Which is the best hibiscus for a beer?

[coolerking]

Hi everyone!!
I´m new in the forum, looked for this specific question but didn´t find it.
I have the possibility to get Hibiscus from Jamaica, Sudan or Egipt.
-In your experience, which one is better for a beer?
-Any differences in color/aroma/taste?

Thank you and salutes from Argentina!

 

[Funkychef]

I recently did a beer with Hibiscus tea from Egypt had a nice suttle flavor and a pink tinge to it but nothing crazy. I havent tried any from other countries as this was the only one I could find.

 

[Calder]

I would be surprised if you get an answer to your question. Most feel just lucky to find a source for dried Hibiscus.

I tried it - didn't like it.

 

[bolus14]

I used the hibiscus from the link below in a Hibiscus Lime Wit earlier this year that turned out great. Had what I would call subtle hibiscus (cranberry like) taste behind the lime. I intentionally went heavy on the lime though. I used 5oz of the hibiscus and got a really bright red color.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CRXFKSE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[z-bob]

I would use dried roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) from a Mexican market; it's usually labeled "flor de Jamaica" and it's not expensive. It kind of tastes like cranberry and it stains everything red.

 

[coolerking]

Well, thank you guys for the answers! I believe im trying the one from Egypt!

 

[Morrey]

Equally important, how do you plan to use the hibiscus in your process?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Equally important, how do you plan to use the hibiscus in your process?

I made a "tea" with the blooms and added them at packaging time.

First time I used two ounces and it made the beer a pink color, similar to a rose' wine. You could tell that something was there and couldn't discern what it was. The next time I used six ounces and it turned out a beautiful crimson red, with a pink head, a definite "cranberryish" taste.

I brought water to a boil, added the blooms and let them steep for about forty minutes, added that to the keg and racked the beer on top of it. The first time I added the tea to finished and carbonated beer, purged the headspace and shook the keg. Both times the beer was a saison. The blooms came from a Mexican grocery, ~$2.89 for four ounces.

 

[coolerking]

Equally important, how do you plan to use the hibiscus in your process?

Im more interested in the color and flavour, I think that knowing is the first time I will use it with a hop bag in the boil.
But the question aims to know which hibiscus is better in Flavor/Aroma/Color.

Im trying to get this color:

 

[Dr_Jeff]

That color in somewhere in between both of my batches, my guess would be to go with four ounces in five gallons.

 

[Morrey]

I brewed and kegged several Watermelon Gose beers and used dried hibiscus as a color enhancement. This seemed to be a hit or miss adding the petals (muslin bag) to beer in the keg for infusion. Just as I thought about doing, seems to be good advice to steep a "tea" to use giving me more control over the final product while adding in this fashion.

My initial reaction was the hibiscus gave off a faint nuance similar to rose hips containing Vitamin C. This is akin to the cranberry flavor described above and I liked it a lot. Think I'll try the tea method next time.

 

[AlpacaBrew]

Look on the Coopers site they use it down in Oz with great success.

 

[z-bob]

I would boil some hibiscus (not just steep it) and use that in the mash to acidify it. Then add a little more [dried hibiscus] to the kettle or the fermenter.

 

[bolus14]

I wouldn't boil it, you'll pretty much lose all the aromatics and most of the flavor. The flavor is pretty subtle in the quantities we're talking about using.

IMO to get the color you're looking for, you're going to want a very light base beer, something like a wheat, most saisons, a blonde... Then I would add about 7-8oz to secondary for around 7 days, I would either bag them or use a pale if you add them lose. I used added mine lose in a carboy and racking to bottling bucket and cleanup was a royal pain.

 

[z-bob]

I've never noticed any aromatics in hibiscus. It just tastes "red" and tart. I wasn't clear earlier, I can see the ambiguity now. Boil some hibiscus to extract maximum acidity and red color for the mash. Add more dried hibiscus later in the kettle and/or the secondary, not more boiled extract. I've edited my previous post.

 

[coolerking]

I wouldn't boil it, you'll pretty much lose all the aromatics and most of the flavor. The flavor is pretty subtle in the quantities we're talking about using.

IMO to get the color you're looking for, you're going to want a very light base beer, something like a wheat, most saisons, a blonde... Then I would add about 7-8oz to secondary for around 7 days, I would either bag them or use a pale if you add them lose. I used added mine lose in a carboy and racking to bottling bucket and cleanup was a royal pain.

Well thank you all guys, will try it not only in the boil but also in the secondary. You Rock! Next post will be with the results