To make tea beer, you’ll need 2.6 oz (74 g) of tea for every 5 gallons (19 liters) of beer. This ratio ensures a balanced flavor without overpowering the beer with tea.
First, start by preparing the tea infusion. You’ll need about 21 fl oz (621 ml) of cold water. Before steeping the tea, it’s important to acidulate the water with lactic acid to reach a pH of 3. This helps to extract the desired flavors from the tea leaves. You can find lactic acid at brewing supply stores or online.
Next, add the tea leaves to the acidulated water. It’s best to use loose leaf tea for better flavor extraction. You can choose any variety of tea depending on your preference. Black tea, green tea, or herbal tea can all work well, but keep in mind that each will impart a different flavor profile to the beer.
Let the tea steep in the water for about 5 minutes. This duration may vary depending on the specific tea you’re using, so it’s a good idea to taste the infusion occasionally to check for desired strength. Once the desired flavor is achieved, strain out the tea leaves from the liquid.
At this point, the infused tea may have a lower pH than desired for the beer. To raise the pH to around 5, you can use baking soda. Add a small amount of baking soda to the tea infusion and stir gently. Be careful not to add too much, as it can alter the flavor of the beer. Gradually add baking soda until the desired pH is reached.
Now that your tea infusion is ready, you can add it to your beer during the brewing process. The specific timing and method of addition will depend on your beer recipe and brewing technique. Generally, you can add the tea infusion to the fermenter during or after primary fermentation. This allows the flavors to meld and integrate with the beer.
It’s important to note that the amount of tea infusion added to the beer can be adjusted to suit your taste preferences. You can start with the recommended ratio and then increase or decrease it in future brews based on your personal preferences.
Experimentation is key when making tea beer, as it allows you to discover unique flavor combinations. Feel free to try different types of tea, brewing methods, and brewing techniques to create a beer that suits your palate.
Remember to take notes during the brewing process to track your tea beer experiments. This way, you can refine your recipe and create your own signature tea beer that you can enjoy and share with others.
Happy brewing!