Jalapeno beer - light or dark?

[Manowarfan1]

Hail Borg - trying to get a batch done early next week before roadtrip to Ironman. I was going to use some jalapeno peppers I got and I dont really have any experience with them or with jalapeno beers in general tho i have read a bunch about them. I have tried Ghost Face Killah from someone in Colorado when I was there - sweet Jeebus, that was uncalled for lol.

SWMBO just mentioned that it would seem to her a dark beer would be a better base than a Pale Ale (which I was going to use) because it would be like one of those Chocolate and Peppers situations. What are the Borgs' thoughts on this?

Anyone done one either way that you enjoyed? I do have Chocolate malt, black patent etc for things like Porters and Stouts I could use or I could just go 2-row and or pilsner malt as the base. She brought up what I thought was a good possibility.

What sayeth the Borg?
Cheers
jeff

[Crazy Climber]

I've only had one experience with a jalapeno beer, many years ago. It was a commercial brew, whose name I don't recall. The base was fairly pale.

I love beer, and I LOVE spicy food. I figured, "this is gonna be a slam-dunk!"

I hated it.

Not sure why, but I just did not like the combo.

I would have to agree with your SWMBO on this one -- it seems that a beer with more character of it's own would have a better shot at standing up to the pepper flavor. A pale ale might take a back seat and leave you tasting only the pepper.

It's not based on significant personal experience, but that's my two cents.

However you go with it, brew strong!

[Gymrat]

Absolutely use a pale brew. You are wanting to showcase the jalepeno flavor. I did a mrbeer size jalapeno beer a few years ago. I used pilson dme and cleaned seeds and veins from 3 large jalapenos, chopped them up and put them in a hop sack, then threw in the boil for 15 minutes. It came out spectacular.

[brewin bull]

You can use them in about anything, I have had pales, ipa, stouts etc with them. It's more a matter of what you want from the peppers. I found this when I first stated doing some and it covers it fairly well.

http://byo.com/smoked-beer/item/859-hot ... li-peppers

I have a friend that smokes peppers for me. I use those sometimes in IPA's.

[Gymrat]

After reading that link brewing bull put up I have to say it is all in what you are looking for. I wanted the jalapeno flavor in mine without the heat and I achieved that.

[FrozenInTime]

I used MrB American Ale. Figured could not hurt since it was blah/tasteless to start with. Man, it was good! Everyone that had one love it! I seem to remember using half a deseeded pepper in each bottle at bottling time. After 4 weeks, barely tasted the pepper. 6 weeks, bout right, nice pepper taste, some heat. 3 months... WOW, it put my throat on fire, dayum good!!!

[Manowarfan1]

Thanks for the knowledge everyone. After looking at the article and the posts I am thinking i want to try to get the "heat" more than the jalapeno flavor this first time around. Not flaming toilet heat but warming. Thinking of using the stout as a base, if it turns out, maybe there will be some mad scientist experimentation based on a "winter warmer" type of thing.

Cheers
jeff

[FrozenInTime]

For the heat, leave in the white veins and seeds, that is where the heat comes from.

[jimmypirate]

When I brewed the Mr Beer Chile Lime cerveza it turned out just horrible. I don't think I blanched the jalapenos properly and the pepper flavor just took over everything. Can you use them raw? The mr. B directions had you blanch them...