Black Currants

[barnes]

I searched this forum and google to find any beer recipes with actual black currants in them and couldn't find much at all. I'm working on a "holiday porter" and while racking to clear, I noticed some black currants on the kitchen counter (normally for oatmeal). Put 1/3 cup of currants into a pint of water and boiled a tea of sorts, and then I poured everything into the secondary after some cooling. I'm assuming that I probably won't get any discernible taste from it, but I think the concept is interesting...

Any experience adding these?

 

[summersolstice]

Any experience adding these?

Only to wine...

 

[LayMeister]

The only style that makes regular use of Black Currants is a Lambic style called a Cassis. I haven't seen a recipe here, but imagine a Google search might find one. This style is not simple to make and takes 1 to 2 years to complete.

Paul

 

[the_bird]

Could be interesting. A little bit of Special B malt gives some similar types of flavors as well, if you wanted to get that dark-fruitiness without the hassle of working with actual fruit.

 

[barnes]

Yeah, I wouldn't make a lambic. The waiting period wouldn't be the problem-- the potentially sub par taste AFTER the waiting period would be the problem.

I guess I don't have examples, but I feel like I've seen a lot of porters that reference aftertastes with hints of dark cherries or black currants or licorice (without actually putting any of these in). Maybe that's from Special B like you suggest, bird? Not sure...

 

[the_bird]

Special B and other dark crystal malts (120L) are pretty common in some of those recipes. Look at some robust porter recipes, those are known for some of those kinds of characteristics. Some of it *may* be yeast phenolics, as well.