Red Hot Iron Inserted in Beer? Gustungling?

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JefeTheVol

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So one of the local Memphian Beer Bloggers cataloged a process called Gustungling(sp?) Its a process that involves inserting a red-hot iron into the beer pint to further carmalize some of the sugars. I have never heard of it and no threads on HBT turned up anything.

Here's a video of the process at Bosco's in Memphis.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gustungling appears to be a fancy word for rapidly warmed up! Carmalization with a hot rod made me snort out loud!
 
I think it was Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing book that had a recipe that involved dunking red-hot obsidian into the brew kettle for a carmelization effect, but never heard of it being done after the beer is made before.
 
I'd really like to see a double blind triangle test between a regular beer and a gustunlingunlinglingtunlingified beer to see if anyone can taste the difference. And also to see if it makes the beer better.
 
I'd really like to see a double blind triangle test between a regular beer and a gustunlingunlinglingtunlingified beer to see if anyone can taste the difference. And also to see if it makes the beer better.

Key point that the dingaling beer is the same temp as the others. Still snorting... :tank:
 
Let's see... How do I get that nice caramelization character... I could do a decoction mash, add some caramel malts, increase my boil time... No wait, I've got it! Just dingaling it for a few seconds out of the keg!!! BRILLIANT! (sorry, can't help myself - been a very long week!)
 
Local microbrewery here in Duluth does this late fall early winter. They have a 'bockfest' and its quite the hit here. Everyone around a big campfire and they heat the 'poker' in the campfire to redhot. I went last year and its kinda gimmicky but it does change the taste. Ill go again.
 
Sorry not directed at you or your post - just found it funny, right down to the guys facial expression at the end. :mug:

I agree - its hilarious... based on his facial expression gustungling doesn't seem like a good thing. Also the bartender seems very proud (and convinced) by these antics.
 
Local microbrewery here in Duluth does this late fall early winter. They have a 'bockfest' and its quite the hit here. Everyone around a big campfire and they heat the 'poker' in the campfire to redhot. I went last year and its kinda gimmicky but it does change the taste. Ill go again.

Smoldering hot iron and drinking - sounds like an accident waiting for a party to happen!

All kidding aside, which I've done too much of in this thread already, how did it change the taste in your opinion? Wondering if you could share flavor /character changes given you've tried it.
 
I don't see how you guys see this as "gimmicky".

Never heard of Stein beer, beer brewed using hot rocks as the heat source? This seems to be a very similiar concept. The brewery may be using it as a so-called "gimmick", but the practice certainly has a basis in fact and would produce carmelization and maillard reactions in theory.
 
I don't see how you guys see this as "gimmicky".

Never heard of Stein beer, beer brewed using hot rocks as the heat source? This seems to be a very similiar concept. The brewery may be using it as a so-called "gimmick", but the practice certainly has a basis in fact and would produce carmelization and maillard reactions in theory.

Brewing using hot rocks doesn't occur in 7 seconds. Not saying that maillard reactions aren't 'real' as that's not up for debate by me. I'm saying i believe perceptible maillard reactions in that short of time is 99% gimmick.
 
I don't see how you guys see this as "gimmicky".

Never heard of Stein beer, beer brewed using hot rocks as the heat source? This seems to be a very similiar concept. The brewery may be using it as a so-called "gimmick", but the practice certainly has a basis in fact and would produce carmelization and maillard reactions in theory.

This is what I was thinking of when I saw this. Although, I don't know what kind of impact this is going to have on a finished beer. I suppose it would be like cooking with wine or beer. You get some caramelization and concentration of flavors. Although, the beer might taste more malty just because you warmed it up.
 
Brewing using hot rocks doesn't occur in 7 seconds. Not saying that maillard reactions aren't 'real' as that's not up for debate by me. I'm saying i believe perceptible maillard reactions in that short of time is 99% gimmick.


True, but that's at a much higher scale. I didn't watch the video. Is this being done a pint at a time? I could see something changing if you stick a glowing hot metal rod into a single pint of beer. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow when I brew.
 
True, but that's at a much higher scale. I didn't watch the video. Is this being done a pint at a time? I could see something changing if you stick a glowing hot metal rod into a single pint of beer. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow when I brew.

Please do and share your thoughts. Maybe I'm wrong...wouldn't be the first time according to the wife! My guess is it's tied to a warming of the beer which obviously changes perceived malt character and possibly a change in carbonation given the off gassing that is occurring due to rapid temperature change.
 
I like the idea, but I would rather do that in the beer that is just being kegged. Hook it up to co2 right after and cool. It seems like you lose a lot of the co2 in solution when you stick that rod in, and get the beer a bit to warm.
 
The process of sticking a poker into beer or cider was very common during the late 1600's and early 1700's.

For more background, please see:

Flip, a truly American drink.

Wayne - Thanks for the info as that was a good reference. I'm wondering if some of that character came from the camp fire on those pokers - rather than the changes in the beer itself. Thoughts?
 
Wayne - Thanks for the info as that was a good reference. I'm wondering if some of that character came from the camp fire on those pokers - rather than the changes in the beer itself. Thoughts?

I am sure that has a lot to do with it. I recently failed at making a stein bier, I used my propane grill to heat the rocks, and you get this really metallic taste from the beer. The rocks smelled the same after I smelled them. I am sure it gets some flavor from the fire and smoke.
 
At the Fitgers Bockfest that I speak of they have dedicated handlers of the red hot pokers lol.

Here is a pic I scrounged up
bockfest.jpg


By the way the man in red flannel is Don Hoag, owner of Lake Superior Brewing and its his Split Rock Bock they use at this festival. The recipe started with Don as a homebrewer and winner a national competition many years ago. At least this is the way I remember Don telling the story at our homebrew club.

I think when you drink this the first thing you notice is the incredible caramel smell that lingers in the head. Its very upfront and probably tricks you into tasting more sweetness. You have to drink down a couple big gulps before they 'poke' your beer because as you can imagine it starts boiling immediately and causes quite the foaming action.
 
I was thinking steinbier as well. But don't you generally add the carmelized stones in the beer at the lagering step, to let the yeasts pick the burnt sugar off the stones?

I don't think that would work with an iron poker.

Still, pretty cool, even though I can't watch the video at work.
 
I was thinking steinbier as well. But don't you generally add the carmelized stones in the beer at the lagering step, to let the yeasts pick the burnt sugar off the stones?

I don't think that would work with an iron poker.

Still, pretty cool, even though I can't watch the video at work.

Jet smooth look at the pictures of the rocks on my stein bier they are covered in caramelized sugar. The carmelization happens when you add the super hot rocks to the wort, I am sure that poker is having the same effect.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/2-gallon-all-grain-stein-bier-loads-pics-239812/

edit:
rocks before:
DSCN2017.jpg


rocks after:
DSCN2030.jpg
 
At the Fitgers Bockfest that I speak of they have dedicated handlers of the red hot pokers lol.

Here is a pic I scrounged up
bockfest.jpg


By the way the man in red flannel is Don Hoag, owner of Lake Superior Brewing and its his Split Rock Bock they use at this festival. The recipe started with Don as a home brewer and winner a national competition many years ago. At least this is the way I remember Don telling the story at our homebrew club.

I think when you drink this the first thing you notice is the incredible caramel smell that lingers in the head. Its very upfront and probably tricks you into tasting more sweetness. You have to drink down a couple big gulps before they 'poke' your beer because as you can imagine it starts boiling immediately and causes quite the foaming action.

That looks like a great time, thanks for sharing the pic and the impressions. You made me thirsty with the description and had me, for just a moment, considering heating up my wife's curling iron and dipping it in my Torpedo! (Thought better of it and I'm sure not the same result!)
 
Jet smooth look at the pictures of the rocks on my stein bier they are covered in caramelized sugar. The carmelization happens when you add the super hot rocks to the wort, I am sure that poker is having the same effect.

{pics no worky on company firewall}

I get the concept of a steinbier. You use the hot rocks to bring the wort up to temp in your boil, carmelizing the sugars.

I mean you put the sticky rocks back into the beer AFTER you've used them in the boil. Since there's sugars stuck to the rocks, the yeast munch on it during the fermentation (or during lagering, I guess).

I just don't know if you'd want to put an iron poker back into the fermenting beer. Might come out tasting rusty. So the iron poker idea is for boil-only.

I wasn't clear.
 
Salon had an article about a drink made this way a while ago - I was actually a mixed drink made with cognac and Abbey Ale, but the writer seemed impressed by the flavor change:

http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2009/12/17/dave_arnold_nils_noren_will_freak_up_your_dinner

And here's the recipe:

http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2009/12/18/dave_arnold_nils_noren_red_hot_ale

Ok, I'm convinced to try this now - just need to pick up an Oktoberfest or other malty selection, given I have none in stock, and find a suitable poker!
 
The guy in the video looks to be Zane Lamprey from the tv show Drinking Made Easy. It's a pretty good show, it shows more liquor and alcohol abuse rather than Craft Beer. Still entertaining though...
 
Before I started Homebrewing, I had been making home-made sodas for nearly 20 years.

Stephen Cresswell, in his book "Homemade Root Beer, Soda, & Pop" writes:

"Traditionally, ginger was not always used in the brewing process [of Ginger Ale] itself but was added later. American taverners sometimes kept an enormous shaker of fresh-ground ginger on the bar. The customer would shake in the ginger and the host would stir the drink with a red-hot poker. Those colorful days have passed, but ginger has not lost its popularity as a flavoring agent for beers and soft drinks." (page 33)

He gives no citation / source for the information.

So, it would seem that this technique is historically used for soft drinks, or drinks heavily laced with ginger.
 
I am just guessing here...but wouldn't that Gustungling flash off the alcohol or most of it? I do fully understand there are people that do not care about this but it just stands to reason.
 
The August Schell brewery in New Ulm, MN also does this for their annual bockfest, and I can attest to the fact that it does dramatically alter the flavor. If you ever find yourself travelling through central Minnesota, stop by this sleepy burg 25 miles north of mankato and pay a visit to the second oldest brewery in America (yuengling holds the title of oldest). If you really want a crazy time, visit there for oktoberfest...
 
The guy in the video looks to be Zane Lamprey from the tv show Drinking Made Easy. It's a pretty good show, it shows more liquor and alcohol abuse rather than Craft Beer. Still entertaining though...

Go look up Three Sheets. Drinking Made Easy is terrible compared to that masterpiece.
 

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