Planting Lavender and Rosemary

So last weekend I planted some Lavender and Rosemary in our front yard. Actually, it's more like a front entry way then it is a yard. I decided to plant them here because they are aesthetically pleasing (did you expect me to say pretty?) and they give off a nice scent as you make your way to the front door. Herbs have a lot of history with beer. Lavender goes all the way back the 1600's where brewers used herbs to flavor ale before hops were discovered. Planting herbs for brewing is a great way to incorporate bittering and aroma agents to your home brew. You can also use them to flavor food as well, so it's a win, win situation! For brewing, they can be used a lot like hops. Some will be more powerful then others (like hops), so it's important to match the right herbs with the right home brew recipe to ensure you get the taste you are looking for.

When I think of breweries that are utilizing herbs in some really tasty beer, I think of Sam Caglione from Dogfish Head Brewery. He has written many books including Brewing up a Business and another one- Extreme Brewing which offers some "Extreme" home brew recipes including experimenting with herbs. Dogfish Head (based out of Delaware) has finally made it's way out to California, make sure you pick up some Palo Santo Marron one of my all time favorite beers. Don't expect to pay little for it though. Start buying beer like you do when you buy fine wine. There is a big difference between a $5 bottle of wine and a $50 bottle. Likewise with beer - buy a $5 six pack you get yourself some "corn beer" (more on that later) get yourself a 4 pack of Dogfish Head for $15 and you're in bliss.

Back to planting the herbs. Lavender and Rosemary are harder to grow from seeds, so try getting some plants from a local nursery if possible. Dig a deep enough hole, use some mulch from your compost (preferably) and place the plants in. Make sure you water the herbs as soon as you plant them so they can soak in with the new soil. For harvesting the Lavender, cut the leaves and flowers 6 inches below the flower spikes just as the blooms open. One thing to note, Lavender does not taste like it smells. It adds a complex bitterness to your beer that you'll find to be quite satisfying. . As for the Rosemary, harvesting can be done throughout the season. However, harvest no more then 20% of the total growth at one time. One you harvest, it is time to prep them for your beer! You can use a dehydrator or a paper bag to dry them out. Once dry, you can add them during your boil or use them to dry hop your beer-which can give it a heavy aroma. NOTE: Practice on the side of caution when using herbs in your brew for the first time (you can always add more next time!). You don't want all of that hard work to be ruined by some seriously bitter Lavendery? flavor.

So why Lavender and Rosemary? Well Rosemary, I have no initial plans yet, I just like it's potential. Lavender however, I have a plan for. Once it is ready, I am going to use it in a "Honey-Lemon IPA." The honey is going to come from the Temecula Valley Honey Company a local honey farmer. The Lemon's are going to come from our own Lemon tree and the Lavender will be coming from my newly planted Lavender plants. However, I'm not the first to think of this concoction, you'll find a lot of the same ingredients in Gin. I really believe with these ingredients mixed with A LOT of hops, I will have a very refreshing IPA with strong aromas, strong bitterness, tanginess from the lemons, and just enough sweetness from the honey to have a really bold, tasty IPA. I'm getting thirsty just thinking about it! Once the Lavender is ready to harvest, I will document the brewing process and show you step by step on how to do it yourself. In the meantime, raise your pint to a healthy garden and a tasty brew! Cheers-

Next up: Homebrewer's checklist