Wife asks for a brew.

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McBrewskie

McBrewskie

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So what to do? She wants a summer brew. Asked or a lavendar Hopped honey lemon pale ale or a chamomile hopped honey lemon pale ale. Obviously this is not to my taste, but how can one refuse the request of a significant other? So, since that will be my Sunday how does one suggest the hopping of these herbs? In the boil of my pale ale or dry hopped after?
 
I feel your pain. Mine wants a Strawberry Blonde. I'm not a fan of those but she gets what she wants.

beerloaf
 
Me personally, I don't care for real hoppy brews when it's hot...so I'd do it in the boil if it were me. Plus, less chance of the hops over powering the light herbs she wants used.
 
smalliewader said:
Me personally, I don't care for real hoppy brews when it's hot...so I'd do it in the boil if it were me. Plus, less chance of the hops over powering the light herbs she wants used.
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Thanks, will do. Now to decide chamomile or lavendar. Probably chamomile, as least there is less chance it ends up being like drinking carbonated handsoap.
 
beerloaf said:
I feel your pain. Mine wants a Strawberry Blonde. I'm not a fan of those but she gets what she wants.

beerloaf
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Exactly. While it will take up one of my fermentors, it is still a small price to pay when she let's me keep my kit in the house and take over the kitchen on Sundays.
 
Yeah McBrewskie, I thought of doing a lavender IPA a while ago after drinking a local brew pub's Jasmine IPA which was actually great. I was chatting with the LHBS and they warned me that lavender will likely just give off a soapy taste. I'm not sure how drinkable it would be. I'd go for the chamomile and see how it turns out. Good luck, I'm about to brew a blackberry wheat at the request of the SWMBO who wants a fruity drink like Smirnoff! Not in my house!
 
BainbridgeBrewer said:
Yeah McBrewskie, I thought of doing a lavender IPA a while ago after drinking a local brew pub's Jasmine IPA which was actually great. I was chatting with the LHBS and they warned me that lavender will likely just give off a soapy taste. I'm not sure how drinkable it would be. I'd go for the chamomile and see how it turns out. Good luck, I'm about to brew a blackberry wheat at the request of the SWMBO who wants a fruity drink like Smirnoff! Not in my house!
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Jasmine is not a bad idea, may consider that. Smirnoff drinks are a no in any man's house. I did one time take a DFH 90 Minute and drink it and then refill it with a Smirnoff Ice Pineapple and recap it. It was then given to an unexpecting friend.
 
My wife requested a Chimay White clone which is one of her favorite beers. It's one of my favorites too but I'm usually hesitant to brew 5 gallons of a beer I only feel like drinking once in a while. Anyhow, I decided to indulge her anyway. Well, we're now halfway through the bottles and I don't think she's had a single bottle.

/sigh
 
Made a blackberry wheat which is half gone, and she has a request in for a midas touch clone. She has some expensive tastes.
 
beerhappy said:
My wife requested a Chimay White clone which is one of her favorite beers. It's one of my favorites too but I'm usually hesitant to brew 5 gallons of a beer I only feel like drinking once in a while. Anyhow, I decided to indulge her anyway. Well, we're now halfway through the bottles and I don't think she's had a single bottle.

/sigh
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I'm sorry but that's hilarious.
 
Ok I have no clue about how "tuned in" your wife is on beer lingo and terms. To me what she is asking for sounds like a train wreck. Did she mean she wants a lighter ale instead of pale ale? does she like wheat beers?

I will suggest this: I am about to keg this in a few days and so far it tastes freaking good and I normally am not a wheat beer person... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/wittekerke-like-beer-homegardener-252505/

Another thing that most LHBS carry is heather tips, also a good flower to brew with. If you have any lilacs about I have a GREAT Lilac honey orange wheat I designed for my wife. Recipe is here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/just-married-247206/ but to me this is going to be to heavy for the summer, I think heather tips would fair well instead of lilac maybe 2 oz???

As for lavender...that was a SA Longshot winner but I have never brewed with it...

GL.
 
Zamial said:
Ok I have no clue about how "tuned in" your wife is on beer lingo and terms. To me what she is asking for sounds like a train wreck. Did she mean she wants a lighter ale instead of pale ale? does she like wheat beers?

I will suggest this: I am about to keg this in a few days and so far it tastes freaking good and I normally am not a wheat beer person... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/wittekerke-like-beer-homegardener-252505/

Another thing that most LHBS carry is heather tips also a good flower to brew with. If you have any lilacs about I have a GREAT Lilac honey orange wheat I designed for my wife. Recipe is here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/just-married-247206/ but to me this is going to be to heavy for the summer, I think heather tips would fair well instead of lilac maybe 2 oz???

As for lavender...that was a SA Longshot winner but I have never brewed with it...

GL.
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Nice. Thanks for the tips. I will steer away from doing this as a Pale Ale then. That lilac honey orange sounds awesome.
 
McBrewskie said:
Nice. Thanks for the tips. I will steer away from doing this as a Pale Ale then. That lilac honey orange sounds awesome.
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Do not let me steer you anywhere...lol. You may just brew the best beer you have ever tasted and I could be diverting you from that. I have no clue what your wife likes or how extensive her knowledge is...She may be a master brewer or know exactly what she wants...
 
My FSWMBO is requesting another smoked porter. I still don't understand what she liked so much about the last one. I mean, not that it was bad, I think the smoke flavor was just too over powering. Though it did do wonders to a batch of chilli I made.
 
bonzombiekitty said:
My FSWMBO is requesting another smoked porter. I still don't understand what she liked so much about the last one. I mean, not that it was bad, I think the smoke flavor was just too over powering. Though it did do wonders to a batch of chilli I made.
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Umm, smoked porter chili. Ummmm.
 
Mustangfreak said:
It's moments like this that I'm glad I'm single.
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Ah, each way has it's moments.....

But without the SWMBO you don't get to hear, "Damn, that's good sh*t. What are you gonna drink?" after my Ruination knockoff.:ban:

fruit/herbal beer? NFW....thank God.
 
I think Austin Homebrew has a Lavender Saison kit available in their summer kits section.
 
I usually add my spices and such in the last 5 minutes to flame out.
I think it's a good way to experiment with different spices and flavors in your beer. You might end up making something that the both of you can enjoy.

On a side note, I just brewed up a Strawberry Blonde for the wife and it came out killer. It's only been in bottles for about 2 months and we are already almost out.


Cheers!
 
I guess I’m lucky.
My wife’s recent requests are simple, an Imperial Stout (BJ’s Tatonka Clone) and my house Oatmeal Stout.
Of course if I fail making the Tatonka clone I may be sleeping in the garage with the mash tuns ….
 
Okay, so I talked with her a little more and what she wants sounds more like a wheat, which makes more sense I think. So it's a honey chamomile wheat. Couple questions though. Some folks have said add the chamomile at 60 min and some say at 5 min, thoughts? Also, should I dry hop with chamomile after the first week of primary? Better to use whole chamomile flowers or will chamomile tea work? Last question. I want to add lemon and lemon zest. Lemon during boil or dry hopped?
 
BainbridgeBrewer said:
Yeah McBrewskie, I thought of doing a lavender IPA a while ago after drinking a local brew pub's Jasmine IPA which was actually great. I was chatting with the LHBS and they warned me that lavender will likely just give off a soapy taste. I'm not sure how drinkable it would be. I'd go for the chamomile and see how it turns out. Good luck, I'm about to brew a blackberry wheat at the request of the SWMBO who wants a fruity drink like Smirnoff! Not in my house!
Click to expand...

Yep, be careful with the lavender. I added a small (~2'') piece at the end of a boil due to a similar request from the MRS. Not so much a soapy taste at all but very "sprucy". If I ever try it again I'll add a very small amount in secondary just to try to get some aroma.
 
for the honey i would suggest using honey malt instead of actual honey. honey aromatics don't make their way into the finished product very well and only boost the abv. keep it light and use honey malt.
 
OP,
Maybe make a nice 'plain' wheat beer or APA and then use extracts at bottling to get those aromas/flavors. That way you don't have to 'ruin' an entire batch AND you can do it to taste.
 
Tinga said:
for the honey i would suggest using honey malt instead of actual honey. honey aromatics don't make their way into the finished product very well and only boost the abv. keep it light and use honey malt.
Click to expand...

Using honey malt. Will add the chamomile with 5 minutes left, half an ounce and then another half dry after fermentation. going to use fresh lemon flesh/juice in the boil and lemon zest in the primary after fermentation.
 

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