Mesquite Molasses Beer

[GilaMinumBeer]

Why did I see this as Mosquito Asses Beer?

And why did I click it?

 

[GTG]

So I have access to a few different varieties of mesquite with varying colorls of pods that I am ging to start harvesting next week. I will plan on getting 2 pound batches for people since that seems to be a decent amount of pods to do a nice batch of beer. If anyone is interested in a trade or just buying some, let me know. I should be able to fit 2 piounds in a large USPS flat rate box. I'll give updates and post pictures next week.

Thanks,
GTG

I have also brewed and bottled a roasted mesquite stout with local grown black sphinx dates. I'll update with tasting notes as it matures a bit. If anyone is interested, I have been scouting local trees and will be harvesting pods starting in late summer as they begin to ripen. If anyone is interested in using some that doesn't have access to them, I will be happy to work out trades with them for other brewing ingredients/equipment. If there's some interest, I'll take it to the Classifieds forum.
Thanks,
GTG

 

[corkybstewart]

My mesquite bushes have just produced this year's pods, they are very green. Are they already dry in AZ?

 

[GTG]

The velvets are are in multiple stages right now. There's enough dry ones to start now.

GTG

 

[evanos]

GTG,
Whereabouts are you collecting? I'll be collecting this weekend as well (both mesquite and carob that grows at the UofA). I'm just not 100% sure where to collect. I was thinking about collecting the velveteen mesquites along I-10 (and giving them a good wash before processing) because the trees are loaded and are all about 8 ft tall (perfect for picking).

 

[GTG]

I wash them and let them dry very well , then roast them. I am in Peoria and will be collecting about 2 blocks from our house.

GTG

GTG,
Whereabouts are you collecting? I'll be collecting this weekend as well (both mesquite and carob that grows at the UofA). I'm just not 100% sure where to collect. I was thinking about collecting the velveteen mesquites along I-10 (and giving them a good wash before processing) because the trees are loaded and are all about 8 ft tall (perfect for picking).

 

[JuanMoore]

GTG,
Whereabouts are you collecting? I'll be collecting this weekend as well (both mesquite and carob that grows at the UofA). I'm just not 100% sure where to collect. I was thinking about collecting the velveteen mesquites along I-10 (and giving them a good wash before processing) because the trees are loaded and are all about 8 ft tall (perfect for picking).

Personally I would stay away from I-10, or other busy roadways. There's a lot of pollution that can get into the trees through the soil, which doesn't wash off. Try residential areas or open desert away from major roads.

This is from the desert harvesters website linked above-

Where NOT to harvest
Do not harvest from areas that are polluted or contaminated. These include:
- Highway corridors and other areas with high volumes of vehicular traffic and air-borne pollutants
- Areas where there is known or suspected use of pesticides or herbicides (you don’t want your pods to come into contact with soil that is sprayed with Round Up)
- Avoid trees with roots that are in the direct vicinity of telephone poles because they are treated with toxic wood preservants
- Avoid trees that are receiving high volumes of polluted runoff. Sources of such pollution can include oil and brake fluid accumulating on streets or pesticides from non-organic farms and yards.
- Avoid gathering pods from the ground where there is likely to be animal waste such as dog and cat droppings.

Hoping to get an afternoon free sometime this week to harvest some more pods myself. I'll be harvesting in my neighborhood just N of the UofA, and at some family and friends homes in semi-rural areas NW of town.

My brewing partner infused some cheap whiskey with roasted mequite pods last year, and we drank some earlier tonight. It's quite tasty!

 

[GTG]

I'm harvesting pods this week for anyone that's interested. A medium flat rate box will hold about 3 lbs of pods and costs about $11.00 to ship.

GTG

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

What are you looking for in addition to shipping costs?

 

[GTG]

What are you looking for in addition to shipping costs?

How about $5.00 per lb? I'd rather trade for brewing ingredients but will sell them outright if necessary.

GTG

 

[igliashon]

Great thread! I'm gonna link this in the gluten-free forum.

 

[igliashon]

Does anyone have any idea the PPG of mesquite pods?

 

[JuanMoore]

Does anyone have any idea the PPG of mesquite pods?

It varies quite a bit between species, but they supposedly average ~30% sucrose by weight, and extract potential will vary depending on the efficiency of the technique used. I would estimate ~12 ppg, but that's really just an educated guess.

 

[igliashon]

Well, an educated guess is better than I can do, and at least it gives me a ball-park starting point, so thanks! I just ordered 10 pounds of these guys so we'll see what 2 lbs in a 3-gallon batch does as far as gravity goes. I'm really excited to try these...I'm gonna start with a basic (gluten-free) pale ale and also try them in a (gluten-free) porter after that.

 

[GTG]

Did you order them online? I haven't been able to find a good source for them yet that hasn't already ground them up as flour.

GTG

Well, an educated guess is better than I can do, and at least it gives me a ball-park starting point, so thanks! I just ordered 10 pounds of these guys so we'll see what 2 lbs in a 3-gallon batch does as far as gravity goes. I'm really excited to try these...I'm gonna start with a basic (gluten-free) pale ale and also try them in a (gluten-free) porter after that.

 

[GTG]

Here's a link to a PDF of the article from Zymurgy magazine that describes the roasting and use process for the pods -
http://www.arizonahikers.com/GTG/Sower2002HomebrewingIndigenousBeveragesoftheSouthwestZymurgy.pdf

GTG

 

[igliashon]

There's a link in this very thread, actually; re-posted here for your convenience: http://www.az-cactus.com/Mesquite-Beans-For-Sale.htm

 

[GTG]

Thanks, sorry I missed that link. Looks like they're offering a better deal than I can currently. I emailed them to see what variety they are shipping currently. The ones I am currently getting are velvet.

GTG

There's a link in this very thread, actually; re-posted here for your convenience: http://www.az-cactus.com/Mesquite-Beans-For-Sale.htm

 

[GTG]

Never got a reply from them, I guess they're busy gathering mesquite pods before the monsoon rains get here.

GTG

Thanks, sorry I missed that link. Looks like they're offering a better deal than I can currently. I emailed them to see what variety they are shipping currently. The ones I am currently getting are velvet.

GTG

 

[corkybstewart]

I've read the whole thread a couple of times but I have a question I don't think I've seen. Do I harvest green pods and dry them or do I pick the brown ones. I've got lots of mesquite trees around, some of the pods are green, some are already brown.

 

[JuanMoore]

I've read the whole thread a couple of times but I have a question I don't think I've seen. Do I harvest green pods and dry them or do I pick the brown ones. I've got lots of mesquite trees around, some of the pods are green, some are already brown.

Pick them when they're brown and fall off of the branches easily. If you have to tug at all, they're not ready. You can also harvest from the ground if they're clean, dry, and haven't been rained on.

 

[CeeJay]

I have 2 gallons of extract waiting for a gluten free brew with sorghum. Got great dry velvet pods. Really curious as to how it all plays out. Maybe chilies or something.

 

[xxtoltecxx]

 

[xxtoltecxx]

Have Honey Mesquite bean/pods 2lbs for $10 minimum of 2lbs/order. $4.40 shipping per 2lbs of bean pods.

 

[CeeJay]

Well just placed my order for my attempt at a mesquite belgian.

9lbs White Sorghum Syrup
Extract of 2 lbs Mesquite Pods, dried, no roast
Styrian Goldings 0.75@ 60 mins
Styrian Goldings 0.75@ 15 mins
Fermentis Safbrew T-58 Dry Ale Yeast

Will be my attempt with this year's harvest.

 

[corkybstewart]

I have about 15 pounds of beans I had hoped to brew with already, hopefully I can do something with them this fall.

 

[GTG]

I have found a few places online that sell mesquite syrup. I have ordeed some and will post my results with using the syrups VS the pods.

GTG

 

[CeeJay]

GTG, let us know where you get your syrup from, would be interested. Also am curious if they are North American or South American (or other) sourced.

Update on my belgian: OG was 1.071, down to 1.019 today. It moved .02 in the last day so it isn't done yet, but I am kegging for a party saturday so it better be done by Thursday morning!

Taste: Sweet like a light molasses but light bodied. Get a lot of the spice from the yeast through. Will be cloudy since I am not using a secondary. Wish I had room to let this go further, but next week I start my holiday ale and need the ferm chamber free.

 

[GTG]

So far this year I've brewed two different mesquite beers. The first was a saison made with some purple mesquite pods that I found. I used them to make an extract along with some pilsner, orange rind and juice fermented with dregs from Great Divide's Colette. The second beer I did won a silver medal recently for Other Smoked Beer in a local competition. I have some really nice old growth, center cut mesquite that I used to smoke 3 lbs of pods for 3 hours in my smoker at 250 - 275 degrees. I then used the pods to make an extract that was added to a few other basic malt extracts. I added 1 lb mesquite/citrus honey and fermented it with an English ale yeast on about 2 oz of the same center cut mesquite wood. I can post recipes if you are interested.

GTG

 

[GTG]

GTG, let us know where you get your syrup from, would be interested. Also am curious if they are North American or South American (or other) sourced.

Not sure of the type of trees that they use but I assume that they're the NA varieties.
I found the syrups on ebay first but here is a link to the product site -
http://cherisdesertharvest.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=43_37&product_id=80

ANd here's a link to the ebay listing -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mesquite-Bean-Syrup-7-oz-Cheris-Desert-Harvest-/120963625859
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mesquite-Be...359?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d400912f
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mesquite-Be...945?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d4008f91

GTG