Shake It Up

Published - 13.03.2011 Comments (78)

Could seabuckthorn, mangosteen and cinnamon be the future of BrewDog craft beer?...

Since day one we've been on a mission to cut out anything bland or beige from our brews. This means you'll be hard pushed to find any tasteless substitutes like rice or corn in a BrewDog beer but are more than likely to come across ingredients like vanilla, raspberry, cocoa and cranberry.

We're always on the look out for inspiration when it comes to luring and provoking taste buds. Few suggestions are too bizarre or unbrewable to warrant giving it a bash and so far this year we've already run a number of experimental batches just for the hell of it.

So what ingredients are next on our hit list in the quest for the perfect brew and the future of British brewing? Well for a start there's cinnamon. We played around with this idea at Christmas when we were creating our cocoa nib-infused stout, There Is No Santa. Although cinnamon didn't make the final cut, we're intrigued by the idea of developing a spiced ale or rich Russian Imperial that doesn't manage to scream 'holiday beer' with every mouthful.

cinnamon_520

Alongside classic spices like cinnamon, we're also in the process of playing around with a couple of so-called 'super fruits' that are causing something of a stir among foodies but shouldn't be disregarded from the brewing hall of fame just because of their supposed medicinal properties. Mangosteen – which currently has health freaks going weak at the knees over it's antibacterial and anti-viral benefits – is one 'megatropical' ingredient that we've been eyeing up with the potential for creating an extra fruity IPA or super-charged lager, perfect for summer months around the BBQ or as an accompaniment to chicken or other white meat dishes.

mangosteen_362

Since the Baltic climes of Fraserburgh aren't entirely suited to the tropical demands of the mangosteen tree, we've also set our sights on ingredients a little closer to home and those more akin to the rough and rugged wilds of Scotland's East Coast. Sea-buckthorn - a bright orange, indigenous berry which grows along Scotland's beaches - is a top contender and with our brewery being literally a stone's throw from the shore we couldn't ask for a more 'local' ingredient. Thought to cure just about anything, sea-buckthorn has already started to cause something of a buzz but we're intrigued to see how this native super-berry copes in a Scottish craft beer, preferably cranked up to a high ABV to balance out sea-buckthorn's natural acidity.

seabuckthorn_520
What ingredients do you want to see added to BrewDog's 2011 craft beers? Now's your chance to let us know. Any amazing suggestions may even wind up being a future Abstrakt release!

Join the Discussion

Comments (78)

erick 17.03.2011 @ 7:56am

As a homebrewer I brewed myself a very hoppy beer with a live hop cone in the bottle... Maybe a nice idea 4 u 2 guys?

Roddy Graham 17.03.2011 @ 12:17am

Angelica. Easy to grow locally, sits nicely with malty flavours. Starting from 5a.m. Saint, but a little bit lighter, you would end up with a refreshingly light summer beer

pknapp 16.03.2011 @ 8:24pm

How about a tobacco beer?It might not taste amazing but its sure to piss off the anti-alcohol lobby.

Paul Kelly 16.03.2011 @ 8:01pm

I would go for a Hazelnut stout/ w cinnamon, anise, clove, and some cocoa nibs, with a hazelnut roast coffee. It would make the ultimate hazelnut roast stout. You could add a bit of a crystallized ginger to give a really smooth spiciness too it.

erick 16.03.2011 @ 6:21pm

seaweed.

Mark Heslop 16.03.2011 @ 4:33pm

How about just having paradox in stock?

Colicub 15.03.2011 @ 11:03pm

Pineapple, kola nuts, pomegranate?Or how about hazelnuts?

Sevare 15.03.2011 @ 7:09pm

I agree with Fergus!

Fergus 15.03.2011 @ 6:24pm

I second the call for brett or some other wild yeast strain, I know brewers can be a bit worried about having wild yeast around, but you could keep it contained in old wine barrels or something. I think a punk ipa or hardcore aged in wine barrels with brett could be awesome. Call it Funk IPA

david 15.03.2011 @ 4:14pm

http://zythophile.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/mercers-meat-stout/Yes! A meat stout! Yummy!

Gareth 15.03.2011 @ 11:57am

Sea-buckthorn berliner weisse ftw!Also, what happened to the beers we suggested and voted on ages ago?

Roddy c 15.03.2011 @ 10:51am

OLD mans fool punts

Steven Wardell 15.03.2011 @ 10:17am

May be a little costly but how about-Saffron, Caviar, Truffles & Foie Gras?

Ken 15.03.2011 @ 12:33am

I would say star anise in a sweet imperial stout would taste great!The other thing I was thinking might work is green cardomom in an IPA, could be interesting, as it has almost a hoppy twang! And would certainly put the India in IPA!!!

m 14.03.2011 @ 9:19pm

a 'miracle fruit' lambic

Rob McGregor 14.03.2011 @ 8:20pm

1. Haggis: Spices from a well made haggis....?2. Wild garlic, available locally3. Bananas - some great beers flavoured with bananas (not locally grown)4. Pink Lady Apples

Hugo 14.03.2011 @ 7:59pm

Mango and Chilli. When mixed they become Chango, it works, trust me !

D. Rodirguez 14.03.2011 @ 4:45pm

Maybe with Sloe berries. Here in Spain, we make 'Pacharan', a refreshing and digestive liquor with them.

. 14.03.2011 @ 4:05pm

Nettles?

Martin 14.03.2011 @ 3:38pm

For you dudes saying wasabi, there is already a beer at the bar with that ingredient!

Martin 14.03.2011 @ 3:35pm

Marmite.

Jan Hansson 14.03.2011 @ 2:55pm

I think Sea-buckthorn would work in a beer. There is a small craft destillery north of stockholm producing a vodka with Sea-buckthorn and that´s a damned good schnapps.

André 14.03.2011 @ 2:28pm

I think you should use carrot and call the beer "What's up, punk?".

Erick 14.03.2011 @ 12:30pm

How about some more hops...Worked out pretty good sofar.

Daniel R. 14.03.2011 @ 11:01am

Peppermint and Licorice

glasgow_red 14.03.2011 @ 10:57am

What about cocaine? It gets overlooked these days due to its bad reputation, but it worked a wonder with Coca-Cola.Failing that, howabout Ligonberry that IKEA sell tons of? It's a lovely berry like cranberry juice but with much less acidity.

Maj 14.03.2011 @ 10:49am

Fermented anchovies

oooh 14.03.2011 @ 10:18am

wasabi

Iain 14.03.2011 @ 10:18am

Red Kola.

Andy Riddle 14.03.2011 @ 9:52am

Tumeric. Amazing medicinal properties ,also a member of the ginger family.

gIMP 14.03.2011 @ 8:01am

Did you know that Mangosteen is what Charlie Sheen is flaunting as his 'tiger blood'...

erick 14.03.2011 @ 7:39am

Hazelnut...I love, hazelnuts.

Jeff 14.03.2011 @ 5:17am

I'd like a double imperial rice lager made with plums and wasabi. I haven't figured out how to home brew it yet, but I will!

Stf 14.03.2011 @ 12:35am

My instinct tells me caraway and tobacco would do fine in a heavy imperial stout. Prove me right, please.

allan 14.03.2011 @ 12:10am

Lychee lamic

Richard Boyden 13.03.2011 @ 11:38pm

am just sitting here drinking a ginger tea with a spoonful of honey in it wondering what ingredients to put into a beer..... well what about ginger and honey?Also what would it be like to make a beer that is meant to be served warm/hot?

Andy 13.03.2011 @ 10:38pm

Maybe a Spruce Beer, but as a proper beer not soft drinkWiki got a bit more info about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruce_beer

vincent varewijck 13.03.2011 @ 9:54pm

i would love to see some fruit infused imperial stouts !! : pears , dades , figs , coconot , marzipan , etc ...go for beers with herbs in it , like u could deffinitly hit an IPA uo with some basil , that would make it really fresh ! , add mint in some beer , not to create a real mint beer , but just for the "cool" / "fresh" factor of mint ,but as i said for imperial stouts u could go anywhere !! there's a famous belgian chocolatier who makes absolutly everything with chocolat , like tablets and pralines filled with : wasabi , japanese peas , tobacco , olives , coca cola ,lemongrass ,ginger,sake ,earl grey thea , caramel with fleur de sel ... boy if i was able to brew , or was able to learn how to brew i would try all of these sick combinations , and be sure it would work !! but yeah ... where to start eh ...

James H 13.03.2011 @ 9:19pm

Have you got time to do something sacrilegious for Easter? Not *only* thinking of a chocolate beer, but maybe a bunny beer? My Grandad has fond tales of a 'meat stout' they used to make in Lancashire that involved a whole cow carcass in the boil.

a 13.03.2011 @ 8:58pm

Woodruff

david 13.03.2011 @ 7:52pm

What about yummy rich beef stock / bovril in a stout? Or marmite? Or, less crazy. an oatmeal stout with loads of oats?

John-Paul Cassidy 13.03.2011 @ 7:50pm

I think star anise or liquorice could be an amasing flavour to use and they definately have an intensity and confidence that cries out brew dog. Could be used with a sweet caramel flavours or maybe sharper citrus notes....Maybe a stout or porter, but there again sure you could work out something less obvious fella's!

N. Hjelte Claussen 13.03.2011 @ 7:28pm

Brettanomyces --- Aged in oak barrels

thomas 13.03.2011 @ 6:48pm

silver needle - white tea - beer would be immense.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tea- health benefits here!!!

ed beech 13.03.2011 @ 6:22pm

How about vanilla and rhubarb?

ed beech 13.03.2011 @ 6:21pm

How about vanilla and rhubarb?

ed beech 13.03.2011 @ 6:21pm

How about vanilla and rhubarb?

ed beech 13.03.2011 @ 6:20pm

How about vanilla and rhubarb?

Ed Beech 13.03.2011 @ 6:15pm

How about some fennel and Orange? That might sit well with an IPA. What about some horseradish and apple?Bay leaf, perhaps? a widely used herb, but the flavour is highly underrated.

Mike 13.03.2011 @ 5:34pm

Star Anise? Fennel? Watercress?

Tiernan Duthie 13.03.2011 @ 5:14pm

heard about this "mirical" berry which makes everything taste sweet. would be rather expensive though as its £2 a berry.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28flavor.html

Jonathan Swift 13.03.2011 @ 4:38pm

Dates! http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_dactyliferaThen i wait for an imperial Black ipa

bryan 13.03.2011 @ 4:31pm

I'd love to see a salted caramel holiday beer- caramel is nothing revolutionary in beer, but a good balanced sea salt flavor would be something i'd like to try.

Edwin Hemsley 13.03.2011 @ 2:42pm

Sea buck thorn and sumac, I grow them both and have always thought they mat compliment one another. While on the seashore look out for sea peas and mash into a pie floater, thats like a thick soup with a meat pie sinking in it

Rhona rhinomittens 13.03.2011 @ 2:28pm

Please make something with chilli! Not just a hint of chilli but a real beast; something very hot.Also, another vote for a ginger beer from me.

Ian Prise 13.03.2011 @ 2:20pm

Spruce Beer.

jbr 13.03.2011 @ 2:03pm

Tamarind/honey/Maple syrup

Leo 13.03.2011 @ 1:25pm

Bacon. Everything is better with bacon.

Robin 13.03.2011 @ 1:17pm

sea-weedNuts: Hazelnuts, walnutsCitrus peelI second Ginger and lemongrass

bob 13.03.2011 @ 1:10pm

Something exotic & challenging... Durianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian

Jack Fargher 13.03.2011 @ 12:31pm

How about Carob molasses for a stout/porter? Very dark flavour, and goes along nicely with some of the middle eastern flavours suggested! It's from Cyprus, historically referred to as 'black gold'!

Kris 13.03.2011 @ 12:27pm

How about pork scratching infused beer...no?

Steve Beasley 13.03.2011 @ 12:06pm

Why not add herbs like Basil or Coriander? Coriander complements fruity flavours really well (made a fruit cake with Coriander and was delicious) and Basil has an almost sweet taste of its own that might balance the sourness of the hops for a more rounded flavour.

R Castle 13.03.2011 @ 11:51am

How about a brew using malted barley from Laphroaig Distillery and produce the worlds peatiest beer or the most heavily smoked Rauchbier

B Taylor 13.03.2011 @ 11:39am

I think a fruit beer would be cool, mango and raspberry.

Gricey 13.03.2011 @ 11:38am

Sheffield's own Henderson's Relish of course, there's nothing like it on the planet.

Mike van Leeuwen 13.03.2011 @ 11:35am

Sweet Gale is an ingredient they used in the times when hop wasn't discovered yet. It gives your beer a warm herbal aroma.

Adam 13.03.2011 @ 11:23am

I am still waiting to see a properly bitter American-style IPA using the extremely-high-alpha Apollo hops, preferrably dry hopped to insanity and beyond. Perhaps an Apollo Punk IPA? Also, a pale ale with wasabi would be nicely punkish, with a bright green label, obviously.Oh, and last but not least, we have seen the Black IPA, but when do we get to see a Pale Imperial Stout? There's a challenge for you!

Filippo Garavaglia 13.03.2011 @ 11:18am

Ginger!And I don't mean gingerol, I mean the real deal, that bitchy rhizome!

Tomas Halberstad 13.03.2011 @ 11:15am

Think you should stick with Cloudberries. Do as Darren suggests in the review, and tweek the hopping just a little. Then, make Hello, My Name is Ingrid, a permanent brew. Try it with a fresh, spicy dish. Amazing!

Chris P 13.03.2011 @ 11:08am

Date syrup! Delicious alternative to honey, and it'd go great with the Sumac Toby suggested.

Lucas Monryd 13.03.2011 @ 11:07am

I'd love to see Brewdog make some kind of braggot. Challenged!

R Marshall 13.03.2011 @ 11:05am

Horseradish could be an interesting. Also wondered how bergamot could go (and tea)or pineapple. Port cask storage. And something i was going to sat but i've forgotten.

Mitch Dudarko 13.03.2011 @ 11:01am

dunno if it's Brewdog worthy, but I wonder if an Imperial Choc Mint Porter would be feasible?

shaun mcsweeny 13.03.2011 @ 10:56am

cardamon might be a fun one to go with currys an how bout a chilli beer for a true winter warmer

kevino 13.03.2011 @ 10:56am

How about a South East Asian inspired refreshing summer brew with lemongrass and citrus hop flavour?

alex lewis 13.03.2011 @ 10:54am

How about a beer using juniper, blaeberry and nettle and some heather honey

Toby 13.03.2011 @ 10:51am

try sumac! its a milddle eastern berry used there as a replacement for lemon and could add something a bit different, its got a great sweet/bitterness to it and a really unique flavour, or sticking midlle eastern, how about hibiscus flowers?