Just because you can ferment it doesn’t mean you should

[Bubba Wade]

People put some crazy things in beer. Some of them work but other fail.

My number one on the list of things that shouldn’t be fermented is mushrooms. One of the local breweries had this and the beer tasted like dirt.

Anyone else know of notable failures?

 

[oliver]

Was it one of the breweries in Monroe?

Jester King did an oyster mushroom beer Berliner, it was interesting.

 

[Bubba Wade]

No, it wasn’t Stephen’s beer. From a brewery near Carbondale, IL.

 

[Sunfire96]

Some people might call me crazy for putting oysters in beer, but that beer turned out delicious

I've absolutely had some failed ingredients though. I tried lemon balm in a citrus beer and it was a dumper. I also tried some late season Kale as the bitterant for a gruit, but luckily that one didn't get past the R&D phase so it was never actually brewed

 

[Viejos Cañones]

A local brewery makes an aromatic variety with rosemary when asked they said they asked for it a lot. Well, I tried it too. Bumm, I really don't like the aroma, nor the taste. I ignoredly asked others who asked for it, and they didn't like it either. Moral not because it is very requested will be to your liking. I think rather that it attracts attention and one likes to try it but for me it was very disappointing.

 

[Minbari]

There was a local brewery here that made an ipa with hibiscus. Just tasted like light beer with flowers, gross

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

I tasted beer a couple years ago that was brewed with tarragon, and another herb I can't remember. It was awful. It tasted like thin carbonated beef gravy.

 

[Ward Chillington]

I've had a few of those "dessert" beers that have been awful...ginger bread, banana bread....I think the brewers were trying to cover losses from a bad batch....so the changes the name and sold the " lemonade". But then I've had my socks knocked off with some chocolate porters....check out Le Coq's if you get a chance

 

[Minbari]

I tasted beer a couple years ago that was brewed with tarragon, and another herb I can't remember. It was awful. It tasted like thin carbonated beef gravy.

ROFL. That had to be the winner! Carbonated gravy! Blech

 

[NatePly]

Beet-wheat beer that I brewed for a friend who likes beets. That's it in my profile pic. It was a beautiful, technically well made beer that tasted like dirt & beets. We choked down about 1/2 of a 5 gallon keg, including trying to pawn some off to my friend (who wouldn't drink it after the first sip). I dumped the rest. It was my only dumper in four years and 200+ batches.

 

[Ward Chillington]

Beet-wheat beer

Sounds like fizzy borscht....

 

[GFHomebrew]

Beet-wheat beer that I brewed for a friend who likes beets. That's it in my profile pic. It was a beautiful, technically well made beer that tasted like dirt & beets. We choked down about 1/2 of a 5 gallon keg, including trying to pawn some off to my friend (who wouldn't drink it after the first sip). I dumped the rest. It was my only dumper in four years and 200+ batches.

Gotta be carefull with beets too they can go straight through you

 

[Nosybear]

I tried lavender once. The beer tasted like shampoo.

 

[Brewer #335694]

People put some crazy things in beer. Some of them work but other fail.

My number one on the list of things that shouldn’t be fermented is mushrooms. One of the local breweries had this and the beer tasted like dirt.

Anyone else know of notable failures?

Meadowsweet is very potent. And it's not my cup of tea. Horrible addition no matter what the quantity.

 

[Donoroto]

I am laughing out loud here. Great flavor descriptions!

 

[Robert68]

People put some crazy things in beer. Some of them work but other fail.

My number one on the list of things that shouldn’t be fermented is mushrooms. One of the local breweries had this and the beer tasted like dirt.

Anyone else know of notable failures?

A brewery here in Beijing used mushrooms in a porter......it was ......average....I couldn't really taste the mushrooms but the beer did have kind of an earthy flavor.

 

[Robert68]

I got a rye IPA beer in my fermentor right now that has carrots in it .... and I plan to add more carrots to the secondary. Not sure how its going to turn out but....nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Oh I did one years ago a Dandelion root beer.
Yup I dug these Dandelions up that were growing prolifically in the back yard.
Cleaned the dirt off the roots and used them as a bittering type addition.
Supposedly roots are bitter.

Well that beer was horrible
Bitter alright and dam disgusting!

 

[Nosybear]

Last week I had a Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout... Not much oystery about it, in fact, it was a pretty run of the mill stout. The oysters are more of a gimmick than an ingredient...

This was at Wynkoop in Denver, one of the original craft breweries...

 

[Robert68]

Oh I did one years ago a Dandelion root beer.
Yup I dug these Dandelions up that were growing prolifically in the back yard.
Cleaned the dirt off the roots and used them as a bittering type addition.
Supposedly roots are bitter.

Well that beer was horrible
Bitter alright and dam disgusting!

My buddy and I were thinking of brewing a dandelion beer. Hmmmmm might have to think about that one twice.