Wormwood? Oak? Dryhop?

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Evan!

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Here's the dilly: I've got this Wee Heavy conditioning in carboy. I was within the limits IBU and OG -wise. Unfortunately, it's not very unique. I'm not crazy about it, and I'm thinking about adding something to it while it's still in carboy. As most of you know, I'm no stranger to adjuncts, and I just don't want to end up with a blah-beer. So...

I got some wormwood on closeout at AHS, just for sh*ts and giggles. It was really cheap, so I figgered, what the hell. But I'm scared of completely ruining this batch, as I've heard that wormwood is weird stuff. Should I try to oak it? Or dryhop it (not exactly a Wee-Heavy technique, though)? Or what?
 
I've wondered about wormwood? I know it's great stuff in Absinthe and it was wicked in a bottle of that stuff I had. It is nice ****. but I wonder if you can get a beer with ith boiled in like a hops and if it can add the benifits it adds like in absinthe? I think it could add some nice bitterness and some nice sweet buzz effect, has anyone ever experimented with this?
 
Evan! said:
I got some wormwood on closeout at AHS, just for sh*ts and giggles. It was really cheap, so I figgered, what the hell. But I'm scared of completely ruining this batch, as I've heard that wormwood is weird stuff. Should I try to oak it? Or dryhop it (not exactly a Wee-Heavy technique, though)? Or what?


Don't use Wormwood. Go with Oak.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=229286#post229286


It poisonous.
 
wormwood has a very bitter taste, which is also the reason I think that New Belgiums new seasonal, Springboard, tastes like ****.
 
I can't stand springboard, couldn't finish one bottle, although SWMBO didn't mind it. I couldn't take the crap though. I has completely turned me off of ever using wormwood.
 
Schlenkerla said:

Anything is poisonous in certain doses. As evidenced by the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" promotion, even water is poisonous in large enough doses. :D I'll steer clear of it simply because of the reactions re: taste, but I've not heard of anyone dying from Absinthe in moderate doses. And if it was a true poison, somehow I doubt AHS would be selling it as a beer adjunct, anyway.
 
Yah, I suppose. I saw two posts about this and somebody commented on it possibly being poisonous. I just tried to site a source so I wasn't just somebody pulling out of their a$$.

There are so many other good herbs and additives to use that don't pose a risk.

I'm not a purist so I wouldn't feel the need to use wormwood in a Wee Heavy if thats what it calls for in the recipe.

To each his own.... :mug:
 
I also don't ever want to get someone sick drinking my beer. Certain things effect people differently. So why risk it?
 
Well I think the key here is if you add some Wormwood, proportion would be the hardest thing to determine. I don't necessarily think it is the Wormwood itself which would be horrible, but because it is so intense it would be very easy to overdo it. If you did go this approach a sterile infusion would be absolutely necessary so that you could meter out Tbs of the stuff into your Ale until you reach the right concentration.

I think the oaking would probably be a good method of imparting a uniqueness.

:off:Fwiw, you'd have to chew on a bunch of Wormwood to get sick and that would be really hard to do given it's nature. Many of the tales of Wormwood being a poison are deeply rooted in the history of Absinthe. From what I can piece together it was the addition of things like Copper Sulfate (to give it a green color) and other really poisionous substances and practices that created the problems associated with Absinthe that led to its ban. The ban has been lifted in I believe most if not all of Europe but still remains in effect in the USA. The key component reportedly associated with the delirium from drinking absinthe is the chemical Thujone. This is found in Wormwood, but interestingly enough the concentrations of Thujone are much higher in common culinary Sage. Have you ever tripped out from eating Sage? Most of the relationship with poisoning and elevated euphoria from Absinthe were most likely from poor practices used to make cheap Absinthe. I saw on tv a guy making Absinthe in a distillery in France. After seeing him throw bundles and bundles of the stuff into the vat I am convinced you would be really hard pressed to get sick from it unless you had some strange sensitivity to it.
 
New Belgium just released Springboard Ale:
New Belgium said:
Ale brewed with Wormwood, Goji berries, and Schisandra

Deftly, this spring brewed venture lands on its feet. SPRINGBOARD combines oats, ancient Chinese herbs and Mt. Hood hops to maintain a balanced equilibrium for such an exhilirating ale. This cloudy blonde has a spirited threshold, and a creamy body, followed by a refreshingly dry finish.

Hrm.
 
I think Wormwood would be very interesting, especially if you added some other types of adjuncts to it. I would be careful though because I have heard that Wormwood can impart a very bitter taste if you use too much of it.
 
Just say no to using wormwood in beer.

Not because some people think that it is poisonous, and not because some people think that it will make you trip out and that makes them uncomfortable. Say no to wormwood in beer because it tastes like crap.

It's funny, because I just gave this advice on another thread... If you are thinking about using it in your beer, get a feel for the taste first by making a tea; one tablespoon of wormwood, one bag of strong flavored tea, a mug of boiling water and lots and lots of honey. Let is all steep for about five minutes.

If you are curious about the much-exaggerated psychedelic properties of wormwood, there are descriptions out there (on the web) for preparing it for smoking, and these also give subjective detail of its effects on the user.
 
I had the Springboard just a few weekends ago and I didn't think it was that bad. Not the best belgian ale I've ever had, but not terrible. I wasn't even aware it had wormwood in it until now (weird b/c I almost always immerse myself in the labels and it is on there, correct?) so either they use a very minimal quantity in the brew and/or mask the bad flavor everyone is discussing very well.

I'd go with the oak in any case (maybe soaked in bourbon first?) over the wormwood, but I'm sure you can make OK brew with the wormwood in it.

PS - No crazy effects from the springboard either, not a one...
 
But if you are bent on using it in beer....
In his very interesting book Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers, Stephen Buhner gives a recipe for a wormwood ale as follows (I'll note that his recipes are super-simplified in the interests of jackass non-homebrewers):

4 lbs malt extract (doesn't specify LME/DME, amber, pale, etc)
1 lb raw wildflower honey (honey=good idea to offset some of the bitterness)
1/2 oz wormwood
4 gal water
yeast

In his recipe he has the wormwood in at the beginning of the 60 min boil (this is all on p. 190-191, btw). The rest of the recipe seems pretty much standard.

My suggestion would be to do a one gallon test batch instead of this 4 gal version. It might taste really good (but I doubt it)
 
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