Tea Brew Craft: White + Mango + Kukicha
INGREDIENTS
WHITE BEER: A clear, wheaty flavored base is best for this, allowing the fruit and tea notes to shine.
MANGO PUREE: AFP’s Mango Puree for our bench test.
KUKICHA: This a unique green tea made from the stems and veins of the tea leaf, which gives it more grain and rice character. Learn more about kukicha green tea HERE.
RESULTS
Think mango fried rice. Hints of grain and rice from the white beer and kukicha provide the starchy undertones for sweet, sticky tropical mango. Crisp but full mouthfeel.
BENCH TEST
- Cold steep 1.4 grams of kukicha leaf in 6 oz hefeweizen or other white beer for at least 20 minutes
- Strain/remove tea leaves
- Add mango puree at a 6:1 beer/puree ratio
DO & DON’T
DO: to scale up, use about 1.5-2 lb kukicha per BBL.
DON’T: use the tea in the boil. This will overcook the leaves and create an overly bitter and astringent mess. Use tea leaves as you would dry hop or as you do with other adjuncts. Tea is high in antioxidants as are hops used for dry hopping.
DON’T: steep the tea leaves in water and then try to use the tea liquor in your process. It will (likely) be over-steeped and bitter, or too weak to notice in the final product.
DO: let the tea steep longer than you think it should. The effects of serving a chilled, carbonated final pour will dull the tea taste and aroma.