Sneak Peek!
Chelsea Green eGalley. Not for copying or distribution. Quotation with permission only. UNCORRECTED PROOF.
Sugar, Molasses, and Syrup-Based Beers
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Procedure
Combine all the ingredients except the lemons and yeast. Cut and squeeze the lemons into the solution. Bring to a boil in a large pot or 30 minutes. Remove rom the heat and cool to 70°F (21°C), then add the yeast. When I’m using a wild yeast starter, I usually use ⁄ to ⁄ cup (120–180 ml) o liquid.Strain into the ermenter. Place the airlock and let it erment or 10 days. Start counting when the ermen-tation is active (this may take 2 to 3 days with a wild yeast starter).Siphon into 16-ounce (473 ml) swing-top beer bot-tles (you’ll need seven bottles) and prime each one with ⁄ teaspoon (2 g) white or brown sugar or carbonation. Close the bottles and store in a place that’s not too hot. Te beer will be ready to drink in 3 to 4 weeks. Would you like to explore the smell o the orest afer the rain, or the sweet ragrance o its rich soil? Maybe add a small amount o candy cap mushroom or bitter decomposing leaves (willow, alder). I like using turkey tail mushrooms, not just or their bitter flavors but also or their medicinal qualities.
1 gallon water (3.78 L)0.2 ounce (around 3 g) mixed fall leaves (cottonwood, alder, and willow)0.2 ounce (around 3 g) forest grass—regular grass growing in the forest2 lemons1 ounce (28 g) manzanita berries0.1 ounce (1.5 g) California sagebrush0.2 ounce (around 3 g) dried mugwort leaves0.3 ounce (around 8.5 g) turkey tail mushrooms1⁄ pounds (567 g) dark brown sugar3 large lemonsCommercial beer yeast or wild yeast starter
WINTER IN THE FOREST BEER
Tis recipe is ever-changing with the seasons, but it’s a good example o a winter orest beer. It looks very much as i I just took leaves, twigs, and herbs directly rom the orest floor itsel, but every ingredient, even all leaves, was careully chosen and contributes to the flavor profile. My first attempts at creating such beers were a bit so-so but they have vastly improved over time. Presently, the end result is somewhere between a beer and a cider—a bit sour, like some wild-yeast-ermented Belgium beers, but delicious. I don’t think you could match this recipe with your own local orest, but maybe this will inspire you to experiment with what your wild terroir has to offer.
Chelsea Green eGalley. Not for copying or distribution. Quotation with permission only. UNCORRECTED PROOF.