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Author Topic: Brewing beer with Chaga  (Read 1567 times)

Offline gcrogers

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Brewing beer with Chaga
« on: May 03, 2017, 11:53:39 am »
Does anyone have any updated methods/tips/tricks they have used successfully in brewing beer with Chaga?

I know that most tea-drinkers are quite adamant that for medicinal benefits it needs to be steeped for a long time, and that you should not boil it - but if the goal is just to darken the beer and add a little of chaga's taste to it, could one simply throw some chunks in during the boil? Has anyone attained success with that method, and if so, any advice on the ratio used? I also thought about possibly making tea and using it for sparging...

I found this older topic on chaga (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=7676.0), which was helpful, but I wondered if anyone might have any new suggestions/intel.


Offline pete b

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Re: Brewing beer with Chaga
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2017, 12:01:40 pm »
One way would be add at flameout and let steep for awhile before cooling. You might also be able to make a tea strong enough to add at packaging without watering down the final product.
What kind of beer are you making with it? It doesn't sound like a bad idea to add an earthy note.
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Offline gcrogers

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Re: Brewing beer with Chaga
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2017, 06:35:49 am »
Thanks Pete... some good suggestions there as well. We're making a pale ale with it. Should be interesting!