Pepper beer?

anyone know how black pepper would ferment out in a beer? i know grains of paradise are commonly used in some recipes, and they are related to black pepper, anyone tried peppercorns in thier beer, howd it turn out?

I have tried one that was pretty good, my roomate brewed it last year I will have to see if he has the recipe.

BierMuncher's Sterling Gold has Black Peppercorns in it, as well as coriander and orange peel. The sample I had (part of a swap package) was really nize and zesty almost wintergreen in a way that lingered on the palate and lips.
I'm brewing a batch next weekend for a nice summer refresher...

Ingredients:
6.6 lbs light malt extract
1/2 lb Carapils Dextrine (Roasting is optional)
1 oz Cascade bittering hops (4.4% is what my bag says)
1/2 oz Cascade aroma hops (Yep still 4.4%)
2 to 3 dozen Fresh Jalapeno Peppers (you do the slicing)
Dry ale yeast of your choice
If you have extra cash send it to me - don't spend it on liquid yeast

This is a basic beer for perpetual inventory. Once you've brewed and tasted this - you will not want to be without - Ever! Yes some of your wimpier friends will say "Its too hot" but hey who wants to hang out with wimpy friends anyway? So..take the plunge...Its why you started homebrewing in the first place! To make something unique - and GREAT.
Now everyone seems to brew a little bit differently so here's hoow I do it in case you care.
Slowly bring 2.75 gallons of water to boil while steeping the carapils (usually 25 - 30 minutes). Remove the grains prior to boil. Move to lower heat to stir in the malt...Return to higher heat and bring to low rolling boil...Add bittering hops. Maintain low rolling boil for 40 minutes...Add aroma hops and diced Jalapeno's and boil 5 more minutes. Move to cooling tank for 20 minutes. Fill fermenter with 2 1/2 gallons cold water...Add wort & pitch yeast. 7 days in primary and 7 days in secondary. If you get cold feet move to the secondary after 4 days instead of 7. Don't transfer any peppers into the secondary. Use one cup of corn sugar when bottling...Very very drinkable after 7 days in the bottle. Maybe you just get used to it but it seems to me to get milder over time.

Gildog said:

anyone know how black pepper would ferment out in a beer? i know grains of paradise are commonly used in some recipes, and they are related to black pepper, anyone tried peppercorns in thier beer, howd it turn out?

Click to expand...

I did a black peppery rye IPA w/ some loosely crushed pepper corns in the kettle, Fantastic!!

9 lb Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt
3 lb Rye Malt
1 lb Crystal Malt 40°L
7 oz Wheat Malt
1 tsp Gypsum - added during boil, boiled 90 min
.5 oz Black Peppercorns - added during boil, boiled 10 min
.5 tsp Irish Moss - added during boil, boiled 15 min
1 oz Willamette (5.0%) - added first wort, boiled 60 min
1 oz Columbus (12.3%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1 oz Columbus (12.3%) - added during boil, boiled 40 min
1 oz Willamette (5.0%) - added dry to secondary fermenter
1.0 ea Fermentis US-05 Safale US-05

The inspiration was this:
Route Des Épices (Ale Rousse Au Poivre) - Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel - BeerAdvocate

Furthermore Beer did an interview with The Brewing Network a while back about their Black Pepper beer:

Knot Stock - Furthermore Beer - BeerAdvocate

I think this is the podcast link:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/membersarchive/dwnldarchive06-01-08.mp3

I tried Knot Stock at The Autumn Brew Review in Minneapolis. My Brother-in-law want to do something like this in the future.

Hmmn sounds interesting ingredient to use. I know of a few saisons with black pepper. I've never tried one though.

I've considered a black pepper and rosemary beer before. Prolly should use some biscuit malt and call it a Triscott Ale. I could use the olive oil trick to skip the aeration too!

Just added a touch of black pepper to a brew last night. Aiming for something good for summer drinking, pils/wheat with some munich and a touch of cara-10 to 1.054, 22 IBUs glacier to bitter, zest of 2 lemons and 15 black peppercorns at flameout. Fermenting with a nice starter of 550, cool.

Just don't go overboard like Dieu du Ciel ( Dieu du Ciel Route des Épices from Dieu du Ciel - Ratebeer ) it made my cough.

I use it pretty frequently.

My "Your Witness" Belgian Wit has a healthy dose of crushed black pepper. Very nice, subtle dimension of spice to the beer.



I also suggest the Sterling Gold recipe. A bit lighter and crisper than the wit. The pepper is an afterthought taste.