Tea Inspiration for Craft Brew

Firsd Tea sees inspiration for tea in craft beer and other beverages all around us. Our clients and others in the brewing (and distilling!) world are creating popular and innovative new concepts, and we celebrate their achievements in our Tea Craft Inspiration series. Firsd Tea has also experimented with sensory evaluation of Tea + Beer Ratios for beer+tea+fruit (thanks to Aseptic Fruit Purees). To further support those on the tea + craft beverage journey, Firsd Tea has also covered:

• The different types of tea product to use, and why leaf is superior
• A brewer's firsthand experience of successfully developing tea beers

But for those new to using tea in craft beer, the barriers to development may seem high. The basic obstacles can be overcome with a little support in answering these fundamental questions:

1. What types of tea go well with beer styles?
2. How do I incorporate tea into the process?

‍

Note: Firsd Tea recently contributed to research at Colorado State University to find the optimal ratios and application of tea in craft beer.     DOWNLOAD: CSU Research Project on Tea in Craft Beer Applications

‍

1. WHAT TYPES OF TEA GO WELL WITH BEER STYLES?

First, it should be stated that there are no hard and fast rules. Tea-beer combinations are still in their formative years, so there is plenty of uncharted territory. There are, however, a few combinations that have gained some acceptance and growth in popularity.

The list below is a starting point, not a definitive guide. Experimentation is encouraged. The next great combo is waiting to be discovered.

These tea and fruit/herb combinations can also extend beyond beer to teas in hard seltzer and/or hard kombucha projects. The door is wide open for using teas that unlock classic, familiar tea tastes, and for branching out with more new and unique experiences your fan base will fall in love with.

Download this chart here

2. HOW DO I INCORPORATE TEA INTO THE PROCESS?

While there is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, a simple and oft-used approach is to begin by incorporating tea during post-fermentation. The majority of brewers get better results when using tea on the cooler side of the beer process. One of the easiest ways involves a brew bag of tea in the storage tank. Start with 1 lb of leaf per 1 BBL for at least 1 hour on the cold side. Of course, there are considerations regarding sterilization, but those can be addressed with some hot water.

Start with 1 lb of leaf per 1 BBL for at least 1 hour on the cold side

These basics will help uncover the next big tea-beer combination. But when it helps to have a guide on the tea side, please partner with someone experienced with developing craft tea-beer, hard tea seltzer, and hard kombucha beverages.

Contact Firsd Tea:

info@firsdtea.com