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Author Topic: umami water treatment  (Read 6403 times)

Offline robbievonb

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #15 on: September 13, 2010, 08:42:14 pm »
I say go for it.  A friend and I brewed a wee heavy that had a small amount of peat malt in it.  The combination of the slight smokey flavor and the final gravity being on the high side was a noticeable umami flavor.  It was delicious and paired really well with bbq.  We still lovingly refer to it as the beer that tasted like meat.

Offline uisgue

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2010, 08:16:42 am »
I think I'll go with Denny's idea of having two separate 5 gallon boils to compare. Just need to decide what style might benefit most or what style might yield the most experimental info.
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2010, 09:33:03 am »
Let us know how it goes, I'm interested in what kind of flavors you get out of it.

Although I still think you could sprinkle some in a glass of beer and get some clue what it will taste like.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline dbeechum

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #18 on: September 14, 2010, 10:22:14 am »
Did it once a while back after reading some of the first reports about umami for the same reason's the OP is thinking.

Didn't really notice much of a difference in the beer except a sour salty thing. Never saw the need to repeat the trick.
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Offline The Professor

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #19 on: September 14, 2010, 12:47:04 pm »
Did it once a while back after reading some of the first reports about umami for the same reason's the OP is thinking.

Didn't really notice much of a difference in the beer except a sour salty thing. Never saw the need to repeat the trick.

That sounds about right... I don't even like the effect MSG has in most  prepared foods (and I can always tell when it's in there).  I think both the frenzy over the healthfulness of it and supposed allergic sensitivity to it (which is in reality very rare despite people's paranoia) is overblown...  but by and large I still think it is  a totally dispensable ingredient for any food, and the contribution to beer flavor would likely be akin to a salted meat broth.  It may be naturally derived, but I don't consider it a natural ingredient and probably wouldn't want it in my beer anyway.

Then again,  on the other hand maybe I should follow the advice I'm always dishing out and just try it before I make a judgement... I guess one could add some to a single serving of a finished beer to assess the affect. 

Still,  it seems to me that MSG in beer would be just as bad as putting saccharine or other artificial sweeteners into it.
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #20 on: September 14, 2010, 01:51:59 pm »
Still,  it seems to me that MSG in beer would be just as bad as putting saccharine or other artificial sweeteners into it.
But some lambics are sweetened with saccharine . . . maybe they're not to your taste either, but there's precedent.

With the supposed "brothiness" of it, perhaps MSG would work best in a rauchbier :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline gordonstrong

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #21 on: September 14, 2010, 02:23:43 pm »
Quote
perhaps MSG would work best in a rauchbier

Or a dumpbier
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #22 on: September 14, 2010, 02:28:38 pm »
Quote
perhaps MSG would work best in a rauchbier

Or a dumpbier
:D

I'm still reserving judgment until I try it.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline skyler

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #23 on: September 15, 2010, 01:58:33 am »
You could try mashing with dried porcini mushrooms. I always thought fresh guinness has a slight "soy sauce/umami" flavor, fwiw.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #24 on: September 15, 2010, 02:03:47 am »
I'm pretty sure Randy Mosher has a recipe for a mushroom beer in Radical Brewing.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline phillamb168

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #25 on: September 15, 2010, 02:52:06 am »
My first "experimental" beer is going to be a fish sauce and peanut stout, for the same reason as Guinness sometimes has that soy-y flavor.
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Offline denny

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #26 on: September 15, 2010, 09:34:07 am »
I'm pretty sure Randy Mosher has a recipe for a mushroom beer in Radical Brewing.

I've used Randy's concept several times to make a wee heavy that was "dry shroomed" with chanterelles.  An absolutely fantastic beer.  Randy calls his version "Nirvana".
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: umami water treatment
« Reply #27 on: September 15, 2010, 09:40:34 am »
My first "experimental" beer is going to be a fish sauce and peanut stout, for the same reason as Guinness sometimes has that soy-y flavor.
Sounds gross :)  Let us know how you like it.
Tom Schmidlin