Any chili flavoring experience out there?

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woodstone

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I've got a chili lager in the primary but have not found much information on how to flavor using real chili peppers. Right now it is simply a light lager. The recipie indicates to add a jalapano to each bottle at bottling but I think this will result in beers with no chili flavor if they are drunk early or WAY TOO much heat if left to condition for a long time. I've also read that real chili peppers will make the beer taste "green" like an unripe tomato vs. ripe tomato for instance. I also don't want to add a dry chili spice.

I was thinking of dry roasting a bunch of jalapanos and habaneros in the oven to get rid of the "green" flavors (this might also add a bit of smokey flavor which won't be bad) and then tossing them in the secondary and periodically checking until it the flavor and heat are just right, and then transferring to a third vessel without the peppers to lager.

Anyone have any experience with chilis?
 
I've done the 1 chili in a bottle before. I had to wait about 6 mos and man was it ever hot.

I tried a chili tea before (1 sliced chili in 2 C water boiled for 5 mins - VERY HOT and no green flavor, just heat), but I think it should be added at the end of the boil.:D
 
I like your idea of roasting them and adding them to the secondary.

I've never roasted peppers, but will some oils be extracted from the peppers?
 
The best peppered ale I've tasted used red jalapenos that were roasted, then de-skinned, de-veined and seeded so it was just the meat. Nice, smooth flavor. Not a lot of heat.
 
homebrewer_99 said:
That's because the heat is in the seeds and veins...:D

Speaking of, I grilled some burgers last night and chopped up some fresh jalapenos from my garden to put on the cooked burger. I had heart-burn all night. It sucked.

I just LOOOOVE hot foods.
 
Awesome, thanks for the reply guys...the link to previous threads was very helpfull!
I suppose none of us are doing anything at work today... :rockin: !!!

I want it drinkable and not too much heat...roasted pepper flavor and aroma with some heat. I think I'm going to go with the roasting and removal of some seeds, but put roasted skins, meat, etc. in the secondary and keep sampling until it is just right...then transfer to a third vessel to lager for awhile in the garage fridge (if I've got anything left from sampling)!

Thanks again for the replies and I'll have to let you know how it goes...I should be transferring to the secondary over the weekend.
 
Post your method and sampling observations. Not just the final results, but how each sample tasted, 1 week, 2 weeks, etc. It will be interesting to know when the cross-over from not enough to too much (AKA just right), happens.
 
OK, last night I roasted on the grille the following (weights pre roast)...

4.75oz Jalapeno (six)
2.25oz Pablano (one)
3oz Serrano (nine)
5.5oz Cherry Bomb (six)
3.25oz Anaheim (one)
1.7/8oz De Arbol/Small Green Chile (nine)

Picked each for their differing flavors and heat. Roasted like you would any pepper...just scorched/burned the skins...then put them in a zip lock and in the fridge overnight. Tonight I dumped them (skins, seeds, all) in the secondary and topped it off with the brew from the primary. Brew was a bit blah but I suppose that's what you need to start with for this style...

Partial mash...
1.5# pilsner malt (steep 152 deg for 75 min, rinse with 168 deg)
1# carapils malt (steep 152 deg for 75 min, rinse with 168 deg)
4# xlight DME
1oz Hallertaur 60 min
1oz Mt. Hood 15 min
Wyeast #2035 Amer. Lager.

Condensate from peppers out of the zip lock was not too hot and good tasting...roasting really removes alot of heat and adds a great smokey flavor...I am looking for good taste, not lots of heat...

I will taste tomorrow...24 hour stew and then decide from there to taste once per week or more until just right. Will post results.

Secondary looks awsome...peppers just floating about...lots of colors...:rockin: I would have snapped a pic but the wife took the digi on her work trip out of town for the week! :eek:

Cheers, men!
 
OK, tasted 24 hours after tossing all in a secondary...GREAT FLAVOR, a bit smokey with good pepper flavor with no real heat, but a hint of heat! I want to decant to bottles tonight...I CAN"T BELIEVE THIS IS A LAGER - WAITING SUCKS!!!!

I did not damage the Chiles much putting them in the secondary so I am not sure the brew has penetrated to the seeds/veins yet (where the heat is)...all are still floating at the top of the brew. I think this is good as it will allow for the development of the roasted pepper flavor with maybe slow development of the heat. I might curse if no heat develops because the brew can't penetrate the skins but don't think this will be the case...PATIENCE!!!

I will taste again tomorrow and if no difference, probably leave until the weekend. I'll post as I go. The wife comes back on Friday so I will be able to snap a pic or two and post in the thread...kinda neat seeing the green and red chiles just hanging out on the surface of the brew. Cheers!!!
 
I'm not sure there is much change from yesterday..."GREAT FLAVOR, a bit smokey with good pepper flavor with no real heat, but a hint of heat".

Maybe a tad more heat since some of the chiles look like they are starting to become saturated, fall apart, and sink.

It has a great nose today like roasted peppers off the grill! :ban:
 
Mmm, peppers!

I made some pulled pork enchiladas tonight. Roasted some jalepenos, pablanos and red chili's then de-skinned them. Slow-cooked a pork butt roast then pulled it apart. Some onion, a little garlic (yes garlic), some cilantro and green onions wrapped in a corn tortila with a homemade enchilada sauce and cheese....and BAM!!
 
A jalapeño brew is something that I eventually want to try making since I drank a Anaheim brew in Denver last year. The Anaheim had no heat and it was surprisingly smooth. However, I’m not sure I’d want to drink more than one in an evening.

I suppose a short cut to roasting them would be to buy chipoltles. Of course, that’s not going to lessen the heat.:D
 
I did an IPA with red jalapenos. I cut the stems off, halved them, removed the seeds and nuked them until they started popping. Dropped one in some of the 22 oz bottles at bottling time. GREAT chili flavor. Most bottles were pretty mild, but one 32oz I dropped a whole unseeded jalapeno in. That baby burned soooo good.
 
One time only, for a special beer flavored salsa recipe, I added half a large fresh jallepano pepper (seeded) to a carbonated bottle of Pale Ale, recapped it and let it sit 24 hours in the fridge. Tasting a sample after the recipe had its share was a real treat - seemed like just the right amount of flavoring/aroma to that particular PA to balance everything out. I'd have a hard time trying to emulate that for a batch but would likely do a version of dry-hopping in secondary were I to do so, test samples frequently until it was just right, then bottle it right away once it was.

John.
 
Get a load of this...







I transferred off the peppers yesterday to a third vessel to continue "lagering".

As I mentioned before, it has GREAT FLAVOR, a bit smokey with good pepper flavor with a decent hint of heat...no where near the type of heat found in the commercial examples. And it has a great nose like roasted peppers off the grill! Previous post in this thread included the chiles and amounts used. I think it sat on the chiles for a total of one week but you'll have to check my post. I will let you guys know when it's bottled and drinking...I expect great things and pretty happy to this point.
 
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