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Using Heather

jjones

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Sep 13, 2012
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Has anyone used heather in anything other than Heather Scotch Ale? If so what was it and how did it turn out?

I am considering doing a Belgian type beer and using heather instead of hops.........
 
Sorry I don't have an answer for you, but I do have a question for you.

Are you using dried or fresh heather blossoms?  If fresh, where did you get them.

And a general question, how much dried heather flowers to be equivalent to 1 pound of fresh?
 
I have used heather several times in a heather ale.  Mine were more on the Scottish side as is typical.  Heather can be very vegetatal.  I mix the bittering addition with hops.  The first time I used Saaz and the second time I used EKG.  The second batch was milder on the heather and more well balanced overall.  My recipe and notes are on http://jomebrew.doesntexist.com/jomebrew/jomebrew.htm

Heathers Nectar was extremely well received by the folks who asked me to brew a heather ale.  I enjoyed it as well.  I preferred the maltiness of the second batch but the first had much more heather.  I did a poor job at measuring the heather the first batch.

I get my heather locally.  There are several plants around where I work.  I trim the brightest greenest tips.  I add ina few flowers for good measure.

Cheers!
 
@ Beer_Tigger- I plan on using dried, from what I have read on using dried or fresh you would be using the same amout....

@ jomebrew-thank you for the info, just a quick question did you use heather nectar instead of heather tips or did you use them together?
 
Heathers Nectar is a bit of risque wordsmithing for the beer name.  I only used bright green heather tips.  The first batch I harvested and used them in a day or two.  The second batch I harvested the same super green tips then sealed them with my food saver and froze them.  They were frozen for about a month.

 
gotcha, thank you. I will let know how it goes.....
 
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