Dried Lemongrass

[Morrey]

While in my LHBS yesterday, I noted the owner was filling the rack where dried additions like bitter orange peel is displayed. He was putting 2.5 ounce bags of dried lemongrass on the rack so I picked one up on a whim.

I figured this herb may be good in a wheat beer or possibly a pale ale or even a an IPA. If anyone has suggestions or a recipe they have brewed including dried lemongrass, I'd be most appreciative.

 

[quijiba]

While in my LHBS yesterday, I noted the owner was filling the rack where dried additions like bitter orange peel is displayed. He was putting 2.5 ounce bags of dried lemongrass on the rack so I picked one up on a whim.

I figured this herb may be good in a wheat beer or possibly a pale ale or even a an IPA. If anyone has suggestions or a recipe they have brewed including dried lemongrass, I'd be most appreciative.

It goes well in a lot of stuff. Personally I like it a lot in a saison. That with coriander really blend well in a mid range (6%ish) saison.

That being said you could easily toss this in a pale ale or IPA and be off to the races!

 

[Morrey]

It goes well in a lot of stuff. Personally I like it a lot in a saison. That with coriander really blend well in a mid range (6%ish) saison.

That being said you could easily toss this in a pale ale or IPA and be off to the races!

Great. I have some Belle Saison I can use. Do you have any tips such as amounts and times for the lemongrass additions? Dry hop? Thanks!

 

[quijiba]

Great. I have some Belle Saison I can use. Do you have any tips such as amounts and times for the lemongrass additions? Dry hop? Thanks!

Usually I actually toss it in at flameout (mostly cause I'm too lazy to sanitize it). You can either

a) just soak it in vodka or some other alcohol before tossing it in the dry hop;

b) try to lightly toast it in a mini toaster oven or regular oven for a few minutes, this also helps pull some oil out for the dry hop.

I can't remember what my exact rate of use was but I want to say it was something like 5-7g/L

 

[IslandLizard]

I would use fresh lemongrass like a dry "hop" at the end of fermentation.

The dried stuff has lost a lot of the upper tone fragrances that make it so appealing, and is more "woodsy."

 

[Morrey]

Well, after several PM's with IslandLizard discussing lemongrass usage, I brewed a Hoppy Wheat with lemongrass. I must tell the truth and ended up dumping batch #1 due to stupidity on my part....I got a new glycol chiller and when I cold crashed it sucked the half gallon jug or starsan right into the wort. Ok, lesson learned. This dumped batch had the dried lemongrass so I decided to shift over to fresh lemongrass.

This is a wheat/2 row recipe with Amarillo and Sorachi Ace hops that I felt would compliment the fresh lemongrass. Half of the lemongrass (1.5 ounces minced) went into the boil at flameout along with an addition of hops for the whirlpool. I made a tincture with the remaining 1.5 ounces of lemongrass to be used at dry hop in keg along with a dry hop addition of Sorachi Ace and Amarillo. I added the strained liquid direct, then the strained lemongrass solids went into the basket with the hops for 3 days.

This beer is WOWOW! Bright fresh lemon flavors pop in this beer with the wheat making for a luscious mouthfeel. Excellent beer for summer days when light and refreshing is just the right choice.

 

[ericbw]

I made a patersbier (single) with fresh lemongrass with coriander and Belgian yeast.

 

[Morrey]

I made a patersbier (single) with fresh lemongrass with coriander and Belgian yeast.

Excellent idea! I just tapped a Patersbier and enjoy it...but I think coriander and lemongrass would kick it up a notch which I felt it needs. I made my Patersbier with a dry (Abbaye) yeast, and both my wife and her brother say it is among the best beers I have made. Interesting in comparison that I feel my version of Patersbier is "so-so", but I like the ideas of infusions you created. Otherwise it is a tad on the boring side for me.

 

[ericbw]

Excellent idea! I just tapped a Patersbier and enjoy it...but I think coriander and lemongrass would kick it up a notch which I felt it needs. I made my Patersbier with a dry (Abbaye) yeast, and both my wife and her brother say it is among the best beers I have made. Interesting in comparison that I feel my version of Patersbier is "so-so", but I like the ideas of infusions you created. Otherwise it is a tad on the boring side for me.

Like other Belgians, the yeast carries it. But unlike some others, there isn't enough alcohol or hops to make it stand out. It's definitely a food beer.

I think I did fresh orange peel, too. I'll try to remember to post my recipe here later.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Morrey - my son ( @mtbrewer403 ) brewed a lemongrass saison just lately; I think it is almost ready to bottle. He might have some thoughts for you.

 

[Morrey]

Like other Belgians, the yeast carries it. But unlike some others, there isn't enough alcohol or hops to make it stand out. It's definitely a food beer.

I think I did fresh orange peel, too. I'll try to remember to post my recipe here later.

Would love to see your recipe if you get time to post. Your additions look interesting.

Morrey - my son ( @mtbrewer403 ) brewed a lemongrass saison just lately; I think it is almost ready to bottle. He might have some thoughts for you.

Thanks, Ron. I hope your son will share his thoughts once his Saison with Lemongrass has time in bottle to evaluate.

 

[ericbw]

Would love to see your recipe if you get time to post. Your additions look interesting.







Thanks, Ron. I hope your son will share his thoughts once his Saison with Lemongrass has time in bottle to evaluate.

Ok, this is a 2.75 gallon extract batch. That means that for me it would be 4.5 pounds of base malt (Briess 2-row). As it was:

1 can Golden Light LME
8oz D-45 candi syrup


.5oz Willamette @ 60
.4oz US Saaz @ 20

At flameout:
2oz fresh orange zest
2 oz chopped lemongrass (whole stalks, peeled a little)
.75 oz coriander seed, cracked with mortar and pestle

I used yeast that was harvested from a bottle of Ommegang. They use it for all of their beers, I think. The cooler it is, it's tamer. Higher temp gets it more interesting.

Fermented at 68-70 (water bath swamp cooler) 2-3 days, then free rise over 73. 4 weeks total.

 

[ericbw]

I did one with D-90 also but used cardamom pods, orange peel, and coriander.

I preferred the lemongrass, but still like the darker one.