Chestnuts: my GF-brewing God-send... - Page 2

DKershner · 02-05-2010, 04:23 PM

Leeinwa commented in my profile, but I thought I would bring it back here for all our benefit...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leeinwa

Never craved a chestnut!!! In the US probably 80% of the people have never even eaten one. Regardless , when dried chippped and roasted they make a brew that is excellent. Rex Halfpenny who publishes the Michigan Beer Guide said that some of the chestnut beer I made "" the most beer like GF beer I have ever tasted". Corn sugar and all. Deschutes in your town has made it

I am all for making good GF beer. It will surely be the most expensive brew I have made per gallon, but if it is good enough, then its probably worth it.

As for Deschutes, they don't use chestnuts in any beer I have had, including the GF ale. That is just Sorghum and Brown Rice Extract.

The corn sugar comment was just to ask that if the chestnuts make the beer taste like Barley, then why cover that taste up/reduce the flavor? I would only do this in normal beers to dry it out or increase ABV in the big boys.

**Leeinwa** · 02-05-2010, 04:57 PM

Deschutes did make a batch with chestnuts. Sold it in Portland branch pub.

Chestnut Beer has it's own flavor as all specialty beers do. Many of my friends compare it to Dechutes Black Butte or Obsidian. If you only want a 2 % ABV beer you don't have to add any supplemental fermentables. The corn suger doesn't mask the chestnut flavor just raises the ABV.

**Leeinwa** · 02-05-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcasanova

+1 on that

I thought I read some lady's blog a few months back about brewing a gluten free beer with chestnuts. I seem to remember though that they are quite expensive...

Have you figured out the cost of good dark roasted barley compared to the cost of chestnuts for a 5-6 gal. batch?

DKershner · 02-05-2010, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leeinwa

The corn suger doesn't mask the chestnut flavor just raises the ABV.

Gotcha, its for cost savings. Have you ever tried with just more chestnuts?

The flavor as described by you is roasted barley-esque? Your friends seem to think its a mix of black patent and chocolate? Could be interesting, been looking to try a dark beer out on my SWMBO, i would hope for more of the chocolate/coffe than roasted barley though...

mattinboston · 02-05-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkershner

Gotcha, its for cost savings. Have you ever tried with just more chestnuts?

The flavor as described by you is roasted barley-esque? Your friends seem to think its a mix of black patent and chocolate? Could be interesting, been looking to try a dark beer out on my SWMBO, i would hope for more of the chocolate/coffe than roasted barley though...

It will be interesting to see Lee's response to this. I've thought about using ~10 lbs of chips mashed for a 5gal batch just to see what a pure chestnut brew tastes like without the sugar but haven't quite gotten the nerve yet (for the $$).

Once I do a couple more brews I might take a stab at it depending on Lee's experience.

I have some of Lee's dark roasted chips on hand and am thinking they will make a pretty good black lager. That's my next endeavor this weekend.

My recently kegged "american cream ale" made with chestnuts tastes almost exactly like a wheat beer without any wheat or gluten-containing ingredients. Funny. It is surprisingly good.

DKershner · 02-05-2010, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattinboston

My recently kegged "american cream ale" made with chestnuts tastes almost exactly like a wheat beer without any wheat or gluten-containing ingredients. Funny. It is surprisingly good.

What yeast did you use? I made a batch with WB06 that tasted much like wheat beer, but was missing that german wheat flavor. Tasted like white wheat/german yeast mix with some sorghumy bitterness at the end.

My point is that there is lots of different tastes in wheat beers, could you narrow down which taste you are referring to, or which wheat beer?

mattinboston · 02-05-2010, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkershner

What yeast did you use? I made a batch with WB06 that tasted much like wheat beer, but was missing that german wheat flavor. Tasted like white wheat/german yeast mix with some sorghumy bitterness at the end.

My point is that there is lots of different tastes in wheat beers, could you narrow down which taste you are referring to, or which wheat beer?

I guess I should clarify. I was using the light roasted chips for the first time and attempting to make an "american cream ale" with some german saas and hallertau hops (had on hand so subs) and US05 and it came out as a drinkable wheat-like brew. Not what I expected. It is certainly not perfected in a particular wheat style since that's not what I was going for, but the next time I use the light chips I will try for something like a Belgian Leffe.

I used some sorghum and next time I won't. I got some aftertaste too. And of course since it was a different style in the end than I intended I will change the hops and schedule.

Sorry I don't have more specifics to offer at this point.

**Leeinwa** · 02-06-2010, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkershner

Gotcha, its for cost savings. Have you ever tried with just more chestnuts?

The flavor as described by you is roasted barley-esque? Your friends seem to think its a mix of black patent and chocolate? Could be interesting, been looking to try a dark beer out on my SWMBO, i would hope for more of the chocolate/coffe than roasted barley though...

Many people comment on the chocolatly-nutty flavor. Seems like every body wants to add sorghum. I've never added sorghum to any batch. That taste always comes through. Have added less chestnuts and it still makes a great beer but not as full bodied. I have taken chestnut meal and roasted it to look like coffee and use it as a coffee substitute.Cascades and cenntinials do great at hoppin.