Chamomile Wheat for wifey

Hey Folks, trying to put together a recipe for the wife in along the lines of a chamomile wheat ale that also uses up some ingredients I have laying around. Any thoughts or ratio adjustments would be well received.
Here is a link to the brewtoad recipe rainy-day-wheat ale
or a quick rundown for a 2.25 gallon batch 60 minute boil
1.32 lbs golden light dme
1.1 lbs wheat malt
.44 lbs clover honey
.33 lbs honey malt
.35 oz Mt. Hood 60 mins
.25 oz cascade 30 mins
1 oz chamomile flowers dried 60 mins
Nottingham or windsor ale yeast

Might want to move that chamomile addition up to about 5 minutes or so.

I boiled the chamomile for an hour and it worked out great.

Here's my recipe with pics. There's an extract recipe in that thread somewhere.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-chamomile-wheat-what-way-end-long-day-191443/

Tiber_Brew said:

Might want to move that chamomile addition up to about 5 minutes or so.

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This. Also I would recommend going with .5-.75 oz of chamomile per 5 gallons tops. It imparts a strong, sweet, honey-like flavor when added at 5 mins of boil IME.

I used 4 oz in 10 gallons and boiled for 60 and I liked it a lot. So there!

passedpawn said:

I boiled the chamomile for an hour and it worked out great.

Here's my recipe with pics. There's an extract recipe in that thread somewhere.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f70/honey-chamomile-wheat-what-way-end-long-day-191443/

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Looks like you used quite a bit of chamomile, too. I've had success using less chamomile at around 5 minutes left of the boil, but never tried adding more and at the beginning of the boil.

passedpawn said:

I used 4 oz in 10 gallons and boiled for 60 and I liked it a lot. So there!

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To each their own... hippie.

Maybe I could have used less and added it later. Makes sense, I guess. I was strictly following Sam Calagione's instructions.

Well, OP, looks like you have options!

passedpawn said:

Maybe I could have used less and added it later. Makes sense, I guess. I was strictly following Sam Calagione's instructions.

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He can be hit and miss, but I wouldn't hesitate to try brewing something of his. Sounds like your beer turned out pretty well, too.

passedpawn said:

Maybe I could have used less and added it later. Makes sense, I guess. I was strictly following Sam Calagione's instructions.

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I don't know. Maybe there is an upper limit or level of saturation at which you just can't get more chamomile flavor into something because I personally find .5 oz for 5 gallons to be plenty of chamomile for my tastes. And I've tried the recipe without and it was definitely the chamomile that was imparting the flavor I was noticing. I enjoyed it but I couldn't see myself wanting a whole lot more of it. Maybe I will try 60 minutes and significantly more chamomile next time with the particular recipe in question to see if there is a difference or if the chamomile flavor stays the same...

Wouldn't boiling the chamomile for an hour drive off some of the aromatics? Or perhaps there's still some left because of the large amount added?

If you think about how you make tea with it, you're only steeping the flowers in ~190F water for a few minutes. Isn't that what you're sort of replicating when using it for brewing? (Although boiling it for a few minutes to kill any nasties.)

I just treat it like I do with other spices and herbs in beer.

(We're not picking on you passedpawn!)

Geez go out to the garage for a couple of hours and there is near a gd chamomile throw down! I am not too sure which side of the fence to hang out on. The recipe started after reading your post Passedpawn and got me thinking about what ingredients I had kicking about and the wife asking why can't I use an ingredient like chamomile, I also dug out Sam Calagiones book and referenced his recipe as well. Now he uses 2 ounces for 6 gallons so I agree with PhelanKA7 that I should reduce the amount seeing as I am only making 2.25 gallons so .75 ounce. As far as time I wonder if not unlike hops, longer boil for body , shorter boil for aroma? My other concern was having honey and honey malt in the same recipe, brewtoad seems to say the two ingredients will be fine and I have kept the honey malt to 10% of the recipe.

Tiber_Brew said:

Wouldn't boiling the chamomile for an hour drive off some of the aromatics? Or perhaps there's still some left because of the large amount added?

If you think about how you make tea with it, you're only steeping the flowers in ~190F water for a few minutes. Isn't that what you're sort of replicating when using it for brewing? (Although boiling it for a few minutes to kill any nasties.)

I just treat it like I do with other spices and herbs in beer.

(We're not picking on you passedpawn!)

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It's OK, I kinda agree with the short boil concept too. I would have also joined in on that.

I'd say go for the short 5-10min boil and see how it comes out. I'll probably do that the next time I make it.

Passedpawn I also noticed that you used 2 tsp of wheat flour in your recipe, I was wondering what effect this has on the brew?

boomguy said:

Passedpawn I also noticed that you used 2 tsp of wheat flour in your recipe, I was wondering what effect this has on the brew?

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Flour is unmalted wheat. I was hoping it would leave a cloudiness to the beer. I didn't want it to be too clear. I think it worked

I got the idea from Jamil Z.

passedpawn said:

Flour is unmalted wheat. I was hoping it would leave a cloudiness to the beer. I didn't want it to be too clear. I think it worked

I got the idea from Jamil Z.

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I've done the same thing with a Witbier. Worked well there, too.

Did a little research off site about the chamomile flower and the steeping or tea making process and most sites say the dried flower needs oxygen in the water to be able to release all of its flavours, oils and aromas meaning the water should not be boiling yet needs to be as close to a boil as possible, say 200°-205°f. Boiling the flowers will lead to harsh flavours that are apparently undesirable, I wonder if creating a separate tea would be a better path to follow? When to add though to the wort...

boomguy said:

Did a little research off site about the chamomile flower and the steeping or tea making process and most sites say the dried flower needs oxygen in the water to be able to release all of its flavours, oils and aromas meaning the water should not be boiling yet needs to be as close to a boil as possible, say 200°-205°f. Boiling the flowers will lead to harsh flavours that are apparently undesirable, I wonder if creating a separate tea would be a better path to follow? When to add though to the wort...

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You're in a state of anaylysis paralysis boomguy. Just brew it any old way.

BTW, I can assure you that the chamomile will not result in anything harsh. The one I brewed was very soft and smooth.

guilty

Just use it as you would other spices/herbs in brewing. You'll be fine.

So i brewed this today and so far so good. Decided to split the chamomile times and treat them as a hops addition, for the bulk I added it at 30 mins with the cascade and then reserved two grams for the last 5 mins. Split the batch into two one gallon jugs and did windsor yeast in one and the other some coopers, interested to taste the difference. Both are at 65° in the beer room already showing some life.