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Evan! · 03-01-2007, 11:24 PM

Here's the dilly: I've got this Wee Heavy conditioning in carboy. I was within the limits IBU and OG -wise. Unfortunately, it's not very unique. I'm not crazy about it, and I'm thinking about adding something to it while it's still in carboy. As most of you know, I'm no stranger to adjuncts, and I just don't want to end up with a blah-beer. So...

I got some wormwood on closeout at AHS, just for sh*ts and giggles. It was really cheap, so I figgered, what the hell. But I'm scared of completely ruining this batch, as I've heard that wormwood is weird stuff. Should I try to oak it? Or dryhop it (not exactly a Wee-Heavy technique, though)? Or what?

Glibbidy · 03-02-2007, 12:18 AM

This is the only wormwood I know anything about. I'd stick with this one, It's tried and true, and literally music to my ears.

KitrGy · 03-02-2007, 01:14 AM

I've wondered about wormwood? I know it's great stuff in Absinthe and it was wicked in a bottle of that stuff I had. It is nice ****. but I wonder if you can get a beer with ith boiled in like a hops and if it can add the benifits it adds like in absinthe? I think it could add some nice bitterness and some nice sweet buzz effect, has anyone ever experimented with this?

**Schlenkerla** · 03-02-2007, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan!

I got some wormwood on closeout at AHS, just for sh*ts and giggles. It was really cheap, so I figgered, what the hell. But I'm scared of completely ruining this batch, as I've heard that wormwood is weird stuff. Should I try to oak it? Or dryhop it (not exactly a Wee-Heavy technique, though)? Or what?

Don't use Wormwood. Go with Oak.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/herbs-can-added-beer-23460-post229286/#post229286

It poisonous.

ColoradoXJ13 · 03-02-2007, 03:00 AM

wormwood has a very bitter taste, which is also the reason I think that New Belgiums new seasonal, Springboard, tastes like sh!t.

BarleyWater · 03-02-2007, 05:44 AM

I can't stand springboard, couldn't finish one bottle, although SWMBO didn't mind it. I couldn't take the crap though. I has completely turned me off of ever using wormwood.

Evan! · 03-02-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlenkerla

Don't use Wormwood. Go with Oak.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=229286#post229286

It poisonous.

Anything is poisonous in certain doses. As evidenced by the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" promotion, even water is poisonous in large enough doses.

I'll steer clear of it simply because of the reactions re: taste, but I've not heard of anyone dying from Absinthe in moderate doses. And if it was a true poison, somehow I doubt AHS would be selling it as a beer adjunct, anyway.

**Schlenkerla** · 03-02-2007, 12:52 PM

Yah, I suppose. I saw two posts about this and somebody commented on it possibly being poisonous. I just tried to site a source so I wasn't just somebody pulling out of their a$$.

There are so many other good herbs and additives to use that don't pose a risk.

I'm not a purist so I wouldn't feel the need to use wormwood in a Wee Heavy if thats what it calls for in the recipe.

To each his own....

**Schlenkerla** · 03-02-2007, 12:54 PM

I also don't ever want to get someone sick drinking my beer. Certain things effect people differently. So why risk it?

zoebisch01 · 03-02-2007, 01:34 PM

Well I think the key here is if you add some Wormwood, proportion would be the hardest thing to determine. I don't necessarily think it is the Wormwood itself which would be horrible, but because it is so intense it would be very easy to overdo it. If you did go this approach a sterile infusion would be absolutely necessary so that you could meter out Tbs of the stuff into your Ale until you reach the right concentration.

I think the oaking would probably be a good method of imparting a uniqueness.

Fwiw, you'd have to chew on a bunch of Wormwood to get sick and that would be really hard to do given it's nature. Many of the tales of Wormwood being a poison are deeply rooted in the history of Absinthe. From what I can piece together it was the addition of things like Copper Sulfate (to give it a green color) and other really poisionous substances and practices that created the problems associated with Absinthe that led to its ban. The ban has been lifted in I believe most if not all of Europe but still remains in effect in the USA. The key component reportedly associated with the delirium from drinking absinthe is the chemical Thujone. This is found in Wormwood, but interestingly enough the concentrations of Thujone are much higher in common culinary Sage. Have you ever tripped out from eating Sage? Most of the relationship with poisoning and elevated euphoria from Absinthe were most likely from poor practices used to make cheap Absinthe. I saw on tv a guy making Absinthe in a distillery in France. After seeing him throw bundles and bundles of the stuff into the vat I am convinced you would be really hard pressed to get sick from it unless you had some strange sensitivity to it.