Title: Got heather?
Post by: Parky on August 25, 2015, 06:53:10 PM
Post by: Parky on August 25, 2015, 06:53:10 PM
Well it's that time of year again, and I'll be off to the hills of Wicklow this weekend (weather permitting!) to collect heather to make a heather ale.
If anyone wants me to collect a few sprigs, a bushel, or whatever a quantity of heather is called :), let me know and I'll bring some along to the September meet.
If anyone wants me to collect a few sprigs, a bushel, or whatever a quantity of heather is called :), let me know and I'll bring some along to the September meet.
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Bubbles on August 25, 2015, 07:17:45 PM
Post by: Bubbles on August 25, 2015, 07:17:45 PM
I think there's a BYO recipe for Fraoch knocking about t'internet. I've got in a mag if you can't find it online.
Got to admit.. I didn't know we even had heather here...
Got to admit.. I didn't know we even had heather here...
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: molc on August 25, 2015, 07:27:44 PM
Post by: molc on August 25, 2015, 07:27:44 PM
Should talk to bigvalen - he loves making those crazy , err, heathery experiments.
What family of plants is a Heather anyway. Bush?
What family of plants is a Heather anyway. Bush?
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Simon_ on August 25, 2015, 07:54:41 PM
Post by: Simon_ on August 25, 2015, 07:54:41 PM
Quote from: molc on August 25, 2015, 07:27:44 PMA shrub?
What family of plants is a Heather anyway. Bush?
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Parky on August 25, 2015, 09:13:29 PM
Post by: Parky on August 25, 2015, 09:13:29 PM
QuoteQuoteWhat family of plants is a Heather anyway. Bush?
A shrub?
Maybe it's a bushy shrub :D
(http://wallpaperswa.com/thumbnails/detail/20121030/nature%20flowers%20heather%20plant%201920x1080%20wallpaper_wallpaperswa.com_25.jpg)
Clough More (brewed by Whitewater 'up north') make a lovely heather ale and look like they've been out foraging for heather recently, with a few pics of their efforts on their Facebook page here (https://www.facebook.com/Cloughmore).
Best time to collect heather is July/August, so I'm cutting it fine, but the weather has been a washout this year, and hopefully we'll get a few dry days in the next few weeks so I can stock up and get some 'Viking ale' going in the FV.
@Bubbles - Thanks for the heads-up on the BYO Fraoch article, managed to get it online here (http://byo.com/hops/item/744-heather-ale), sorted!
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Parky on August 30, 2015, 07:53:00 PM
Post by: Parky on August 30, 2015, 07:53:00 PM
Managed to dodge the rain clouds at the weekend and gathered a nice bag of heather tips and branches.
Haven't brewed with heather before, so made a tea to test the flavour. I've read that heather adds a spicy flavour to ale, but was getting more of an earthy floral flavour and aroma (or as Mrs Parky put it - 'interesting and rustic'). I gathered some yarrow on the day also, and that was more of a hit, slight lemon flavour with a slight hint of wintergreen in there. Maybe they need to be boiled to get the full effects, we'll see how it goes when I get around to brewing up a Viking ale soon.
(http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b607/Parky07/Heather%20Ale/2015-08-30_193928_zps2kl23wgs.jpg)
Haven't brewed with heather before, so made a tea to test the flavour. I've read that heather adds a spicy flavour to ale, but was getting more of an earthy floral flavour and aroma (or as Mrs Parky put it - 'interesting and rustic'). I gathered some yarrow on the day also, and that was more of a hit, slight lemon flavour with a slight hint of wintergreen in there. Maybe they need to be boiled to get the full effects, we'll see how it goes when I get around to brewing up a Viking ale soon.
(http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b607/Parky07/Heather%20Ale/2015-08-30_193928_zps2kl23wgs.jpg)
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Bubbles on August 30, 2015, 08:41:33 PM
Post by: Bubbles on August 30, 2015, 08:41:33 PM
Quote from: Parky on August 25, 2015, 09:13:29 PMQuoteQuoteWhat family of plants is a Heather anyway. Bush?
A shrub?
Maybe it's a bushy shrub :D
(http://wallpaperswa.com/thumbnails/detail/20121030/nature%20flowers%20heather%20plant%201920x1080%20wallpaper_wallpaperswa.com_25.jpg)
Clough More (brewed by Whitewater 'up north') make a lovely heather ale and look like they've been out foraging for heather recently, with a few pics of their efforts on their Facebook page here (https://www.facebook.com/Cloughmore).
Best time to collect heather is July/August, so I'm cutting it fine, but the weather has been a washout this year, and hopefully we'll get a few dry days in the next few weeks so I can stock up and get some 'Viking ale' going in the FV.
@Bubbles - Thanks for the heads-up on the BYO Fraoch article, managed to get it online here (http://byo.com/hops/item/744-heather-ale), sorted!
No bother man. Let us know how you get on.
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Parky on September 12, 2015, 11:48:06 AM
Post by: Parky on September 12, 2015, 11:48:06 AM
For anyone who's interested I've posted the brew day walkthrough here (http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/index.php/topic,10627.0.html) ;)
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Bubbles on September 12, 2015, 02:02:04 PM
Post by: Bubbles on September 12, 2015, 02:02:04 PM
Nice work there parky. Lovely walkthrough and pics!
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Parky on September 12, 2015, 08:49:40 PM
Post by: Parky on September 12, 2015, 08:49:40 PM
Thanks man, not a lot of detailed info on heather ale out there, so hopefully the walkthrough will help other brewers too.
Title: Re: Got heather?
Post by: Leann ull on September 12, 2015, 08:55:17 PM
Post by: Leann ull on September 12, 2015, 08:55:17 PM
Nice experiment, one of our local guys used bog myrtle for bittering, got ratios wrong and it wasn't great if I'm honest.