Henbane Beer is a very stupid idea (i'm gonna do it)

[Persephone Karnstein]

So, I have this book, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications by Christian Rätsch, and it mentions that before the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516 (aka the Reinheitsgebot) which mandated that beer use hops as a bittering agent, people would just use any old plant they wanted to infuse… including henbane.

Henbane is a member of the family Solanaceae (meaning, related to peppers and tomatoes and potatoes), which contains tropane alkaloids and was historically used in magical concoctions for the psychoactive effects it creates, often including mild hallucinations and the sensation of flight.

Critically, and unfortunately for the world, the book contains a recipe.






This technically creates a braggot, based on the amount of honey (although, without a citation for the recipe, it’s possible(?) that the original meant pine resin rather than honey, which was a common ingredient in some older recipes.

I’ve modified the recipe to create a 5 gal all-grain version, with some tweaks based on other braggot recipes, and will be brewing this as soon as my henbane seeds germinate.

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Henbane Braggot​

Ingredients​

• 33 g dried, chopped henbane herbage (hyoscyamus niger)
• 5 g bayberry (I'm using Northern Bayberry (myrica pensylvanica), which is small and not particularly flavorful so I'll probably use more)
• 3.51 kg (7.7 lb.) Pilsner malt
• 3.6 lb. (1.64 kg) raw rye
• 1.62 kg (3.6 lb.) flaked oats
• 0.75 kg pine resin
• 1 kg honey
• approx. 5 g dried top-fermenting yeast like kveik
• brown sugar for priming

Recipe​

Mash grains at 66°C (151°F) for 60 minutes. Lauter, sparge, collect wort, and boil 60 minutes. Add the henbane, bayberry, and resin an hour before knockout. Cool wort to 180°F (82.2°C), add the honey, and whirlpool 10 minutes. After whirlpool, cool wort to 65°F (18.3°C). Pitch the yeast.

In order for the top-fermenting yeast to be effective, the wort should be allowed to stand in a warm location (20˚ to 25˚C.). Fermentation will begin slowly because the tropane alkaloids will initially inhibit the yeast. The main fermentation will be over in four to five days, and the after-fermentation will then begin. The yeast will slowly settle and form a layer at the bottom of the bucket.

The beer can now be poured into bottles. A heaping teaspoon of brown sugar can be added to each (0.7 liter) bottle to promote an additional after-fermentation. Henbane beer tastes best when stored before use in a cool place for two to three months.

Citations​

The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications, by Christian Rätsch, Park Street Press, 2005, pp. 468–530.

Ipo, N. “Pilsenkraut.” Erowid, www.erowid.org/chemicals/alcohol/alcohol_brew.shtml. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

 

[Halfakneecap]

If you stop replying we'll know the amount is too much

 

[madscientist451]

From WEB MD:

Side Effects​

When taken by mouth: Henbane is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken for a short time in appropriate doses. Side effects include dry mouth, red skin, constipation, and urination problems. Henbane is LIKELY UNSAFE when used in amounts above the maximum recommended dose of 3 grams daily. High doses of henbane can cause overheating, reduced sweating, vision disturbances, increased heart rate, urination problems, drowsiness, restlessness, hallucinations, delirium, manic episodes, and death.

 

[An Ankoù]

What the recipe omits to say is that the fermenting liquid needs to be taken to a crossroads under a full moon and stirred in a widdershins direction with a shin bone pilfered from the local cemetery until the first light of dawn. Then fully half the mixture should be poured out onto bare earth as a libation to Baron Samedi in case the soul becomes "lost" after drinking thereof.
That's the way we used to do it in Port-au-Prince, anyway.

Less seriously, I wouldn't be starting with a full 5 gallon batch. 1 gallon might be enough, in case you don't like it. I mean, whose going to drink the rest when they find you lying beside the pot in a state of permanent transcendence?

Good luck. Be careful.

 

[mashdar]

Don't try this while on any type of medical treatment (antidepressants, beta blockers, blood thinners, etc). : )

 

[Snuffy]

Pine resin?

 

[firerat]

Oh this should go well.

 

[fatjay]

This sounds like something I would do.

 

[MaxStout]

OP's avatar checks out.

 

[An Ankoù]

Just been having a bit of a browse through the OP's book. There's some fascinating reading. Didn't know you could dry and smoke coleus leaves. Not that I'm moved to do so, but I'll give it a good looking at tomorrow. Henbane used to be an ingredient of gruit. But then life expectancy wasn't very great in the days of gruit.

 

[Sammy86]

This thread reminds me of our good friend Bracc…he would have loved this idea and been asking a million questions!

 

[Marauderhex]

Any tasting notes?

 

[Snuffy]

Pine resin?

 

[Mr. Vern]

Today I learned the differences between Spruce Honey and Pine Honey, particularly Nectar -vs- Honeydew. I think I would have ordered some of this ingredient in lieu of pine resin.

Concentrations are also high in seeds and can vary widely. Double Double Toil & Trouble, some flying elixir perhaps.

 

[lumpher]

Eerie omen: OP has not been seen or heard from since posting this questionable recipe with a psychoactive ingredient...