine in absinthe... fennel, anise, star anise, coriander, wormwood, tarragon, orange peel, licorice root, lemon balm, nettles, etc.

I want the base beer to be a traditonal English bitter--- I know absinthe was created in switzerland and gained popularity in france... but I don't really like french beer and have never had a swiss beer...

I would like for the beer to be nitrogenated so it has a nice smooth creamy mouth feel... like a nice thick louche you would get from a good absinthe.

I do want to add hops, some with a low A.A because I'm using wormwood- I was thinking cascades for their nice citrusy note they have and maybe some fuggles... let me know what hops you think would be good.

I do also want some sweetness to the beer... I take my absinthe with sugar cubes. So maybe adding some sugar in the raw or brown sugar? Honey? Lactose? Ideas please..

I wanted to added fresh herbs in secondary... can you use fresh herbs? I wanted to add some tarragon and lemon balm.... anybody have experience with that???

Is this beer possible?

chefmike · 11-29-2010, 02:54 PM

Is the beer possible? Yes.

Can you use fresh herbs? Yes, though you may want to extract them in everclear or vodka instead and then add to your desired flavor. I would probably start light and tweak the recipe. All those spices can become overwhelming

Residual sweetness would have to be unfermentable, so lactose. I have never used it. Any sugar added before the ferment will dry the beer out. I would mash high temp and use a fair helping of crystal to get the mouthfeel.

Interesting concept.

HoppyWeasel · 11-29-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefmike

Is the beer possible? Yes.

Can you use fresh herbs? Yes, though you may want to extract them in everclear or vodka instead and then add to your desired flavor. I would probably start light and tweak the recipe. All those spices can become overwhelming

Residual sweetness would have to be unfermentable, so lactose. I have never used it. Any sugar added before the ferment will dry the beer out. I would mash high temp and use a fair helping of crystal to get the mouthfeel.

Interesting concept.

My first attempt at this beer didn't work out the way I wanted it. I added way to much anise seed and fennel in the boil. It was like drinking black licorice... I Put 1 oz fuggles in a 5 gallon batch and added 1 tb wormwood tea at the end. I'm gunna keep playing around with this beer untill I get it right. Im going to infuse all my fresh herbs in some everclear... good tip.... I was just gunna put them in secondary... kind of like dry hopping.... more for color and aroma really. If I could get a green tinged color to my beer that would be nice... thanks for the tips

Captain Damage · 11-29-2010, 04:34 PM

You can get absinthe flavoring from many lhbs. Or you could also blend a finished beer with absinthe, though that'd be adding a lot of alcohol.

chefmike · 11-29-2010, 08:11 PM

you will still extract color. some combinations turn brown, so you may consider boil or dry hop dry herbs and everclear for the fresh so as to get the green.

vega · 11-29-2010, 08:33 PM

True absinthe is greenish... It's more off green tinge of decaying plants. If you want some inspiration look up Philadelphia Distilleries. They make the best absinthe I have ever had. It's the real stuff. Not a dyed and syrupy liqueur. As stated before, start light. you can always add more but, as you found with your licorice beer, it's impossible to subtract. your only option at that point is blending.

HoppyWeasel · 11-30-2010, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefmike

you will still extract color. some combinations turn brown, so you may consider boil or dry hop dry herbs and everclear for the fresh so as to get the green.

Its all trial and error for me... I'm going to throw tarragon, fennel fronds, and a small amount of lemon balm into secondary... If it turns brown... oh well.. as long as it tastes good

HoppyWeasel · 11-30-2010, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vega

True absinthe is greenish... It's more off green tinge of decaying plants. If you want some inspiration look up Philadelphia Distilleries. They make the best absinthe I have ever had. It's the real stuff. Not a dyed and syrupy liqueur. As stated before, start light. you can always add more but, as you found with your licorice beer, it's impossible to subtract. your only option at that point is blending.

I will look them up for sure... I love trying new absinthes... I'm not going to actually be using absinthe in my recipe... just the main herbs that go into an absinthe... fennel, anise, licorice root, coriander, mint, lemon balm/verbana, wormwood etc.

vega · 11-30-2010, 01:51 AM

Make sure to use high quality herbs. I would think fresh would be best if you want the chance for chlorophyll extraction. you would also want to make a relatively light beer if you want the color to come through. Do you want to make something that replicates absinthe to some degree or do you want something absinthe inspired?

HoppyWeasel · 11-30-2010, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vega

Make sure to use high quality herbs. I would think fresh would be best if you want the chance for chlorophyll extraction. you would also want to make a relatively light beer if you want the color to come through. Do you want to make something that replicates absinthe to some degree or do you want something absinthe inspired?

more absinthe inspired.... (Have you ever had a Tetley's or a Boddingtons pub ale?) I'm thinking a light creamy beer like that with all the flavors and aromas you would get from a traditional drip absinthe.. with good quality fresh and dry herbs and spices.