Does anyone have a good procedure for adding chillis to beer? I have a stout in primary and am wanting to add chilis post fermentation, like a dry-hop (dry-chili).
I want aroma but not a lot of heat and was wondering what chilis would be recommended. I was considering going with dried Ancho chilis. But am not sure as to the amount to add to five gallons and contact time.
Things I was thinking of doing:
1. boil the peppers before adding them to secondary.
2. OR. steeping them in a cup of vodka and adding them in after that…
3. OR. adding them in like hops without sanitizing them.
I have added them to the keg split in half or quartered. I have also done it by the growler which is fun to try different amounts and peppers.
If you want flavor an aroma with little heat go with an Anaheim or jalapeño with the seeds and veins removed. Taste and pull when you like where it is at. Habanero is honestly amazing with a long tingling burn in the throat.
I like mine for about 4 days with 2 peppers per gallon.
I have done dried anchos and did not like it at all.
I just tasted a pale ale with jalapeno that one of my clubmates made. He used 1/2 jalapeno, deseeded and deveined, in secondary, per gallon of beer. It had a notable jalapeno flavor with virtually no heat. At that level, anyone could tell what the additive was and was not offended.
Mr. Gladish is another expert at adding peppers to beer since he won the ProAm at GABF with his Poblano Wit. Very tasty beer.
Thanks, Martin.
I use poblanos, which have a distinct flavor and aroma and minimal heat. Three in five gallons, roasted, peeled and seeded, then “pasteurized” in the toaster oven for 15 minutes with low heat. Added to the secondary or to the keg in a bag. I usually have to add a half a habanero to get enough heat to feel it.
I make a pale ale with hatch chiles that has a big chile flavor with no heat. I use a combination of fresh and roasted peppers, deseeded and quartered, for seven days after primary fermentation ends.
I made a chili pepper porter that came out really well. I used 10 jalapeno peppers. Chopped and divided in half. One half boiled in wort, the other soaked in vodka, and then added only the liquid at bottling time. Great aroma without too much heat in the flavor.
BTW that method, assuming you use a strainer bag (or similar) , works wonderfully for adding coffee beans, vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, oak chips, etc. - in other words most ‘flavoring’ agents. The principle being instead of adding something as a ballpark guess, you can add something into a keg in a bag (or container) and remove it when it’s EXACTLY at the flavor threshold you want.