Anyone ever brew a swankey?

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BorealBrewer

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A historical, dark, anise-spiked style: Pennsylvania Swankey!

I've read the Mad Fermentationist's historical brewing post. Anyone else ever try this recipe? Or have other places I should look?


My Dad is a big fan of anise. He went through a phase a couple years ago where he was trying to use the spice in everything. I'd like to make him a small batch.

Thanks in advance for any info!
 
I haven't, but I've been meaning to do one for quite a while (being from Western Pennsylvania). There was a recipe in Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher.. if you do some Googling you'd probably be able to find it. That way you'd have two recipes for a starting point.
 
I actually haven't been able to turn up the Mosher recipe - I've seen a few other people's versions, though, mostly on hopville.

The key seems to be low gravity, some chocolate malt, and anise for licorice flavor...this really works for me, because my Dad enjoys darkish session beers and anise. Swankey appears to put those two things in one bottle.
 
I actually haven't been able to turn up the Mosher recipe - I've seen a few other people's versions, though, mostly on hopville.

The key seems to be low gravity, some chocolate malt, and anise for licorice flavor...this really works for me, because my Dad enjoys darkish session beers and anise. Swankey appears to put those two things in one bottle.

Ah ok. I have the book, actually. I can get the recipe for you if you'd like whenever I'm home.
 
Please, if you are willing to share the recipe, I would appreciate it in a BIG way!!!

If you do decide to brew a swankey - I'd like to compare notes!

Thanks in advance!!!!
 
Just checking to see if anyone ever brewed that swankey. It's on my list of things to try, as me & the SWMBO LOVE black licorice!
 
Hey BeerBeard,

I've got the grains and the spices to do this next weekend. My hope is for a quick turn-around, tasty beer - something fun to serve the family around Christmas.

Knowing there's another couple out there interested makes me very happy!!!
 
Has anyone brewed this yet? I recently move back to PA after retiring from the Air Force and would like to make a smaller batch of this to try it out. I didn't know there was a recipe in Radical Brewing. Once I get my stuff (we are waiting to close on a house so it's all in storage) I'll have to take a look at the book.
 
I did end up brewing a swankey last spring, with another batch a few weeks ago. I used Randy Mosher's description from Radical Brewing (brew a light gravity brown ale, and add anise) as my guide, and modified my go-to mild recipe, from Dave Miller's Brewing the World's Great Beers.

Here's the recipe - for one gallon:

454 g Cdn 2-row (from MaltEurop Winnipeg...gotta rep the 204!)
50 g Crystal 60L
30 g Chocolate malt
90 g dark brown sugar

4g Cluster 7%aa 60 mins - 16 IBU
1/2 tsp anise seed 5 mins
1 star whole star anise, crushed, at flame-out
1 star anise, crushed, "dry hop"


Mash 60 mins @ 152F.


OG: 1.043
FG: 1.010

Ferment 10 days @ 17C

est. alc: 4.3%

My first batch, I didn't do the "dry hop" (dry anise-ing just sounds wrong!), and thought the aroma of licorice was lacking.

In my original post, I said I was doing this for my Dad. He enjoyed it, but thought the beer could use more anise...I was quite happy with it.

This went over well with friends who are hugely into beer, and with those who don't normally drink beer (or good beer). One gallon is not enough at a time, I have to scale this up.

If anyone out there in swankey-land wants to comment, please do. If anyone makes this, I'd love to compare notes!
 
I'm taking a stab at something in the Swankey arena this weekend. Here's what I plan to do:

Size: 5 gallon
OG: 1.038
FG: 1.009
IBU: 18
ABV: 3.8%
Yeast: Wyeast 1275 (Thames Valley)

5.0 lbs Maris Otter
8 oz Invert #3 (at boil)
6 oz Crystal 80
6 oz Chocolate Malt
4 oz Special B

1 oz Fuggle (60 min)

4 g Anise seed (5 min)
2 Star Anise, crushed (5 min)

Mash at 156
Double Sparge at 168

Ferment 3 weeks at 64
 
Last edited:
I'm taking a stab at something in the Swankey arena this weekend. Here's what I plan to do:

Size: 5 gallon
OG: 1.038
FG: 1.009
IBU: 18
ABV: 3.8%
Yeast: Wyeast 1275 (Thames Valley)

5.0 lbs Maris Otter
8 oz Invert #3 (at boil)
6 oz Crystal 80
6 oz Chocolate Malt
4 oz Special B

1 oz Fuggle (60 min)

4 g Anise seed (5 min)
2 Star Anise, crushed (5 min)

Mash at 156
Double Sparge at 168

Ferment 3 weeks at 64

Just took a sample 17 days in. I'm very pleased with the results! The anise is definitely there but not obnoxious. Has a subtle root beer like nose, with the flavor much more dark mild like w/ definite licorice notes. Going to cold crash soon so I can bottle next week.

OP's dad would want way more anise, for what it's worth. For that purpose I'm thinking you'd double the spices: up to 8g anise and 4 crushed star anise.
 
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