Lavender
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cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
OOOH.....good question. Subscribed.
Soaked in vodka is the usual answer, but let's see.
Soaked in vodka is the usual answer, but let's see.
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
Good info of quantities and styles here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/lavender-138711/
Here too: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/lavender-beer-i-know-55896/
Talk about alcohol soak and boiling here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/adding-lavender-beer-176363/
There seems to be no tried and true method, but also no reports of issues when just adding to secondary. I would add at 5 min in boil and in secondary.
Here too: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/lavender-beer-i-know-55896/
Talk about alcohol soak and boiling here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/adding-lavender-beer-176363/
There seems to be no tried and true method, but also no reports of issues when just adding to secondary. I would add at 5 min in boil and in secondary.
Stardust
Well-Known Member
If you can would you please post a picture of the lavender wheat? And the recipe 
BaronVonMeisterburger
Well-Known Member
Lavender in beer sounds sexy, but it can taste and smell like you dropped a bar of Grandma's old fashioned soap in the boil. Try a bottle of The Bruery's Orchard White to see if lavender in beer is right for you.
bailiff48
Member
I brewed a sour cherry lavender Saison a couple of months ago. Put the lavender in the last 5 min. It took some time for everything to blend together, but ended up turning out great.
Stardust
Well-Known Member
This is what I was thinking of doing with 1 oz of culinary lavender (the stuff I use when I roast a leg of lamb). How much did you use?
bailiff48
Member
I used 7 tablespoons for 5 gallons. Did some tests and didn't have a scale around, so I used tablespoons! It's quite a bit for most beers, but the sour cherries had a pretty strong flavor, so I wanted a nice intense smell as well. As I mentioned, it has taken awhile for everything to blend, but after about a month and a half in bottles things are coming together nicely!
frankstoneline
Well-Known Member
I made a lavender chamomile belgian table beer last summer, I used a .5 ounces chamomile flowers and culinary lavender @5 mins and wanted a bit more lavender flavor so I made a couple cups of a lavender tea with .25 ounces lavender and added that at bottling. now after ~ 8 months in bottles I'm really happy with the complexity of the flavors as they blend, but it took a bit of waiting.
I made a belgian christmas ale and we used all kind of spices. We added them 5 min before the end of the boil. I think we tossed in a handful of dried lavender flovers. The armoa was really nice, but in my opinon it really takes time for it to mellow out, so that it is more balanced. It was supposed to be ready for xmas, but I think it's way better nowadays. I'm going to spare the few bottles that I still have and maybe drink one after 6 months or so.
That said I would not brew a wit (or something that needs to be consumed quickly) with lavender, unless you use the "soak in vodka"-method. That way you at least have greater controll of the flavour your beer will have. But if you really love lavender then you shouldn't be afraid. The flavour can however be very dominant.
That said I would not brew a wit (or something that needs to be consumed quickly) with lavender, unless you use the "soak in vodka"-method. That way you at least have greater controll of the flavour your beer will have. But if you really love lavender then you shouldn't be afraid. The flavour can however be very dominant.
Stardust
Well-Known Member
Waiting is no problem...I have several cases of beer aging right now. The complex flavours that develop over time are always worth the wait (to me at least)
I'm considering doing 2 versions of this lavender beer: 1 will be a pale ale base with a SG of about 50 or so, and the other will be a dark, heavy base (thinking stout) with a higher SG for a holiday brew
jennyjoy
Member
Getting ready to bottle a lavender wit and took a taste... I'm into crazy beer flavors but this is too intense even for me.
1 oz of lavender (put in dry along with .5 bitter orange with 5 mins left in the boil) is way too much lavender for a 2.5 gallon brew... for future reference...
Smells amazing, tastes like I'm chewing on the lavender plant. Maybe it will mellow in the bottle?
1 oz of lavender (put in dry along with .5 bitter orange with 5 mins left in the boil) is way too much lavender for a 2.5 gallon brew... for future reference...
Smells amazing, tastes like I'm chewing on the lavender plant. Maybe it will mellow in the bottle?
jennyjoy
Member
An update... The lavender beer I brewed that was WAY too lavendery totally mellowed in the bottle after a few months. Ended up being totally delightful even though it started out tasting like grandma soap.
