Anyone added lemon myrtle to a beer?

[Lachy]

Well, as the title suggests I'm about to embark on a little experimental brewing. I had picked up some lemon myrtle at a local food wine and music festival, with an eye to incorporating in a wheat beer, somewhat in the style of Baron's Lemon Myrtle Wit. So, my question is has anyone else used this particular ingedient, and if so, how did you go about it and what were the results?

[timmy]

Being a herb, I'd reckon you would grind it up and add it at the end of the boil. Couldn't tell you how much, though. Not something I'm likely to try because I didn't like the Barons Wit at all.....

[earle]

I think there's been some discussion on using lemon myrtle across on the AHB forum if you want to try there.

[Rod]

I make what I consider a good lemon myrtle beer ,

I add one leaf to each 475 ml bottle

[KEG]

would you say it was prominent, or just a hint of flavour?

do they still carb up well? i've read about lemon myrtle essential oil having antimicrobial properties - do the yeasties seem to mind?

interested in trying this.

[Rod]

I would say the flavour is a good hint , not strong , sorta like a Hoegaarden

No problems with head or carbonation

[Lachy]

Well, I've put down a very basic witbier. I've only used cheapie ingredients, as I'm honestly a little dubious as to how this will turn out. Also, I've only used the ingredients that I had on hand, which explains the quantities used...

Bacchus & Barley Wheat Beer
800g dried wheat malt extract
12g (approx) finely powdered dried lemon myrtle @ 5 min
3g (approx) lemon myrtle @ flameout
K-97

Made to 20l.

I have the horrible suspicion that I may have overdone the lemon myrtle, and so the end result may be witbier-meets-bitter-lemon, but I'm still very curious how this one turns out.

[inark]

interested to know how it goes also... my wife went out and bought one just for me to use in a brew (yes a whole tree)... I was thinking of adding some to a european style larger with some Hallertau hops and honey... just to see how it tasted but the quantaties are the only thing im really worried about.

[Lachy]

I have to say that this does seem to be a rather sluggish brew to ferment. I've not used K-97 before, so I don't know how fast this stuff works, however compared to other Saf products and even cheapie kit yeasts... this one is positively lethargic. I have some krausen, but nothing spectacular, so I know it's not a dead yeast. However, I'm thinking that the lemon myrtle is definitely slowing the yeast down somewhat. The brew was put down on tuesday, and SG has dropped maybe five points.

[Rod]

The reason I used a lemon myrtle leaf is that I could add it to any brew and only as many bottles as I wanted to risk

I have added leaves to Pale Ale , Low alcohol brews , Cooper lager to name a few

I now add them to low alcohol brew as you normally need something to get some taste

[timmy]

I just tried the Squires Waterfront Wheat that apparently has lemon myrtle in it - it wasn't bad at all. Although I couldn't taste it in there.....

[KEG]

Lachy, I've heard a few reports of K-97 being slower.. don't stress

[Lachy]

Well, it's still blooping away in primary. SG samples are around the 1010 mark, so I expect I'll be bottling soon.

The flavour - so far anyway - is obviously lemon myrtle in a character, although not too overpoweringly so. I reckon this will be a beer to serve on a hot day, but as something a bit different to break up proceedings. I reckon it will be refreshing, but not overly sessional.

The smell however... is rather like Palmolive Gold. I have made a beer that smells like dishwashing detergent!

[Lachy]

Well, it's been in the bottle for about a week now. I got impatient and tried one the other night.

The verdict...?

Well, it's a bit young, but it does seem rather tasty. It does remind me of the Barons Lemon Myrtle Wit, however I'd have to do a side-by-side tasting to be sure. The dish detergent smell has largely gone, and the lemon myrtle flavour, whilst strong, is not overpowering. Head retention is a bit meh, but with a bit more bottle age that usually seems to sort itself out. I don't know whether I'd call it a sessional beer, however as something different for drinking on a hot day, I'd certainly recommend it.