Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Stupid Mushrooms  (Read 1215 times)

Offline PrettyBeard

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 70
  • A short sturdy creature fond of drink and industry
Stupid Mushrooms
« on: November 20, 2015, 11:09:57 am »
So, I picked up some dried shiitake last night.  Original plan was to add ~2 oz at flame out.   So I got home, pulled one out to sample for flavor and as i'm chewing on it I notice the package says "sulfites added".  Being my first lager (schwatrzbier), I'm already a bit worried about underpitching, and adding sulfite to the wort doesn't seem like the best idea.  On the other hand, it might be diluted enough to not make too big a difference.

Am I worrying too much?  Would adding the mushrooms to secondary be better, or would that be worse since I'm bottle conditioning?  I could always just go buy some fresh shiitake to use, but I've always found dried mushrooms give off more flavors.

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2015, 12:23:37 pm »
I would steer clear of adding sulfites  but it might be fine. Do you have the ability to force carb if it comes to it?

Personally I would skip the shrooms on my first lager to get an idea of what the beer is going to taste like. I also don't get good thoughts about s***akes particularly in beer. There are some mushroom beers that sound quite nice to me but s***ake doesn't quite work.

It could be that s***akes are not my favorite mushroom, or it could be that the meaty/brothy flavor I get from them seems too close to yeast autolysis to me.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2015, 12:25:00 pm »
You got censored Jonathan. Your opinions don't matter here.

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2015, 12:28:36 pm »
You got censored Jonathan. Your opinions don't matter here.

I guess they're not worth.... mushrooms.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline Whiskers

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 69
Re: Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2015, 12:57:42 pm »
Some people seem to have a sensitivity to them raw.  The general consensus in the mycology world is to not eat any raw fungus.  I'd put them in the boil but as mentioned above, you might consider not using them at all this go to get the base beer the way you want it.

As an aside, I've always been curious about the flavors to be gotten by 'fermenting' some sterilized wort with edible fungus mycelium for a period of time before inoculating yeast.  The smell of liquid-cultured mycelium can be quite nice, sort of a clean/creamy/fresh smell.  No idea on the taste though. 

Offline PrettyBeard

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 70
  • A short sturdy creature fond of drink and industry
Re: Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2015, 01:57:22 pm »
I'd love to wait, and I was planning to do a smaller test batch earlier in the year.  Unfortunately, I'm making it for a friend who is coming to visit from Japan, and this is the first time it looks like we will have cool enough temperatures.  Two-thirds through November in MN, and it's the first week we don't look like we will get above 60.  It's terrible.

I guess I can just brew it straight, and make a broth (sans salt) with fresh mushrooms when I bottle.  That might be better anyway since I can draw off a portion and season to taste.  Though I won't have wort infused mushrooms to stir-fry that way.

I looked at mycelium fermentation while I was looking for information on how I should do this as well, looks interesting, but definitely something to save for a later date.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2015, 07:41:43 am »
You got censored Jonathan. Your opinions don't matter here.

Too funny.

I agree with Jonathon, I wouldn't recommend adding any additives to a first lager beer. How are you going to know if that particular flavor is from the shrooms or from a flawed process?

Edit: OTOH adding this after fermentation would at least give you the opportunity to sample the beer first.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2015, 07:43:49 am by majorvices »

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Stupid Mushrooms
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2015, 10:19:52 am »
In addition to what the others say, that amount of mushrooms may be undetectable.  When I use fresh mushrooms, I use anywhere from 2-4 lb. for 5 gal.  Even at that rate they are very subtle.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell