Onions?

[tortination]

Anybody ever brew/ taste/hear about a beer brewed with onions? Thought about trying a batch with some vidalia onions. It wouldn't be a session beer for sure. Somebody must have tried it before me.

 

[cheezydemon3]

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tortination]

Ok, that's one enthusiastic no. Anyone else? If I do try it I think ill do a VERY small batch. Like one gallon. If it isn't drinkable I can always use it to braise some meat, or steam some clams.

 

[novafire]

Hmmm. You can get the onion taste with summit hops, no need for the actual onions.

 

[tortination]

Yeah I'm not going for subtle here. I'm talking ONION. Maybe float a crouton with melted cheese on the foam.

 

[SwampassJ]

Onion stout BBQ sauce.

 

[brrman]

Onion stout BBQ sauce.

f**k that sounds delish!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's pretty rude, considering he was just asking a question.

To the OP, I found something online saying to substitute whatever sugars you might use for caramelized onions. Maybe make an IIPA or something else heavy that would use some form of crystalline sugar and use the substitute.

You should just experiment. Who knows, you could start a big trend. Along side EdWort's Apfelwine and Brandon O's Graff could be a gigantic thread titled "How many gallons of tortination's Bloomin' Onion Beer have been brewed?"

 

[BigEd]

Saute those Vidalias, put them on top of a nicely grilled burger and then enjoy with a pint of homebrew. If you must have some edible lilies in a beer garlic might be a better choice.

 

[Nurmey]

Onion beer using mustard leaves for bittering? Could be the next trend.

It does sound interesting to make a line of cooking beers.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I made a chili beer once. It wan't something I'd drink very often, but it was good. I doubt that onions would be good in beer, but ya never know until you try it.

 

[Mermaid]

I would think you might want to carmelize them first to kick up the sugar.

I've had carmelized onion ice cream before, and it was actually pretty good - but I'm not sure if the resulting brew is something you're going to want to drink on a regular basis (it seems like something you would drink with very specific food, or to mix up a chilada with). To that end, you might try a Mexican style lager with the carmelized onions??

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

do three 1 gallon batches, with yellow, red and white onions. See which one comes out best!

 

[Edcculus]

Sounds...interesting. I'm not going to say it will be the next big thing. I've seen weirder combinations that turned out ok though. I agree with Mermaid. It might turn out tasting good, but there is no way its going to be a beer you want to drink often unless you just can't get enough onion in your life. Kind of like Rauchbier. For me, it goes GREAT with some BBQ or other smoked meat. Not a fan of it on its own though. I think some caramelized onions at the end of the boil might turn out pretty good.

 

[Jack]

If you do caramelize the onions before using them, I highly recommend doing so using the method employed by Thomas Keller. Use a heavy pan (e.g. cast iron) and do all the browning in the oven over the course of five-or-so hours. I've used onions prepared this way in French onion soup and scones, and resulting complexity of flavor can't be beat.

The downside of course is that if you do brown onions this way, you'd have to mix them with some kind of oil ... and you wouldn't have any head on your beer.

 

[MBasile]

I like onion taste in some foods, but that doesn't mean I like those foods to taste like pure onion! To each his own though. If you love the onion, then make an onion beer.

 

[cheezydemon3]

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's pretty rude, considering he was just asking a question.

That's pretty rude, considering I was just giving an answer.

You should just experiment. Who knows, you could start a big trend. Along side EdWort's Apfelwine and Brandon O's Graff could be a gigantic thread titled "How many gallons of tortination's Bloomin' Onion Beer have been brewed?"

Onions are not normally called "Bloomin". Are you suggesting he brew an outback steakhouse beer?

I have brewed pepper beer, and it was decent, but I like a lot of spice in my life.

I love onions, but I think they fall more in to the category of things I like that should not go into beer.

It could be a fantastic marinade.

 

[bovineblitz]

I think green onions might work out a little better. They seem less... intense.

 

[pjj2ba]

I say go for it! If it weren't for experimentation we would all be brewing and drinking BMC. I say go all out and grind some up in a food processor and add some to the mash and add some as a flame-out addition. I'd choose a base style that was on the lighter side that isn't too sweet.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Absolutely pjj, with an experiment like this you want something to showcase the flavor with little to get in the way....

That said.......do you add some onion at 60 minutes, some at 30, and some at flameout?

Do you dry onion in secondary?

 

[jgln]

Maybe cut up some onion, smash it and put it into a glass of beer and see if it even possibly could be a flavor you want in a beer?

 

[pjj2ba]

Do you dry onion in secondary?

Actually, one could just use dried onion flakes for all steps!

 

[neovox]

Here's a garlic beer, so why not onion?

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Onions are not normally called "Bloomin"

Huh, I had no idea. My whole life has been a lie...

I figured I was just making suggestions as to possible names but apparently I've wronged you and your profession of Onion Nomenclature.

It wouldn't be a session beer for sure.

Agreed. I think an IIPA with plenty of crystal malt and late-addition hops would be a good style to try adding onions to. Add some to the last 10 minutes of the boil, or you can make an infusion. Dice or process some onion, put it in something that can seal and pour some vodka in there. After 3-4 weeks in the primary take out a measured sample of your beer (2oz is good.) Pour your vodka/onion solution through a coffee strainer into another container. Add tiny drops of your solution into your beer sample until you get the flavor you want. Then calculate how much of the solution you will need for a 5 gallon batch and voila... onion beer.

 

[jmo88]

Take a pale ale or whatever base beer you were thinking of for this and pour a pint, then add some dried onion flakes to it and try it. It should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.

 

[fixnmybrew]

im brewing an american pale ale with 2 vidalia onions in it right now, will post results.

 

[Wberry]

What about this ... use an electric skillet (a la - Alton Brown's FOS) salt and butter and saute for 45 min - an hour until they are a mahogany brown. Then pour a great dry white wine and some apple juice over the onions. Reduce to a syrup, strain and add in at flameout. I honestly thing this could work; but, you may need a style that needs some drying out with the high volume of simple sugars you would be introducing.

 

[mrk305]

subscribed.... what the hell, I wanna see

 

[Reno_eNVy]

im brewing an american pale ale with 2 vidalia onions in it right now, will post results.

Awesome! Can't wait to see the results!

What about this ... use an electric skillet (a la - Alton Brown's FOS) salt and butter and saute for 45 min - an hour until they are a mahogany brown. Then pour a great dry white wine and some apple juice over the onions. Reduce to a syrup, strain and add in at flameout. I honestly thing this could work; but, you may need a style that needs some drying out with the high volume of simple sugars you would be introducing.

Sounds like a really good idea.... though can you saute the onion without butter to keep oils out?

 

[fixnmybrew]

Dang I shoulda took pics... Brews in the primary now, after I cooled, I strained the wort. Too much trash in there to go thru ferm. i thought... With the initial taste test done I can honestly say theres no indication of any type of onion scent or flavor going on, however the body was changed significantly from other APA's i've had. Personnaly I think it's all about the WOW factor with doing this. The look on friends faces when they say "you made beer with what????" onions, thats right, onions....