Mountain Brew

Schwagg · 12-28-2005, 04:00 PM

I have recently had the itch to make a caffeinated beer a la Drew Carey's Buzz Beer. I found this recipe online for Mountain Brew. It's basically a normal recipe, but the water is (mostly) replaced with Mountain Dew. I just wasn't sure how the extra sugars in the soda will conflict with the extract or the yeast. Has anyone tried anything like this, or does anyone have any suggestions?

casebrew · 12-28-2005, 05:03 PM

Who wants grapefruit flavored beer? Can't you find pure caffeine on the net ? Enough for 96 6oz cups, or more?

Schwagg · 12-28-2005, 07:54 PM

According to the description of the recipe, the flavor of the Mountain Dew doesn't really carry over to the beer. Either way, I'm always interested in trying something new...

**david_42** · 12-28-2005, 11:22 PM

One of the guys in the Oregon Brew Crew tried using MD & said it was a dumper. He was worried about the preservatives & used a large starter, but it got stuck & nothing he did helped. Obviously, some people have made it work.

**Dude** · 12-29-2005, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casebrew

Who wants grapefruit flavored beer?

I do. Its called Cascade hops!!!!!!

Actually I LOVE Mt. Dew and when this recipe was printed in BYO I actually thought about doing it.

BTW....I think a correction for the recipe was posted in a later issue.....

usmcruz · 12-29-2005, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwagg

I have recently had the itch to make a caffeinated beer a la Drew Carey's Buzz Beer. I found this recipe online for Mountain Brew. It's basically a normal recipe, but the water is (mostly) replaced with Mountain Dew. I just wasn't sure how the extra sugars in the soda will conflict with the extract or the yeast. Has anyone tried anything like this, or does anyone have any suggestions?

My wife got me this book called homebrew favorites and it has a caffeine ale on page 59 that i havnt tried yet, but when i make it will make a good conversation beer, but i dont know about the taste though. It will definately wake you up!!!!
here is the recipe

4 pounds of pale malt
1/4 pound of dark brown sugar
1/4 pound of corn sugar
1/4 pound of crystal malt
heres the kicker, 32 vivarin caffeine pills
1 tsp of irish moss
7 AAU of Kent goldings hops, boil for 60min
1/2 ounce of Kent goldings hops, boil 3-5 min
Ringwood ale (cultured)
1/2 cup of corn sugar for priming

Quoting this guys discription is as such

" The caffeine adds a slight extra bitterness which is distinct from the hop bitterness. The beer has a strong stimulatory effect--you may stay up all night with this beer"

Ed_Savage · 12-29-2005, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

One of the guys in the Oregon Brew Crew tried using MD & said it was a dumper. He was worried about the preservatives & used a large starter, but it got stuck & nothing he did helped. Obviously, some people have made it work.

I tried Joe Middletons (OBC member, big tall guy) Mountian Brew, and it wasnt half bad. Not my kind of beer, but it went down smooth. And oddly, it really tasted quite a bit like Mountian Dew. He actually won the extract competition with that recipe earlier this summer '05(June? July?), if I recall.

He said since that one was so successful that his next experement would be "Code Red Rye" or "Dr. Pepper Porter"!!!!

**david_42** · 12-29-2005, 02:50 PM

Joe must have made another batch, he'll work a recipe until it's good. I have a tiny memory of discussing this with him, I believe he was going to add the MD after the krausen formed. Did you try his spruce ale?

An alternative to using actual soda, concentrates. Their regular concentrates are a bit odd in that they use sucrose, corn syrup, acesulfame-K and sucralose. There would be a much higher residual sweetness than for "full sugar" sodas.

cowain · 12-29-2005, 03:19 PM

I made a Watermelon Wheat once where I substituted the mash and sparge water with all watermelon juice. Didn't cause any problems with fermentation or anything, but I don't know how much sugar is in watermelon juice compared to Mountain Dew.

StudentBrewer · 12-29-2005, 10:17 PM

I recently did a batch of mountain brew at the request of my roomate (i.e. he bought all the ingredients). Granted i adjusted the online recipe slightly, i added 1/2lb crystal 10 and i substituted centennial for bittering and cascade for aroma to suit my NW pale ale tastes

. Very drinkable, it does have a noticeable MD taste. I guess mine is a NW Mtn Brew