Native Plant GF Brew

[MisterCorpse]

After trying my hand fairly successfully at some basic GF brews, I've decided to branch out a bit and try something new. I work as a restoration ecologist in the bay area and have decided to bring my work home with me. Below is a recipe using San Francisco Bay native plants to flavor. I don't know what to expect, but I'm excited to give it a try, any suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

3.5 lbs Sorghum syrup
3 lbs brown rice syrup
12 oz blackstrap molasses
1.5 lbs corn sugar extract

1.25lbs oat
1/3lb black quinoa
1/2 lb quiona
1/3 lb millet

1/2 oz perle hops (60 min)
1/2 oz perle hops (30 min)
1/2 oz cascade hops (30 min)
1.5 oz cascade hops (5 min)

+- 1 oz fresh Mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana)
+- 1 oz fresh yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
+- 1 oz fresh California sage (Salvia mellifera)

1 packet Safeale-05

My plan is to make individual batches of tea from each of the plants and see what flavors will come through, and add differing amounts of each "tea" to the wort. If none of them are strong enough I think I'll collect more of the desired plant and dry hop, or add other flavors in secondary to adjust. As far as I know I'm in fairly uncharted territory with this gruit, I'll post back as it happens.

 

[yurtbrewer]

Love the idea!
I'm an organic farmer and I love to use things that are grown by me or locally grown. With GF brews, I'm resorting to brown rice and sorghum syrups from who knows where. I know sorghum grows around here, but the cost is so high compared to purchasing it from a HBS. Would love to hear more about how it goes and any other experiments for the future!

 

[spaced]

My plan is to make individual batches of tea from each of the plants and see what flavors will come through, and add differing amounts of each "tea" to the wort. If none of them are strong enough I think I'll collect more of the desired plant and dry hop, or add other flavors in secondary to adjust. As far as I know I'm in fairly uncharted territory with this gruit, I'll post back as it happens.

This is what I would do. Should give you an idea of the flavour you're going to get from each plant.

I wonder if the flavour from the molasses might take over a bit?

I like your local flavour idea though.

 

[fermentedhiker]

If you're willing to put the time in I think the best course is to make a 1 gallon test batch minus the flavor additions. Then once it's carbed do your test "teas" with the actual base brew. That way you really get what flavors come through and how they interact.

 

[KevinM]

There's a number of other people working on gruits (in regular beers) too that you may want to communicate with. I've never been a major fan of hops and I'm still finding this to be true so I am interested in different gruits and their results.

 

[DirtbagHB]

im rather curious about. gruits. if thats the proper term for spicing beer with herbs.
i have a number of herbs that i grow every summer. and some that ive aquired:
mint, marjoram, chamomile, basil.

mostly im interested in how woodruff and wormwood might be in beer.

 

[andrewdell19]

Are you roasting, cracking, or malting any of the grains (oat quinoa and millet)?

 

[DirtbagHB]

only thing ive malted has been quinoa. everything else is toasted and cracked.

 

[spaced]

MisterCorpse I know dog fish head brewery have made use of herbs in some of their beers. Might be some info out there about it.

 

[DKershner]

MisterCorpse I know dog fish head brewery have made use of herbs in some of their beers. Might be some info out there about it.

No real secret to what they do, just stick it in a hop bag and boil it.

 

[MisterCorpse]

So, one week in and I'm about to dry hop with my native plants. I found that the Yarrow and Mugwort had the best flavors. The Yarrow is very bitter with hints of butter lettuce. The Mugwort is also bitter and more spinachy. I found the California Sage has little to offer, but leaves a weird film in your mouth. Perhaps the most notable note of the native plants is after drinking their teas I got a palpable and unique buzz. I'm excited to see how this effect transfers to the beer.

 

[MisterCorpse]

Are you roasting, cracking, or malting any of the grains (oat quinoa and millet)?

Nothing special, just toasting and cracking. I tried malting my quinoa last brew, but didn't find much benefit.