Pepper beers?

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pnj

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A friend of my girlfriend won a blue ribbon for her chipotle beer last year. it was an extract beer and she grew the peppers in her garden. (only two people entered the contest, but still.. blue ribbon!!:))

it got me thinking.. I like peppers. I like beer...

She didn't remember how many peppers she added, or when she added them...

Has anyone made a pepper beer? I think adding to the boil to sanitize would be good but maybe I'm wrong? and how many peppers for a five gallon batch?

Thoughts/suggestions?
 
I used Chipotles once, but didn't like the taste. Here is the only pepper beer I brew. I do roast the jalapenos. It's one of my most requested beers from friends and family.



Doug's Jalapeno

Brew Type: All Grain Date: 12/19/2004
Style: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 7.39 gal Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: Brew Pot (15 Gal) and Igloo/Gott Cooler (10 Gal) Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.0 %
Taste Rating (50 possible points): 41.0

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2 SRM) Grain 65.0 %
1.00 lb Corn, Flaked (1 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
1.00 lb Vienna Malt (4 SRM) Grain 10.0 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10 SRM) Grain 5.0 %
1.00 oz Cluster [7.0%] (60 min) Hops 24.1 IBU
1.00 oz Liberty Leaf [4.3%] (25 min) Hops 10.3 IBU
1.00 oz Liberty Leaf [4.3%] (15 min) Hops 7.4 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
7.00 items Jalapeno pepper
1 Pkgs American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) Yeast-Ale



Notes
Slit, rinse & roast Jalapenos 20-30 minutes at 350F, slice and soak in Vodka overnight. Add 2 Jalapenos at 15 mins. Add two more at high kraeusen, use left over Vodka for the hottest Bloody Mary you've ever had!. Add 2-3 more roasted peppers to the secondary depending on how much pepper bite you prefer. Peppers vary from crop to crop so use 5-7 depending....

2nd place 2003 FOAM Cup............................ Tulsa Ok
3rd place 2004 Hoppy Halloween Challenge.. Fargo ND
2nd place 2006 FOAM Cup............................ Tulsa Ok
1st place 2006 Hoppy Halloween Challenge..Fargo ND
3rd place 2007 River City Roundup ..............Omaha NE
 
I happened to get a copy yesterday of a recipe that the guy at my LHBS brews and has on tap from time to time. It's a habanero amber ale that is really good. It's become kind of a 'signature beer' for him. He uses 21g (~3/4 oz) in the last 15 mins. of the boil and 4g (~1/8 oz.) in secondary. Doesn't seem like much, I know. But it sure does the job. Spicy without making your nose run! I don't think he roasts the peppers; at least there was no notation.

When I was there, I sampled his latest creation - a Chocolate Habanero Stout. It was delicious!
 
I've had this one in my notes for a few years. It's not mine but it looks pretty good. It's called Patty's Chili Beer.


7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2 SRM) Grain 87.5 %
0.50 lb Munich Malt (9 SRM) Grain 6.3 %
0.50 lb Oats, Flaked (1 SRM) Grain 6.3 %
1.50 oz Saaz [4.0%] (60 min) Hops 22.2 IBU
1.75 oz Saaz [4.0%] (10 min) Hops 9.4 IBU
0.50 items Roasted Ancho Peppers (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
10.00 oz Anaheim peppers (Boil 5.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #1028) Yeast-Ale

Note: I used habaneros once but never again. They seem to have no flavor but are much too hot for me.
 
cuinrearview did one last fall that was freaking awesome, enough bite from the peppers to let you know they are there but not enough to prevent you from drinking a whole bottle. its in the spiced beers recipe database on here.
 
I'm a pepper head,but haven't brewed one yet. Might do a small batch because I'm probably the only one who would drink it.
I'm pretty sure Revvy has a recipe that he did .

Not to split hairs ,but technically she grew jalapeños. Chipotles are smoked
jalapeño peppers. great flavor in chili and roasted corn chowder.
 
Not to split hairs ,but technically she grew jalapeños. Chipotles are smoked
jalapeño peppers. great flavor in chili and roasted corn chowder.

I actually smoked my own jalapenos once too. The beer turned out pretty good, but I still prefer the fresh roasted peppers.

I also tried canned chipotles once...ugh

Serrano peppers didn't give me much flavor so I still stick with jalapenos, although anaheim and anchos intrigue me.
 
Roast green chile in the secondary of a light, crisp beer like a golden ale, kolsch or CAP. Hard to beat!

says the man from new mexico! :D

- so, your referring to the kind of chili's you make relleno's out of, correct? that intrigues me. I may have to try that. would canned chilis roasted in my oven work out ok?
 
They might, but they aren't going to be nearly as nice. Anaheim is the name they often are sold as. Keep an eye out in the produce aisle. We are spoiled out here. We even have it chopped and frozen, and on our McDonalds cheese burgers!

I think a large, meaty chile/pepper that was roasted would get in the same ball park.
 
I made an aztec imperial stout with chocolate, cayanne powder and ancho powder, I added the powders at flame out.
 
says the man from new mexico!

I didn't realize a person had to be from New Mexico to know about peppers and brewing pepper beers. I graduated from highschool in New Mexico, if that helps. I've tried about every pepper that seemed reasonable (and a few unreasonble) except anaheims and I will end up trying those too. So far, roasted jalapenos have worked for me, to make the best ones

I do agree that a light style beer base is best. I use a cream ale base for mine and it works very well.

Anyone can brew a hot pepper beer, but the key to brewing a good chili beer is balance and flavor
 
Chili beers are the demons seed. I love peppers to death. I love me some tasty beer. I just can't get over the fact that every one of them that I taste I think, what the hell was this guy doing this for. It is like a great mixer, or good as a shot, but past that it is so over the top untasty to me. Thank god personal preference is allowed in beer selection.

Rogue makes a Chili Beer that was so smokey and spicy it was instant heartburn. Goes with nothing...n-o-t-h-i-n-g.

On that note, Brewpastor and Sundowner, what are some commercial examples that are in balance that I might be able to find?
 
I happened to get a copy yesterday of a recipe that the guy at my LHBS brews and has on tap from time to time. It's a habanero amber ale that is really good. It's become kind of a 'signature beer' for him. He uses 21g (~3/4 oz) in the last 15 mins. of the boil and 4g (~1/8 oz.) in secondary. Doesn't seem like much, I know. But it sure does the job. Spicy without making your nose run! I don't think he roasts the peppers; at least there was no notation.

When I was there, I sampled his latest creation - a Chocolate Habanero Stout. It was delicious!

get both recipes, and give them to me. :D

thanks for the replies everyone. I think I may just do a pepper beer on the batch after my next batch.
 
I just bottled a green chile beer. I roasted two Anaheim peppers (for flavor and aroma) and two Serrrano peppers (all for heat), skinned, chopped, and froze them, then added to the secondary fermentor for a week. I used a blonde ale as the base. At bottling, the chiles are very prominent. Coopersmith's in Fort Collins, Colorado brews an incomparable green chile beer and their website discloses that they use Anaheims and Serranos. I can hardly wait to chill and drink this one. BTW, I think freezing chopped peppers is an essential step - the freeze-thaw process breaks the cell walls, releasing more chile goodness.
 
Seems like boiling the pepper would break them down even more....?
 
This beer is on my list to brew this summer. I'll probably get away from the pils, though, and go more towards PA.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/1333917-post1.html

B
If it's not an issue of lagering capabilities, you might be surprised. The Great Dane (brewpub) in Madison, Wisconsin has a three pepper pilsner that they brew from time to time. It's quite good.

Also, when adapting a PA recipe just make sure that you go light on bitterness. As anyone who has ordered the wrong beer at an Indian restaurant knows, spicy and bitter do not mix.
 
What are your thoughts about using EdWorts Haus Ale as the base beer for a chilli beer recipe?

I've brewed two batches of Ed's beer but haven't tasted it yet....
 
I haven't tried Ed's yet, either, but I suspect the malt and hops of a pale will get in the way of the chiles. Every chile beer I've had has been a golden or blonde, not too malty and only slightly hoppy.
 
They might, but they aren't going to be nearly as nice. Anaheim is the name they often are sold as. Keep an eye out in the produce aisle. We are spoiled out here. We even have it chopped and frozen, and on our McDonalds cheese burgers!

I think a large, meaty chile/pepper that was roasted would get in the same ball park.

Is anyone brewing them out here at all anymore?
 
Sierra Blanca has taken over Rio Grande and is making a version of Pancho Verde chile beer but I have not had it so I can not speak about it.
 
Also, when adapting a PA recipe just make sure that you go light on bitterness. As anyone who has ordered the wrong beer at an Indian restaurant knows, spicy and bitter do not mix.

Must be a personal preference because I find that a hoppy, bitter IPA goes great with Vindaloo.
 
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