Anyone brewing with dandelion root?

The damn things are everywhere and I know they're edible, roots leaves and flowers. As a UK expat now in Canada, one of my favorite soft drinks growing up was Dandelion and Burdock. For those unaware, its sort of root beer like... well, kinda. I 'm wondering if anyone has brewed with the roots, and if so, how it turned out. Thinking I mignt try an amber ale with dandy root.

I scared everybody off with this one

I'm with you! Anybody given it a go? Kitchen Garden magazine just published a recipe using the whole dandelion chopped up, root and all, boiled with sugar and fermented.

Never thought about brewing with it, but I have drank plenty of it as a tea. You can harvest and roast your own, but I just buy the tea already made. If you dark roast it some say you can use it as a decaf coffee replacement.

Dandelion is good to help purge toxins from the bloodstream.

grrickar said:

Dandelion is good to help purge toxins from the bloodstream.

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I hear in some countries dandelions are referred to as "wet-the-bed". Purging due to due to diuretic properties

I never found it to have a diuretic or laxative effect like the online journals state. Maybe I don't consume enough of it. I do find it good for stomach issues, and I feel better somehow when I drink it so perhaps it does help cleanse the blood. I do about 1-2 cups a day.

Republic of Tea makes a fine dandelion tea, which has French Vanilla. Not sure what plain dandelion tea would taste like.

You know the fronds of the plant can be eaten in salad as well right? I have not tried it, but all of my edible plant books talk about it.

Good to know, thanks. I might dig up a few and do a few tests to see how I might use them. I may be in uncharted waters here in terms of use in beer.

Been brewing for 12 months and I have quite a bit of this hopefully it's not too old.
Have no idea how much to put in a 5 gallon batch.
I like the idea of saving money though.

I'd add 3/4 of it to the mash and 1/4 to the end of the boil to start with. Curious to see if it converts.

nh_homebrew said:

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Been brewing for 12 months and I have quite a bit of this hopefully it's not too old.
Have no idea how much to put in a 5 gallon batch.
I like the idea of saving money though.

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Nice. How about making a tea to start with to get a rough idea of flavor and potency?

My inlaws have been making dandelion wine for generations and they use the open yellow flower. They have to pick them in the middle of day so they are as big as possible. Always wanted to try a beer just never have. I know Magic Hat made a dandelion beer a few years back.

I made a one gallon dandelion gruit a few months ago with fresh roots and flowers.

Based off memory...

80% 2-row
8% oats
12% vienna

Used .25 ounces of fresh root at 60 min. and a quarter pound of flowers at 10.

It’s a weird flavor, almost leafy but then leans towards cider, but definitely has a nice bright taste for summer drinking.

After reading some of the replies, be super careful with amounts. Plant based ingredients (besides hops which have a lot of testing...) are pretty tough to deal with. When cooking you use a third of what fresh calls for when using dried.

So after that long-winded reasoning, I’d say experiment with some extra light DME and some growlers. You’ve definitely got enough for a few five gallon batches, so why not dial in a decent “IBU” with it before you waste five gallons?

JKaranka said:

I'd add 3/4 of it to the mash and 1/4 to the end of the boil to start with. Curious to see if it converts.

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Please do not do this. You’ll end up with bitter ********.

Well I brewed a 2.5 gallon batch with 2.5 lb pale 2 row, .88 lb minute rice, .25 special b malt, 1 oz dandelion root and 1 oz Burdock Root in mash with no boil. Tasty! Doesn't compare to hops. I didn't realize how much hops adds until I took it away. It's not very detectable...by design. I made it a weak blend to see what would happen. I also added some orange in the second fermentation.