Red Hot Iron Inserted in Beer? Gustungling?

[JetSmooth]

Jet smooth look at the pictures of the rocks on my stein bier they are covered in caramelized sugar. The carmelization happens when you add the super hot rocks to the wort, I am sure that poker is having the same effect.

{pics no worky on company firewall}

I get the concept of a steinbier. You use the hot rocks to bring the wort up to temp in your boil, carmelizing the sugars.

I mean you put the sticky rocks back into the beer AFTER you've used them in the boil. Since there's sugars stuck to the rocks, the yeast munch on it during the fermentation (or during lagering, I guess).

I just don't know if you'd want to put an iron poker back into the fermenting beer. Might come out tasting rusty. So the iron poker idea is for boil-only.

I wasn't clear.

 

[rhoadsrage]

FWIW, Dogfish brewed Sah'tea using hot rocks. See second video
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/occassional-rarities/sahtea-0.htm

I have also heard that using hot rocks to boil wort is the only way to brew pre-metal pots. If you have a leather or wood bowl and put wort and hot rocks it will boil instead of burn like on an open fire.

 

[gyst]

Salon had an article about a drink made this way a while ago - I was actually a mixed drink made with cognac and Abbey Ale, but the writer seemed impressed by the flavor change:

http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2009/12/17/dave_arnold_nils_noren_will_freak_up_your_dinner

And here's the recipe:

http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2009/12/18/dave_arnold_nils_noren_red_hot_ale

 

[makomachine]

Salon had an article about a drink made this way a while ago - I was actually a mixed drink made with cognac and Abbey Ale, but the writer seemed impressed by the flavor change:

http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2009/12/17/dave_arnold_nils_noren_will_freak_up_your_dinner

And here's the recipe:

http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2009/12/18/dave_arnold_nils_noren_red_hot_ale

Ok, I'm convinced to try this now - just need to pick up an Oktoberfest or other malty selection, given I have none in stock, and find a suitable poker!

 

[Maxkling]

The guy in the video looks to be Zane Lamprey from the tv show Drinking Made Easy. It's a pretty good show, it shows more liquor and alcohol abuse rather than Craft Beer. Still entertaining though...

 

[motobrewer]

f**k zane lamprey

 

[Fionnbharr]

Before I started Homebrewing, I had been making home-made sodas for nearly 20 years.

Stephen Cresswell, in his book "Homemade Root Beer, Soda, & Pop" writes:

"Traditionally, ginger was not always used in the brewing process [of Ginger Ale] itself but was added later. American taverners sometimes kept an enormous shaker of fresh-ground ginger on the bar. The customer would shake in the ginger and the host would stir the drink with a red-hot poker. Those colorful days have passed, but ginger has not lost its popularity as a flavoring agent for beers and soft drinks." (page 33)

He gives no citation / source for the information.

So, it would seem that this technique is historically used for soft drinks, or drinks heavily laced with ginger.

 

[Zamial]

I am just guessing here...but wouldn't that Gustungling flash off the alcohol or most of it? I do fully understand there are people that do not care about this but it just stands to reason.

 

[tbrink]

The August Schell brewery in New Ulm, MN also does this for their annual bockfest, and I can attest to the fact that it does dramatically alter the flavor. If you ever find yourself travelling through central Minnesota, stop by this sleepy burg 25 miles north of mankato and pay a visit to the second oldest brewery in America (yuengling holds the title of oldest). If you really want a crazy time, visit there for oktoberfest...

 

[realjd]

The guy in the video looks to be Zane Lamprey from the tv show Drinking Made Easy. It's a pretty good show, it shows more liquor and alcohol abuse rather than Craft Beer. Still entertaining though...

Go look up Three Sheets. Drinking Made Easy is terrible compared to that masterpiece.

 

[Montanaandy]

This is fantastic news - I can double the use of my branding irons! Each pint I pour will now have my ranch branded into the foam. Win-win.

 

[EricScott]

When I lived in Frankfurt, this was a thing the locals were doing during Fasching (Carnival). This website makes a mention of it:
http://www.beercook.com/articles/schellbockfest.htm

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I find it strange that nobody seems to have heard of mulled ale.

http://www.oldandinteresting.com/ale-warmers.aspx

 

[Daparish]

Meh, I can think of worse places to put a hot poker.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Meh, I can think of worse places to put a hot poker.

That would be called "Getting an Edward" maybe? Edward II: His wife joined her lover Mortimer in deposing him: by their orders he was murdered in Berkley Castle - so legend has it, by having a red-hot poker thrust up his anus.

 

[hoaxci5]

My dad has talked about this hot poker in the beer thing before.. he told stories about it from when we were in Germany (He was stationed there was I was about 2 circa 1983)

 

[Boleslaus]

Haha the first thought I had while watching it was....thats Zane.

 

[DGibb]

What about Stein Beer?

Granit Bock - Stein Beer

 

[tgmartin000]

Zombie thread!

I'm a little surprised by the attitudes in general. One reason I love brewing so much is to try new things.

A tiny little brewery in SE Iowa used to do this every year with their Bock, in mid fall. They'd get a chunk of cast iron hot, then dunk it in.

It was incredible! They'd just dunk it for a few seconds, so you still get a 50 degree beer.

Roasty and chocolatey. It was freaking awesome.

ETA, I believe the recipie is in north American clone brews. It's the stein bock, from stone city, I believe.

 

[DGibb]

How did I? I mean, I was reading the "Today's Posts" section at the top of the page and this was within the first two pages...

Sorry for raising the dead!

 

[patto1ro]

I'm surprised only one person mentioned mulling. Which is what the practice of sticking a hot poker into a drink is called in English. My dad used to do it sometimes in the winter. As we had an open coal fire, pretty simple to do.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

This is also similar to a traditional flip. Beer, some batter (usually proprietary but often including egg, sugar, spices), and a fortifying spirit. The flip was then scalded with a red hot iron.

I don't understand why people call this stuff a gimmick. If it is fun and tastes good then who cares? Get off the high pony and live a bit.