Mushrooms

[BelgianBrewer]

We got a request to brew a beer with mushrooms. They just dropped off 100 lbs of mushrooms at the brewery.

- Anyone that has any experience with this or ingredients that are alike?
- What standard beer style would they be complementary with?
- How to introduce them into the brewing process?

Any ideas and guidelines are very welcome!

Schol!

BelgianBrewer

https://www.sbmbrew.com

[tylerpeters]

I'll take a shot in the dark here because this is a new one on me. I dont think i'd add them anytime before the end of the boil because i'm guessing your going to get an incredible amount of mush out of these. the flavor profile your customer is seeking would theoretically come from an aroma hop addition or even in your whirlpool before cast out. I wouldnt mash with them because if they are truely looking for a mushroom flavor (which is kind of odd) i'm halfway certain that the flavor compounds would be destroyed in the mash/boil. plus you are not looking for fermentables out of them - so it wouldnt make sense to put them in the mash or early boil. in any event - good luck and let us collectively know how it turns out.

just my $0.02

Cheers

[GlacierBrewing]

Why mushrooms? What attributes are the customers wanting from the mushrooms? Taste, aroma, medicinal? What?
Also, let me add....really? mushrooms? REALLY!?!........weird......

Dave

[rafters_brewer]

I have never heard of using mushrooms either, but I would recommend making a mushroom tea and then adding it at the end of boil. That would probably transfer the most flavor/aroma and any potential health benefits and avoid making a mess out of your kettle.

As for style, I guess it would depend on the flavor of the mushrooms. In any case, good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

[Brew49411]

What???? Mushrooms......... I am puzzled! I definetly would have to try it though!

[nohandslance]

Are you kidding me? This sounds like a large serving of "Shroom Tea", you know, the kind we used to make when we were experimenting in our youth.
I would get all the specs out of the "shrooms" from the supplier before proceeding. If they are the kind you can buy down at the local Whole Foods I would steep them and add to secondary, and be prepaird for a very powerful earthy flavour. If not that, expect a really "different beer buzz" than we are used to getting. Keep us posted, and send some samples!

[tariq khan]

"Shroom" beer

If i'm not mistaken the kind of "Shrooms" we're talking about are still legal in most parts of europe (including Belgium)...

sounds great to me...Belgium's not that far from England!!!! let me know when the beer's ready!!!

Tariq (Dark Star Brewery)

[gitchegumee]

Many beers have been made with mushrooms. Check out Randy Mosher's excellent "Radical Brewing", or "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers" for details on usage. What species of mushrooms do you have? 100 pounds is a lot of mushrooms! Let us know when the beer is served!

[hmois]

Mushrooms

Well it sounds to me like somebody had too many "funny Mushrooms " in the first place ,why else would they do that ? my suggestion, cut them in thin slices smoother them in porkgravy until soft then serve over a breaded ,panfried Porkloin and call it "Jaegerschnitzel " also the cold time is coming up how about a Mushroomstew with sweet Beerflavor ,just get yourself enough of those Linenbags stuff em with the Mushrooms and hang em in the last 10 min of your Boil I would suggest a bright colored ,very less hopped Beerrecipie ,you wanna have the Mushroom flavor .Collect Mushrooms after boil in big Pot add water and Portwine spices and Herbs after your taste, use All Purpose Flour to thikening and serve with bread Dumpling. If you still got some left you can sautee them and scramble together with eggs ,needs to be served with Ryebread containing Carawayseeds .All goes really well with a TEXAS BLACK GOLD (bavarian dark Lager) from The Edelweiss Brewery & Restaurant in Alpine,TX Prost Guys,and please leave the Mushrooms in the Kitchen or the Forest.

[BelgianBrewer]

Why mushrooms

The reason why we have been approached to brew a mushroom beer is that the person who requested it owns a mushroom farm and is looking for alternative uses for his product.

The species of mushrooms are Shiitake mushrooms, a regular (expensive) mushroom for general consumption (sorry no funny mushrooms).

There are already commercial examples available (mainly in France).

I will keep you posted on whether it works, the procedure, any casualties etc.

BelgianBrewer

https://www.sbmbrew.com

[hmois]

Mushrooms

Hey Belgium Brewer can you hook the mushroom Guy up with me ? harrybavary@hotmail.com I might have some good Ideas for him THX.Seriously Harry Mois

[knock]

I've read chantrelles are supposed to be pretty good for this ... I'd probably make a dubbel with the Shiitake, or possibly a stout (i'm acutally preparing to make a stout with smoked figs in them), could complement the smoked barley nicely ... the tea sounds like a good idea, but i'd test drive it first ... vodka could soak out the flavor too...

[GarySped]

Mushrooms instead of yeast

As others state mushrooms have been used in beer (they must be fresh). I think Minnesota Brewing made one once of a time (or someone up in that neck-o-the-woods).

More interestingly though is a recent paper that shows the use of mushrooms instead of yeast for fermenting extracts based upon the alcohol dehydrogenases they contain. Wine, beer, sake could all be made using mushrooms it seems. Check out "Discovery of alcohol dehydrogenase from mushrooms and application to alcoholic beverages" (from Japan of course!) by T Okamura-Matsui et al in Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic 23 (2003) pages 133-144. If really interested I can get a copy of this to you.

But it might help the original post fellow to use the mushrooms from the farm.

By the way I have had several beers that reeked of mushrooms that I suspect had never been near one. I am not sure what the flavor note would be in that case.

Gary.

[BelgianBrewer]

I would love a copy!

Gary,

I would love to get a copy of that! I have been talking to a brewer who's other great love is mushrooms and spores.
Can you scan it and upload it here or otherwise I can PM you my contact info to send by mail.

Thanks for the help!

BelgianBrewer

https://www.sbmbrew.com

[MCRocha]

Have done it!

We have brewed a mushroom batch, we used medicinal Agaricus Blasei in a pillowcase at the end of boiling.Not a big difference in taste , my brewer swears it fermented faster than normal.The scientific reason we don't know? Does anyone have an idea?