Stone Beer

[Thor]

Yeah thats what the article says... but what is "caramelize"?

FYI, caramel is the brown, near-brittle substance created by heating sugar and water to over 300 degrees (I think it's 340, but I forget), then adding cream.

To caramelize something is to heat some or all of the sugar(s) in it such that they darken and form a deep, very sweet, syrupy substance, which is basically sugar with nearly all the water removed. In the case of wort, it means that some of the sugar in the wort is condensed (i.e. water removed), and therefore, the wort takes on more sweet character than it had prior to caramelization.

If you ever had caramelized onions (onions sauteed with sugar and butter/oil until the sugar darkens and thickens), you get the idea.

I read the Zymurgy article, and while interesting, I think I'll stick with propane.

 

[Walker]

I thought that caramelizing sugar ALSO changed the sugar, too. Ie; it makes longer sugar chains out of the previously smaller molecules.

I might be wrong here, but one of the voices in my head is telling me this right now.

-walker

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

If you ever had caramelized onions (onions sauteed with sugar and butter/oil until the sugar darkens and thickens), you get the idea.

Not to be nitpicky, particularly on a Friday, but my idea of caramelized onions is slow cooking them until the sugars naturally occuring in the onions caramelize as opposed to adding any additional sugar (unless I'm misreading your post). This post officially has nothing to do with beer or rocks :cross:

 

[El Pistolero]

Not to be nitpicky, particularly on a Friday, but my idea of caramelized onions is slow cooking them until the sugars naturally occuring in the onions caramelize as opposed to adding any additional sugar (unless I'm misreading your post). This post officially has nothing to do with beer or rocks :cross:

I have to agree with BeeGee on this one...don't be adding sugar (corn or otherwise) to your onions.

 

[Thor]

I thought that caramelizing sugar ALSO changed the sugar, too. Ie; it makes longer sugar chains out of the previously smaller molecules.

-walker

It very well may. In fact, I'm sure it does, since sugar does not revert to earlier forms when cooked, then cooled. You speak chemically, I spoke culinarily, since my scientific knowledge is, shall we say, less than vast.

 

[Thor]

Not to be nitpicky, particularly on a Friday, but my idea of caramelized onions is slow cooking them until the sugars naturally occuring in the onions caramelize as opposed to adding any additional sugar (unless I'm misreading your post). This post officially has nothing to do with beer or rocks :cross:

Same idea. Caramelizing added sugar, inherent sugar (such as in the onions) or both does the same thing to the sugar(s).

I'm going to open a homebrew, play among the hot rocks and contemplate all of this.

 

[Beer Snob]

Don't forget your goggles.

 

[Swervo Maneuver]

If you want to caramelize your wort, why not do a 1/2 gallon boil?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

If you want to caramelize your wort, why not do a 1/2 gallon boil?

Not possible for AG brewers who are pretty much required to do a full-wort boil.

 

[Lounge Lizard]

In Boy Scouts, I made soup and coffee in paper bags using hot rocks, just show I could do it.

Okay... How do you make coffee in paper bags??

 

[smithlammers]

Here's the reader's digest version:

Get 30 granite stones(roughly from the size of your fist, to the size of a grapefruit), to rotate about ten at a time. A really hot fire is required and anything you use for the fuel will impart flavor-except gas. Using wood like cherry, apple, oak, mesquite, etc., will give your beer a smokey flavor along with the caramel flavors from the burned sugars on the stones.

A stainless steel basket is a very useful tool to add to your brewpot--this helps in changing the stones quicker.

I like to add the stones to the primary to increase the flavor imparted by the technique.

As with the warning in the article, only gather the stones from dry locations, as the wet ones will shatter when heated and are very dangerous.

I also like to use the stones on unsuspecting brews, like the wheat beer last summer--it lasted 10 minutes at the BB-Q.

I'd be more than happy to answer any other questions you come up with--this is by far the most unusual beverage you will ever brew.

 

[Derek]

Hasn't anybody seen "The Beer Hunter"?

This was done in a small town (Coburg) near Bamberg, Germany. That brewery closed, so it's now produced in southern Bavaria:
http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Reviews-3196-339.htm
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/128/1515/

Some info:
http://www.beernotes.com/breakingnews/steinbier.html