Could I brewed with this?

[TheCollector]

So I was at the local Ross and saw these sunflower seeds totally organic. No preservatives. Could I brew with them? I've heard they are great for head retention and a bit of flavor. I'm still an extract brewer so would I steep them with specialty grains? Thanks guys

 

[TheCollector]

Sorry forgot to add the pic

View attachment 1418094701858.jpg

 

[mrdail87]

Well, sunflower seeds have a pretty high oil content, which could actually kill your head retention if used raw.

Found this article though:
http://byo.com/india-pale-ale/item/2530-brewing-gone-nuts

According to the article, you can roast then to drive out a lot of the oils.

Not sure whether or not you can steep them. Might make for a good small batch experiment.

 

[TheCollector]

Yeah I read that same article like 2-3 days ago and intended to roast them do remove those oils. Just wondering if I should chop them up first or what. They are de-shelled already.

 

[mrdail87]

Unfortunately your guess is as good as mine. Using them as a first-time experiment, personally, I would probably leave them whole for the first batch and see how it does and go from there.

But if you're feeling adventurous, I'd say coarsely chop them.

 

[Beernik]

I would chop them. I would think that with nuts or seeds that you would want to increase the surface area in contact with the wort so you can impart more flavor.

I'm not sure how I would chop bunch of seeds at once. Maybe pulse them in a blender.

I also think that I'd worry less about preservatives than added salt. I wouldn't want to add a bunch of salt to my beer.

This does give me the idea of adding pumpkin seeds to my pumpkins saison next time I make it.