Beer Brewing Herbs

If you like beer you may be interested in growing some of your own ingredients. Hops are the most common herb used in beer and are used for  bittering. They are relatively easy to grow and make a nice vine to grow up your deck or elsewhere.

hops

I've been reading "The Homebrewer's Garden" by Joe Fisher and Dennis Fisher which details many of the other herbs that are and have been used in beer.  I was not only amazed at how many herbs have been used in beer but also realized that I grow many of these herbs.

Hops are my favorite as I am a fan of great IPA's. They not only bitter the beer it but to create a variety of unique flavor profiles that include floral, piney and citrus. There are some beers that taste very similar to grapefruit juice just becasue of the hops they use. If you are not a beer drinker you may not realize that there are actually many different varieties of hops all producing different aromas and flavors in a beer because of their alpha and beta acids.
 
We grow hops here on the farm and use them in dream pillows as they are a good for destress and to promote sleep. You may have experienced relaxation after you've had a few beers! Hops are also good for skin care and help decrease irritation and promote hydration. I've written about the benefits of hops before, here.

thyme

There are additional herbs that are used in beer for bittering, flavoring and giving the beer a nice aroma.

Herbs used for bittering include yarrow, horehound, sage, dandelion, costmary, and clary sage. They are typically added at the beginning of the boil phase and need to be balanced with hops which are also bitter.

Flavoring herbs include rosemary, hyssop, borage, oregano, mint, bee balm/monarda, lemon balm, sweet woodruff, marjoram and thyme. Add these carefully as they can have rather strong flavors. They can be added at the beginning or near the end of the boil.

Other herbs can be added for aroma including rosemary, hyssop, lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, bee balm, elder flowers. If adding them for aroma they are added toward the end of the boil. 

Yarrow apparently was commonly used to bitter beer before hops were used, a beer known now as Gruit Ale. I don't know if any commercial brewers use this but I did find a lot of interest in it on several beer brewing websites.

Other herbs that I grow that are used in beers are Horehound, Coriander, Summer savory, Nasturtium, Raspberry Fruit, Rhubarb, Rose Hips and Valerian leaf. Not mentioned in the book, but herbs I think would be great in beer include rose petals, red clover, violets, calendula, salad burnett, and feverfew.

I'd love to taste a good hoppy IPA that is flavored with lavender. I've seen several Saison styles with lavender but never an IPA. So, local breweries, make my dream come true please!

Besides using these herbs in beer, they can be used for skin care and bath herbs. Beer Spa is a concept that is gaining in popularity and many of these herbs can be used in conjunction with beer to provide skin benefits. We just put on a beer spa event and hope to do more in our area.

Spring May Be Here

I probably do a similar post every year but I just can't help myself, I get so excited seeing all the new growth in spring. Here are some pictures around the farm.

Horseradish

Yellow Dock

Horehound.

Fennel and Parsley, we had both in our salad last night.

A little bit of green in the Lavender. I hope they fared well over the dry winter.

The Elderberry is leafing out.

The apples are also leafing out.

I love the little grape hyacinths.

Oregano - don't  you love pizza?

Plantain - many consider it a weed but we use a alot of it in skin care.

The hops are going wild and need to be strung up.

I think I should put my cross country skis away now. I didn't get to use them much this winter and I think the opportunity has passed (but you never know in Colorado).

Hops; more than just beer

Hops

 

I love hoppy beers like India Pale Ales and Double IPAs.  Hops is a very aromatic herb that adds bittering and a deeper flavor profile, especially to these types of beer.  Depending on the variety though, hops can add much more – sometimes a floral or citrusy flavor and aroma. The effect hops has on relaxation is definitely noted in beer to say the least. But hops are also good for the skin.

The part of hops used is the flower cluster although it looks more like a cone and is called a strobile. The hops vine is quite vigorous and needs a good framework to grow up.

Hops are very good for treating anxiety and sleeplessness. For this it can be used in a pillow or taken as a tincture. The vines of hops have tiny hairs on them that can cause dermatitis during harvest, however, an extract from hops can help dermatitis. Oral administration of hops can also have a beneficial effect on dermatitis. 

Some of the bitter properties of hops are due to polyphenols, resins, essential oils and alpha acids such as humulones. Humulone in hops can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and decrease surface blood vessels. It may also have an anti tumor effect.

In one study xanthohumol was found to inhibit elastase and matrixmetalloproteinases. These enzymes in the skin are a significant cause of skin aging as they break down collagen and elastin fibers. When xanthohumol decreases these enzymes, collagen and elastin levels go up. Overall this can improve skin structure. Phytoestrogens in hops such as 8-prenylnaringenin can also have an effect of improving overall skin structure.

According to Wikipedia, hops are toxic to dogs so keep them away from anything made with hops.

Here is some additional information on hops chemistry if you are interested http://www.msue.msu.edu/objects/content_revision/download.cfm/revision_id.552851/workspace_id.-30/Hops-Hop%20Chemistry.pdf/

References

Philips N, Samuel M, Arena R, Chen YJ, Conte J, Natarajan P, Haas G, Gonzalez S., Direct inhibition of elastase and matrixmetalloproteinases and stimulation of biosynthesis of fibrillar collagens, elastin, and fibrillins by xanthohumol. J Cosmet Sci. 2010 Mar-Apr;61(2):125-32.

Lee JC, Kundu JK, Hwang DM, Na HK, Surh YJ., Humulone inhibits phorbol ester-induced COX-2 expression in mouse skin by blocking activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1: IkappaB kinase and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase as respective potential upstream targets. Carcinogenesis. 2007 Jul;28(7):1491-8. Epub 2007 Mar 19.

Herbal DeStress

Stress can save your life! Stress gives you more energy, increases your heart rate, and increases blood flow to the muscles. It can get you out of an emergency situation as fast as possible - such as out of the path of an oncoming car. However, low levels of stress that lasts for long periods of time can harm the body. This type of prolonged stress can be related to a number of diseases including heart disease, cancer, slowed wound healing, decreased memory & cognition, osteoporosis, decreased immunity (increased infections), depression, anxiety, even eczema.

Here are some ways to cope with stress:

Breathing: Focus on taking deep, slow breaths, expand your abdomen with each inhalation. Deep breathing provides more oxygen to your body (and can also clear your thoughts).

Exercise: Moderate exercise can decrease stress and improve the immune system. Exercise can stimulate the release of endorphins, the “feel good” hormones. A half hour walk daily can help tremendously with stress.

Diet/nutrients: Eat a good, well balanced diet. Increase consumption of tryptophan by eating cheese, eggs, meat, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. Tryptophan is used to make the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin. Increase consumption of tyrosine by eating whole grains, seafood, meat, peanut butter and legumes (kidney beans). Tyrosine is used to make epinephrine, a neurotransmitter which is used up during stress. B and C vitamins are also important in coping with stress.

Herbs: Use herbs in teas, in the bath, as a foot bath, in tinctures, a dream pillow or as aromatherapy. In fact using herbal and aromatics in bath and body products can go a long way in relieving stress.

Here are some great herbs to try.

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) – mild sedative, calms the nerves, promotes sleep, improves mood.
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) – sedative and anti-anxiety, reduces muscle spasms.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) – calming, relieves headaches, promotes sleep, good in the bath for sore muscles.
Hops (Humulus lupulus) – mild sedative, calms the nerves, promotes sleep.
Kava (Piper methysticum) – sedative, antidepressant, muscle relaxer (do not take with alcohol or antidepressants).
Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) – sedative, relaxant.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) – sedative, relieves headache and tension, improves memory.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) – sedative, promotes sleep
Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifloria) – sedative, for nervous tension (do not use during pregnancy)
Wild Oat (Avena sativa) – mild sedative, promotes sleep and relieves stress too.

Whatever you do find a way that is simple and works for you.