I have a huge Thai Basil plant growing in my garden, so I thought I would use some and brew a ThaiPA, or Thai IPA, with it. The thing I’m not sure about it how much to use. I’ve seen 3 - 6 ounces but wondered what you all thought. I figure someone out there has brewed something like this before.
My plan is to chop up the basil to expose more of the essential oils, add it at flame out to keep as many volatiles as possible and let it steep during the cool down.
I haven’t used any Thai basil in hoppy beers, but I have made 2 Belgian Thai basil beers over the last year. The first was a clone of the Bruery’s Trade Winds Tripel. That recipe called for a 15 minute whirlpool addition at flameout of 8 grams of thai basil flowers and leaves, with 2/3rds of the addition or 6 grams being the flowers. I just brewed a spin off of this beer last weekend with essentially the same ratio, except stepped up for 10 gallons. I called it Thaison and was brewed with several Thai ingredients: Thai basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, and corriander. It is still fermenting…
The basil carries thru quite well to the finished product. I don’t know if I would use 3-6 ounces since I can taste it pretty well in the Trade Winds Tripel, with essentially a 1/4oz at flameout. That being said I am not fighting against a strong hop backbone. I don’t think I would go much over 1 oz. if it were me. Maybe, 2oz.? But, it also depends on which types of hops you are using, as well. I like it in Belgian’s or as a stand alone spice in a neutral beer mostly, but I say go for it. You can always add more later, but you can’t take it away…
According to their book the spices used in Saison DuBuff are as follows:
Lemon thyme approx. 1g/5gal
Parsley approx. 7g/5gal
Rosemary approx. 1g/5gal
White Sage approx. 1g/5gal
All are added at flame out with 2.6 oz of amarillo hops. 3/4oz of citra in the dry hop/5gal