Chilli beer

I quite like chilli peppers and would like to have a crack at making a beer with them some time for a bit of background chilli flavour and heat.

Has anyone here done this? When would be the best time to add the chillies (during the boil, early fermentation or dry hop?) and in what form (oil, powder or whole?).

I believe Rodwha has. Hopefully he'll come along and advise, if not PM him directly.

Looks like he didn't make it - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50291&highlight=chilli+beer

I did a Chilli & Cholcolate beer for last Christmas (2014.) The Chilli was 6gm. of crushed, whole dried, Bird's Eye Chillis added to the start of the boil, in a 25 litre brew.

It certainly has a 'kick' and would still be a good flavour with even less chilli added. The Chocolate was in the form of 100gm. of Cocoa Powder.

At first taste you get a hint of Chocolate and then the 'kick' of Chilli.

Thanks for the replies folks, interesting stuff.

Craven Brewer said:

I did a Chilli & Cholcolate beer for last Christmas (2014.) The Chilli was 6gm. of crushed, whole dried, Bird's Eye Chillis added to the start of the boil, in a 25 litre brew.

It certainly has a 'kick' and would still be a good flavour with even less chilli added. The Chocolate was in the form of 100gm. of Cocoa Powder.

At first taste you get a hint of Chocolate and then the 'kick' of Chilli.

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That's really useful info (and a lovely sounding beer). I wonder if I could do something similar with a kit by boiling the chilli in a small amount of water and adding it to the wort?

I have made 2 jalapeno beers now, and am still interested in a Tai chili beer. I'm told I should look into other Asian spices for a better flavor as the chilis just don't have much.

I'm still uncertain as to how the boil vs an extract used for a "dry pepper" addition works. I was helped with my first recipe by someone who had been making them for quite some time, and his style was to split the jalapeño addition in half between the end of the boil and as a "dry pepper."

I absolutely love a fresh hot jalapeño and have been eating maybe 5-7 a week now! But I don't want so much heat that I can't enjoy a couple. It obviously all depends on just how much heat you want, but a good amount of flavor and aroma with a bit of spice comes through with one jalapeño per gallon (~19L).

I was advised that the best way to showcase the pepper was to use a pale beer and tone down the hops. This seems spot on to me. You don't want too much to compete with it, but do want a little something to add character, though I'll be making a cream ale test batch to see if I want that for the backbone. A cream ale is an ale version of an American lager, but possibly with a little more hop character.

I was also advised to roast the peppers at 350* for 30 mins and then slice thin. The portion used for the boil is placed in a ziplock baggie that's inflated. Set it on the counter for an hour to "steam" and then place in the freezer. The other half is placed in a small container and soaked in vodka until you are ready to "dry pepper" with it. My 2nd batch I decided not to roast the "dry pepper" addition. I'm not sure it's necessary.

If you'd like a bit of help formulating a recipe I'd be more than happy to help you. Or I'll give you the recipe I formulated. I've given it out to a friend.

rodwha said:

If you'd like a bit of help formulating a recipe I'd be more than happy to help you. Or I'll give you the recipe I formulated. I've given it out to a friend.

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I'd like to do one in a month or so, you're recipe would be great if possible - I'll probably crank up the chilli a bit because I like it hot :party:

I did this chili oktoberfest last year from a beersmith recipe. Worked out rather tasty, with a definite warmth. Basically the recipe called for 6oz (170g) of crushed chillis to go into secondary. I didn't do this. I just chucked them in the fermenter like a dry hop. I gave them a good wash first though :-)

OKTOBERFEST/MÄRZEN
Type: All GrainBatch Size: 5.50 gal ABV: 6.3 %
OG: 1.059 SG
FG: 1.011 SG SRM: 9.5 SRM
IBU's: 18.7 IBUs
Cals: 183.6 kcal/12oz Boil Size: 6.22 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Efficiency: 72.00

INGREDIENTS

Mash Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7 lbs Pilsner Malt (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 56.0 %
3 lbs Munich TYPE I (6.0 SRM) Grain 2 24.0 %
1 lbs Carared (17.4 SRM) Grain 3 8.0 %
1 lbs Munich TYPE II (9.0 SRM) Grain 4 8.0 %
8.0 oz Caramunich TYPE II (45.5 SRM) Grain 5 4.0 %

Boil Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
0.42 oz Magnum [12.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 18.7
2.00 g Whirlfloc Tablets (Boil 15.0 mins) Other 7 -

Fermentation Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.0 pkg Bavarian Lager (WYeast #2206) Yeast 8 -

Secondary Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
6.00 oz Green Chile Peppers (Secondary) Other 9 -
DIRECTIONS
Mash Steps
Step Description Target Temp Time
Mash In Add 3.91 gal of water at 160 F 149 F 60 min
Mash Out Add 2.19 gal of water at 201 F 168 F 10 min
Mix grain with strike water and mash the appropriate time suggested in the mash schedule above and then mash out. Fly sparge with 1.63 gal water at 168 F. Boil 6.22 gal for 60 minutes adding the bittering hops at times suggested in the ingredient list. Add the whirlfloc tablet when 15 minutes remain in the boil. After the boil is complete, chill the wort rapidly to 50 F and transfer to a sanitized fermentation vessel. Pitch and begin fermentation at 50 F. Once gravity drops below 1.025 SG, the temperature may be increased to 61 F. Rest warm for three days once terminal gravity is reached, then crash to 39 F for three days before transferring. Bottle or keg with priming sugar (skip the sugar addition if force carbonating in your keg).

PARTIAL MASH VERSION
Substitute 3 lbs 16.0 oz. liquid Pilsner Extract for 5 lbs. 12.1 oz. of the Pilsner Malt. Mini-mash 1 lbs. 3.9 oz. Pilsner malt with the remaining grains at 156 F for 60 minutes. After the mash, heat to 168 F for over 7 min. Strain, add remaining water and malt extract, bring to a boil, and proceed with the recipe as stated

I did a partial mash for 5 gals (~19L). I used the wheat to help with head retention. Jalapeños, from what I'm told, have oils that may disrupt the head retention. I often have issues regardless though so I typically add something. This one still had issues.

~1.8 kg pilsen LME (Flame Out)
~1.36 kg 2-row
~227g crystal 20
~227g wheat (head retention)
~114g carapils
~21.3g Mount Hood @ 77 mins
~7.1g Mount Hood @ 21 mins
1/2 Whirlflock tab @ 7 mins
3 1/2 medium jalapeños @ 7 mins
3 1/2 medium jalapeños for 7 day "dry pepper"
US-05 yeast

1.051/1.010
5.4% ABV
17 IBU's
4 SRM

I usually use the large store bought jalapeños and intended on using the typical 1 jalapeño per gallon but I was going to add 1. However, we bought a bunch from a farmer's market which were smaller and what I calculated wasn't quite as much as I was after.

The flavor and aroma were fairly strong as I was hoping, but the heat was moderate. I'll be redoing this recipe but with 6 or 7 large jalapeños. I use the whole pepper minus stem end.

stesmi: I'll bet the Oktoberfest was a nice backbone!

I've thought about trying lagers, but I don't care much for occupying the fermenting chamber for so long.

rodwha said:

stesmi: I'll bet the Oktoberfest was a nice backbone!

I've thought about trying lagers, but I don't care much for occupying the fermenting chamber for so long.

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Yeah, but could have done with a better hop profile to zing up the chili. I like the sound of your recipe too. I may well have a go ;-)

I just googled Tai Chili and all it comes up with is Thai Chilli. It appears to be what is sold in the UK as birds eye chilli, so readily available. Personally I've got some scotch bonnet hot pepper plants growing, so might try one of them in a brew in the autumn

I likely misspelled it.

It's good to see some chilli beer AG recipes, thanks for posting them :thumb: Just like with hops, it looks like there's some scope for playing around with when & how long to add the chilli (a chilli schedule?). Interesting stuff.

I'm way behind all of you at the moment though, having just bottled my first kit brew. Perhaps I should hold off pimping a kit with chilli additions and wait until I move on to BIAB when I can make small batches to experiment.

(@Rodwha - thanks for the offer of help with recipe ideas - I'll give you a holler when the time comes. :thumb:)

"Perhaps I should hold off pimping a kit with chilli additions and wait until I move on to BIAB when I can make small batches to experiment."

No need to wait. Fine tuning a kit can be a way to slowly work on things.

Any time you'd like some help working up a recipe hit me up!

I drank the last of my latest batch, and being a little unhappy with the jalapeño spice, decided to try the revision again.

I considered using 1.5 large jalapeños per gallon (~3.8 L), and with 5.5 gals came up with 8.25 jalapeños. 8 it will be then...

The first time I brewed this I was told to roast all of the jalapeños. This last time (2nd) I read something along the lines that the jalapeños soaked in vodka did not need to be roasted and so I did not. And maybe that's where the lack of spice came from...

I already ordered my ingredients, but it seems as though this would be one of those fantastic side by side comparison brews to try. Maybe down the road I'll brew two 1.75 gal batches with 2.5 jalapeños each. This is something you don't want too much on hand as the jalapeño fades with time much as dry hopping does.

This is the 5.5 gal partial mash/partial boil recipe I have planned:

5.25 lbs 2-row
3 lbs ultralight LME (FO)
0.75 lb flaked barley
0.5 lb crystal 20
0.75 oz Mount Hood @ 70 mins
0.25 oz Mount Hood @ 21 mins
4 large jalapeños @ 7 mins
4 large jalapeños "dry peppered" for 7 days
US-05 yeast

1.051/1.010
5.4% ABV
18 IBU's
4 SRM

I'll roast 4 jalapeños @ 350* F for 30 mins, sliced thin, and place in a ziplock bag and set on the counter for an hour prior to placing in the freezer. The other 4 will also be sliced thin, but placed in a small container and soaked in vodka for 14 days prior to using as a "dry pepper" addition.

I love chillies and might try a chilli brew at some point.

You should try some Green Scotch Bonnets as they have a lovely flavour to them.

I had to Google them. Sounds interesting and see they are a relative of the habanero pepper.

'Bonnets are a nice pepper - just at the upper end of the "hot" peppers but below the "superhots". I've never had much luck growing them though, in fact last year I had more peppers from a single Bhut Jolokia plant (Ghost pepper, "superhot") than from four Scotch Bonnet plants. This season I'll substitute them for Paper Lantern Habaneros, which are a similar scoville rating (heat).

From what I gathered the Bonnets are much more flavorful than a habanero pepper. I've never heard of Bonnets, and in my small town I'd seriously doubt I could find them as I can't even find Thai chilis. Habaneros on the other hand are plentiful enough, but I'm not sure they're good for much more than heat from what I understand.

I planted a bunch of jalapeño seeds and hoping they work this time. I had a small plant but something kept taking the little peppers before that got bigger than a pencil eraser, and the flowers kept falling off before they began to become a pepper.