My wife was telling me about this and it sounds interesting. Has anyone tried it and how was it? Cheers Jake
You mean this? Purists may argue that you are adulterating the beer, altering it from what the brewer intended. I happen to like 'smores beers, so I'm wondering too. The two 5.0 reviews are pretty worthless, since the buyers were leaving feedback on a gift they bought and have no personal experience with - and we don't know if they know anything about real beer. https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/campfire-beer-caramelizer BTW - at this time of year, I get to fearing that someone, knowing I am "into beer" will buy me some of these beer accessories. Rather than have to act appreciative for something I'll never use, I make it a point to give my family a list of beer things I do want - specific beers, shirts, glasses, etc. So far this has worked. One time my daughter went to a liquor store and asked for a mixed six for someone that likes that beer with the baby on it (FBS). That was pretty decent, an assortment of craft stouts.
I had to google this too. It's available on Amazon for $35. The two reviewers there both gave it 5 stars. It comes with these paraphrased instructions: 1. Start campfire. 2. Place stainless steel end in campfire for 20 minutes. 3. When the tip is red-hot, remove from fire and place into beer for 2-3 seconds. 4. Enjoy your still cold beer. Seems interesting.
There is a special German name for these hot pokers used in beer that I can’t remember. In the oldie times in this country, they used to have “flips” which, as I understand it, were rum, beer and sugar frothed up with a hot poker. I tried a homemade version of the hot poker in a Schwarzbier once. It gave it a nice toasted caramel flavor and a little frothy head. Fun to try. I did worry about potentially breaking the glass by accidentally hearing it too rapidly, but was careful. Alcohol and red hot pokers = fun.
http://allaboutbeer.com/one-way-to-warm-up-a-beer-use-a-hot-poker/ https://oct.co/essays/testing-red-hot-steel-rod-caramelizes-your-beer I feel like there was a thread on this practice a ways ago. Can't remember exactly.
I’ll just buy a campfire stout by high water and save myself some money. Also, save someone from burning themselves. Sounds like a novelty. Would be good once or twice but I would rather just drink my beer as is.
Man I watched the videos on that and think, ok red hot poker people drinking people drinking sticking red hot poker into beer while others hold the glass Sorry, I think if this becomes very popular it could become nightmare.
What are we supposed to do with our spare time in the absence of lawn darts? This sounds like a worthy replacement.
It's been a while since I've heard of a beer using this technique, but...... There's an old technique that brewers would use of heating up stones in a fire until they were glowing hot, and then dropping them into the system, to get a certain caramel/smoke/candy aspect. IIRC, depending when you added the stones (mash, boil, primary, secondary, whenever) differing results would be obtained. This item seems, in my eyes, no different than using a French press, with whatever flavors, to mimic the flavors of certain beers. Shrug. Also, I am firmly in favor of giving idiots, especially drunk ones, dangerous toys.
The good thing about steinbier is that you add the hot object(s) to it BEFORE you pour it into a glass vessel.
It's called a "Bierstachel" (beer stinger), the act of using one of these to caramelize beer is called "stacheln".
Think of the wasted beer that sizzles away into the atmosphere when poked. Think of the warm/hot beer that you now have in front of you. Ugh! Think of the wasted beer when you decide to dump it. Why waste good beer? And why use bad/cheap beer to try this only to make it worse than bad (and waste it too)? (Can you tell that I'm not a romantic, and that I'm a cheapskate?)
Ah. Thank you. That term did the trick. https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/bierstachel-spiking-beer-with-heat.490758/ https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/roaring-the-beer.569421/
$35 is a fair price if you wanted a bierstacheln or loggerhead, if you're not hung up on the product name. I looked for something like this about a year ago after reading the discussion @zid posted above of German bierstachenls and colonial America/English flips. Everything I found then was stupidly expensive and/or had outrageous shipping fees, and I didn't have the patience to try to custom order one from a local blacksmith. (#firstworldproblems) I don't expect this to make beer any "better" but it's history intrigues me, and finding this at a bar or restaurant is very unlikely. So, it's my Amazon "wishlist" now and by spring I'll probably have a new toy for drinking beers around my patio fireplace.
