Amounts of Heather in a Heather Ale?

[ericmsteen]

I'm looking to brew a Heather Ale with the following recipe. Apparently this recipe is from the brewer of the Fraoch Beer. I'm confused about the amount of Heather. Does 12 2/3 cups seem like a lot of Heather? What does that equate to in ounces? Do you think this recipe is referring to fresh heather and not dried heather? Any help would be appreciated!


5 Gallons:
6 2/3 pounds Scotch Ale Malt or 6 pounds U.S. 2-row malted barley and 10 1/2 oz. Amber malt (crystal or Cara-type)
12 2/3 cups of lightly pressed flowering heather tips
Irish moss (10 minutes)

O.G. - 1.048
F.G. - 1.011

Mash at 153F for 90 minutes. Sparge as usual. Add about one-half gallon (2/3 of total) of lightly pressed heather tips and boil vigorously for 90 minutes.

Run hot wort through a sieve filled with 2 cups (1/6 of total) of heather tips into the fermenting vessel. Allow to cool and ferment at 61F for seven to 10 days. A lager-type yeast is suggested. The original yeast for Froach Ale was a Scotch ale yeast, but after years of cold slow fermentation it has evolved into a strain with a bottom-fermenting bias. When the gravity reaches 1.015, usually the fifth day, remove ½ gallon of ale, add 2 cups (1/6 of total) of heather flowers and warm to 158 degrees
F. Cover and steep for 15 minutes, then return to the fermenter.

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

no idea what it would be in ounces, but "flowering heather tips" suggests to me that it is fresh heather, i.e. picked while flowering and immediately used.

I have no idea quantity wise, as i have never used heather, fresh or dried, in a recipe.

 

[LexusChris]

I've not tried heather yet, but the recipe does sound like they are looking at a couple of quarts of heather flowers.

I checked on a spreadsheet of spice additions that BYO published recently, and they listed Heather Flowers as 12 cups per 5 gallons, boiled 90 minutes. So, the recipe seems to be in-line.

I'd want to check a few more recipes out there though ...
Good Luck!
--lexuschris

 

[ericmsteen]

any idea how many ounces might be in a cup? Just asking...

 

[alecoholic]

I've used 12 cups of fresh heather flowering tops in a heather ale and it was not even close to too much. I pruned a gallon size bag worth. Don't know how much it weighs, sorry. I've tried dried and it was poor, fresh is way better.

 

[LexusChris]

What will be your source for the heather? Fresh flowers? Dried flowers? store bought heather tips?

I ask because I've seen 'heather tips' sold at the LHBS, in 1 or 2 oz. packets. And they may have a different potency ... certainly not 12 cups of ground heather tips...

One store suggests 2oz. Heather Tips at beginning of boil.

And I found a heather recipe from BYO where they specify 3 cups of fresh flowers or just 1-2 if dried.

Cups being a volume measure will not equate well to ounces weight. So depending upon what your heather source is, I'd try to find a recipe with that form of heather, and try that amount...

--LexusChris

 

[JLem]

any idea how many ounces might be in a cup? Just asking...

Based on some rough estimates using loose black tea, I'd guess there are 4-6 ounces in 1 cup

 

[pantsmachine]

Come back over the pond Eric and i'll show you where to pick them. Fresh would be the way to go.

Or, if you are settled now you could buy seeds and grow your own.


Cheers
Joe

 

[ericmsteen]

Ah shucks, thanks! Another trip does feel overdue doesn't it. No plans yet though