Flavor Addition Suggestions to a Golden Ale

[Shuldawg]

Howdy All,

Well I have a double brew day coming up next weekend and we can't wait! My buddy will be brewing an all grain recipe, and in the in-between time I will be brewing an extract recipe. We're a fun pair- he is the precise, calculated recipes and I am the mad scientist, "let's give this a try" type (I think I watch too much Brew Dogs on TV)...

Anyway, this leads me to my overall post question. I wanted some ideas from the group of things that I can add to flavor one of my extract recipes.

I am going to purchase a Golden Ale Kit at my LHBS this week (probably similar to this one at Northern Brewer)
I wanted to add a little delicuisness-intrigue. I have used local honey in the past, but don't really want to do that and I don't really need to boost Alc%. The one thing that popped in my mind was using some anise to give a little licorice flavor... Sound like a good or bad idea? Has anyone used anise successfully before and could suggest amounts? Or does anyone else have some other flavors to add to strangely compliment a Golden Ale?

Thanks all and I look forward to your ideas & feedback; happy brewing!

 

[mdindy]

use anise with great caution it won't take much to get an over powering flavor. I would recommend keeping it simple and considering either a dry hop addition or maybe some fruit.

 

[Shuldawg]

use anise with great caution it won't take much to get an over powering flavor. I would recommend keeping it simple and considering either a dry hop addition or maybe some fruit.

Thanks for the feedback, mdindy. In regards to fruit- I was driving down the road and saw inspiration on a billboard. What about mangos soaked in tequila? I figure I could cut & peel the mangoes and me them soak overnight. If I went this route, when should I add it, after boil?

 

[Shuldawg]

Thanks for the feedback, mdindy. In regards to fruit- I was driving down the road and saw inspiration on a billboard. What about mangos soaked in tequila? I figure I could cut & peel the mangoes and me them soak overnight. If I went this route, when should I add it, after boil?

 

[cswalker]

I was actually discussing mangos this weekend. We're going to juice em, then add them at flameout. Could be good for you too.

 

[misterkidd]

I like the mangoes in tequila idea. Perhaps some black pepper in there as well?

 

[Shuldawg]

I am liking the mango so far, but someone mentioned cucumber.

Hmmm...

 

[ba-brewer]

I often use the wyeast ardennes yeast and seen the source was listed as the La Chouffe brewery so I looked around and found a recipe for a clone of their golden ale. These are are spices listed which sort of go with your thought of using anise.

0.09 Oz Caraway Seed Spice 15 Min.(boil)
0.17 Oz Corriander Seed Spice 15 Min.(boil)
0.17 Oz Cumin Seed Spice 15 Min.(boil)
it uses EKG and saaz for bittering.

I like the taste of caraway and cumin, but I have yet to try the recipe.

 

[m00ps]

I am liking the mango so far, but someone mentioned cucumber.

Hmmm...

I made a cucumber mint saison that turned out amazing. Definitely not for everyone, but anyone that likes cucumber has gone nuts over it

Just chopped up 3 decent sized cukes and tossed them in a secondary along with a few sprigs of fresh mint

 

[slym2none]

Whole coffee beans.

 

[slym2none]

I like the mangoes in tequila idea. Perhaps some black pepper in there as well?

Or this. Cantaloupe (actually "musk melon") could work as well.

 

[Shuldawg]

I'm loving these ideas; so hard to choose.

 

[myerstyson]

I made a cucumber mint saison that turned out amazing. Definitely not for everyone, but anyone that likes cucumber has gone nuts over it

Just chopped up 3 decent sized cukes and tossed them in a secondary along with a few sprigs of fresh mint

Did you sanitize the cukes and mint somehow, or was the beer alcoholic enough by that point?

 

[m00ps]

Did you sanitize the cukes and mint somehow, or was the beer alcoholic enough by that point?

I dunked them in sanitizer real quick before adding, but it was 7% abv by that point so I probably couldve gotten away with just washing them