Im in the process of planning a steam beer and the hops should give a sorta of minty aroma off of it(this is what I’ve read.) I like the sound of a twist of mint, so i was wondering if putting a few mint leaves at the end of a boil will push a minty smell.
I used mint in combination with northern brewer some time ago but it was not for a steam beer. I don’t remember the result which means any impact from the mint was probably minimal. If you pursue this, I would go very light on the mint and throw it in at the end of the boil.
Thats what I thought, I just didn’t want to go to crazy and make it taste like a stick of gum.
I’d advise you to find an anchor and try it first. You might be surprised at how there’s really no mint flavor.
Exactly. Maybe mix some fresh chopped mint with the hops for a late addition? As far as amounts I am not really sure but maybe keep it close to 1/4 oz to be safe.
Another option would be making a tincture with vodka and adding it at packaging. You will be able to control its impact much easier this way…
I think of Perle and Triple Perle as more minty than Northern Brewer but IMO none have a distinct mint flavor that appears in the beer.
If you are going to use mint be sparing with your addition. A little mint goes a long way. Also be mindful of the type of mint you are using. Some, like chocolate mint, have an assertive menthol character that might taste more like a menthol cigarette than mint.
i think the tincture might be a way to experiment with, its fresh grown mint in my garden so I think the flavor of it should be alright
Keep us posted on your impressions of the final beer. I find mint to be an interesting ingredient in beer. It is probably better that it wasn’t noticeable in my beer as I had a lot of other things going on ingredient-wise.
I’ll keep this posted
+1 - I’ve gotten some of that “mint” character from certain hops, but it’s not like spearmint or peppermint. It’s more of an herbal thing - reminds me more of Ricola cough drops or horehound candy. And I get none of from the Anchor in my hand right now. The bittering has a nice bite to it, and there is some herbal hop character, but the flavor is primarily driven by pale malt and fermentation character.
+2. It’s not a spearmint/peppermint character. I think you’ll like your beer a whole lot better without using any mint. My $0.02.
I guess it depends on if the OP is trying to clone Steam, or enter a Cal Common in a contest, or just have fun with a beer.
Personally, I find no mint in Steam either but I understand what the guidelines author was trying to say. Its just part of the problem with trying to explain certain beer characteristics by comparison to other things. Its sort of like mint, but its exactly like NB hops.
Yeah, when I brew with Norther Brewer hops I get a woodsy/herbal/slight minty-ness (word?). But as Hoosier stated definitely not a peppermint thing, more like earthy woodsy.
And I wasn’t trying to discourage somebody from experimenting with ingredients or techniques - I do it all the time. But aside from the Stone chocolate mint stout that was arguably pretty decent, every other mint beer I’ve tried was not something I’d want more than one of, if that. Doesn’t mean somebody shouldn’t try it to see what they think, though.
510 brewing made a killer peppermint porter at Christmas time a few years back. At first it didn’t sound appealing to me. But when I tasted it - WOW! So I too approve of experimentation.
My buddy helped formulate a chocolate mint sweet stout recipe for a local brewpub. His home-brewed version was excellent and the brewpub version was just as good. I believe they called it Peppermint Patty Stout and released it around Christmas time
Maybe it’s just me, but the “minty/herbal” flavor I get from certain hops strikes me as more of a Thai basil sort of minty-ness.
If you’re unfamiliar with Thai basil, it’s very different from Italian basil, far less pungent. In fact, mint is the preferred substitute, italian basil can be too harsh for certain Thai dishes.
I’m definitely going for experimentation and for fun, no contest for me yet
I agree with those saying the mint quality is definitely more of the herbal flavor from mint leaves and less of the tingle/mouth sensation we get from associations of mint.
I’ve used mint a few times and I’ve had the best results with using it in the secondary. Mint is very subtle and the aroma and flavor fades very quickly (I lose the majority of my mint quality in about 3 weeks). IMO, you will have no mint flavor or aroma left post-fermentation, if you add it in the boil. I would chop then muddle the mint in a secondary vessel or in a pint glass Transfer the beer on top of it and let it sit for a few days like a dry hop. Another way to do this would be chopping and muddling tons of mint in a mason jar and then filling it with vodka. Letting that soak and every time you lose the mint aroma or flavor, add more. Depends on your system and what you’re looking for. Good luck!