Chipotle Chilis

Making a blonde ale and im gonna add some chipotle chilis to the secondary. Anyone have any input as to home many and for how long the chilis should be kept in the fermenter? Don't want it to be too overpowering.

Chili beer is still on my to-do list, but I think 3-5 chilies would be a good amount to experiment with. Add them to the secondary, and then just taste a sample every couple of days. When it gets to the amount of spice you want, rack it off the chilies.

If you mean true chopotles in adobo, FORGET IT!

If you want to smoke some jalapenos, go for it.

the adobo would be impossible to wash entirely without losing a lot of flavor, and the oils would still be there somewhere.

There's a spice store in my area that sells chipotles without the adobo sauce. I've also seen them at the grocery store from time to time, though those looked way overdried.

I had a bumper crop last year of jalapenos. I smoke/grilled them for half an hour and got them lightly dried. Peeled them, seeded them, and diced em up. We put them in ice cube trays and then would just use them for cooking. Three cubes went in my chili Texas Red beer. I could have upped the amount. Has a smooth smokey taste with just a hint of heat.

Dried Chiles:

Deseed/Destem - Toast - Rehydrate - Chop - Use

bobbrews said:

Dried Chiles:

Deseed/Destem - Toast - Rehydrate - Chop - Use

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.......Dried does not equal smoked. Not smoked does not equal chipotle.

Drying chiles does just about insure sanitation though.

cheezydemon3 said:

.......Dried does not equal smoked. Not smoked does not equal chipotle.

Drying chiles does just about insure sanitation though.

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??

You're confused. I said to use dried chiles (not fresh, or canned, etc). And chipotles are smoke-dried jalapenos.

bobbrews said:

??

You're confused. I said to use dried chiles (not fresh, or canned, etc). And chipotles are smoke-dried jalapenos.

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bobbrews said:

Dried Chiles:

Deseed/Destem - Toast - Rehydrate - Chop - Use

Click to expand...

Not trying to pick a fight, must be a mis-understanding somewhere, but you went from fresh to dried and din't mention smoke, a necessary component of chipotles.

When did I use the term fresh or smoke in the initial statement? Chipotles are smoke-dried chiles; that is commonly understood.

I was simply showing the OP how to use dried chiles in simple, ordered steps.

If I'd want to add some jalapenos to a brew what about soaking them in vodka for a bit? Sanitized enough?

oh, and the icecube tray idea, is that just so you know how much to put in for next time etc or am I missing something?

I hope you've at least tried a chili beer before. I, for one, love spicy food, and most chilis. Unfortunately, I find chili beer to be absolutely horrendous. Founders does these on a relatively regular basis and I have to say they are the worst beers I've ever had by the fantastic brewery.

JordanThomas said:

I hope you've at least tried a chili beer before. I, for one, love spicy food, and most chilis. Unfortunately, I find chili beer to be absolutely horrendous. Founders does these on a relatively regular basis and I have to say they are the worst beers I've ever had by the fantastic brewery.

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Good to know, I think I'll try this in one of these...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/diy-fermenter-cheap-347438/

Cave creek chili beer is nice IMHO.

Chili beer can be quite good. You have to be going for flavor rather than heat.

I would recomend 2-3 roasted dried jalapenos.

Smoke is a flavor in beer that is horrible to me. Roasted chilis? YUM!

Thanks for all the information, not quite sure what to do now. Will let you know how it turns out!

Plus one on toasting the dried (smoked) chiles.... Whenever I use any dried chile for cooking (or beer) I have taken to always deseeding, flattening, and toasting on a fairly hot skillet with a spatula. Do it until you almost cough and can certainly smell the good stuff in the air. I don't know why, but it seems almost to "activate" the flavors prior to use.

You flatten dried chilis wharfrat? Mine are hard as bone when dried.

cheezydemon3 said:

You flatten dried chilis wharfrat? Mine are hard as bone when dried.

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After deseeding and destemming, fatten the shell - for max contact with heated surface. They soften up when warmed too.

WharfRat said:

After deseeding and destemming, fatten the shell - for max contact with heated surface. They soften up when warmed too.

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I always de stem before drying. They are pain when dried!

So after some reading I decided to go with jalapeno peppers. I hollowed out and fire roasted two peppers and peeled off the skins. I placed them in the secondary for two days, bottled yesterday. First taste was pleasant, kind of a sweet taste with a very mild spice in the back of the throat. Can't wait until they're carbed.

msinning said:

So after some reading I decided to go with jalapeno peppers. I hollowed out and fire roasted two peppers and peeled off the skins. I placed them in the secondary for two days, bottled yesterday. First taste was pleasant, kind of a sweet taste with a very mild spice in the back of the throat. Can't wait until they're carbed.

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Awesome. I was thinking about the "soak jalapeno (with seeds and everything) in vodka for a few days and then dump into secondary" method. Maybe I should try them side by side to see the effects of each method...
3 weeks is too long to wait sometimes eh?

msinning said:

So after some reading I decided to go with jalapeno peppers. I hollowed out and fire roasted two peppers and peeled off the skins. I placed them in the secondary for two days, bottled yesterday. First taste was pleasant, kind of a sweet taste with a very mild spice in the back of the throat. Can't wait until they're carbed.

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NICE!!

This is the method I have used, sans peeling. Soaking in vodka may work, but why do it?

In secondary or after primary you are dropping the chilis in alcohol anyways.

That is why I don't peel really. I go straight from heat to beer. Preferably with a sizzle.