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Author Topic: how to add herbs for flavors  (Read 2699 times)

Offline JT

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #15 on: March 06, 2015, 10:55:35 am »
You can always add more.  You can't take it away (without diluting).  I would start small. 

Offline pete b

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #16 on: March 06, 2015, 11:28:46 am »
When you say quite a bit, for a 5 gallon batch like a very hardy dense handful or two?  And just the leaves or stalks as well?
Just the leaves. I guess I'm thinking 2-3 cups loosely packed leaves. Check every day but be careful to sanitize thoroughly whatever you use to draw a sample.
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cptnpenguin

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #17 on: March 06, 2015, 12:10:41 pm »
Should I sanitize the leaves with star san?  Or just rinse off with filtered water first?

Offline pete b

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #18 on: March 06, 2015, 12:30:53 pm »
Should I sanitize the leaves with star san?  Or just rinse off with filtered water first?
I have gotten away with just cleaning herbs etc. My feeling is that there is enough alcohol at this point and aromatic herbs don't tend to be hospitable to bad microflora but I'm interested in what others have to say. Its an excellent question.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline denny

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #19 on: March 06, 2015, 12:37:44 pm »
Should I sanitize the leaves with star san?  Or just rinse off with filtered water first?
I have gotten away with just cleaning herbs etc. My feeling is that there is enough alcohol at this point and aromatic herbs don't tend to be hospitable to bad microflora but I'm interested in what others have to say. Its an excellent question.

even more important than the alcohol, the pH is low at this point.  That will really help prevent contamination.
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Offline 69franx

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2015, 03:01:13 pm »
Cpt, did you ever brew this? I have a saison in primary right now for less than a week and the lemon balm in the garden is quite nice right now. Really just curious how it came out if you did make it, and how much, when, etc?
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

cptnpenguin

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Re: how to add herbs for flavors
« Reply #21 on: August 12, 2015, 12:13:29 pm »
69franx,  not yet. I ended up trying a different saison recipe and now I'm still waiting on the secondary pitch (wild yeast) to slowly get it down to a lower SG (it's been at least 4 months since a pitched a second yeast).  Due up for another check soon.


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