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rinhaak · 06-23-2011, 10:18 PM

I'm starting to sketch out some recipe ideas for a nut brown ale I'd like to make with wild rice and walnuts. I'm really going for the nutty flavor of the rice, not necessarily its fermentable sugars. Thus, I was thinking about adding the rice to the boil as opposed to the mash. Everything I've found online suggests that mashing the rice leads to a more fruity than nutty flavor. Thoughts?

I also want some roasted walnuts in this beer, but I am trying to think of a way to extract as little of the oils as possible (as I don't want to interfere with the proteins in the beer, and I still want a nice head). My current thought was to roast maybe 1/2 lb. of walnuts, then add them to secondary. Let it sit in secondary four weeks. Think this would be OK? Too much time? I want this to be a subtle undertone, not the main idea.

Captain Damage · 06-24-2011, 12:00 AM

I think for the walnuts maybe make an extract by soaking them in vodka for a week or so. Add them to 2ndary with the vodka. That probably won't remove the oil. If head is all-important to you then use commercial walnut extract.

Randy Mosher says to use wild rice in the mash to get a nutty flavor (Radical Brewing). Adding starchy stuff to the boil, like wild rice, will just make your beer cloudy. You might be able to get some flavor out of it by steeping, but not as much as if you mash.

rinhaak · 06-24-2011, 01:50 PM

If I've soaked the walnuts in vodka and that's extracted their flavor, what's the importance of including the walnuts in secondary?

Captain Damage · 06-25-2011, 10:16 AM

You should get a good deal more flavor out of the walnuts by keeping them in secondary for a few weeks (speaking in principals here). A long secondary should get you some of the flavor components that don't extract as easily. Also keep in mind that the vodka also serves to sterilize the walnuts.

BTW an almond ale is on my list of beers to try brewing in the fall.