I have about 60 cucumbers from my garden and wondered if anyone knows how to use these and what styles would be best . Was thinking of an all pilsner with saison yeast. These are some really prime time cucumbers so time is of the essence!
I have commercial beers with cucumber, a wit, Gose and BW and they were all good. The best was between the BW and Gose. The BW (Red Bud with Cucumber) was very tart, and I used it to make drinks with, jalapeno simple syrup and mezcal. The best drinking with the Gose (Cucumber and Lime Trionia) that was simply the best beer we had on the beach this year. It was straight up cucumber water with a slight tartness and salinity. So refreshing and a great summer beer.
How to use them: sanitize the outside (you really just need to clean it well, removing any residual dust and yeast), slice, "dry-hop" for a day or so in a muslin bag. Be careful because cucumber is a very distinct flavor that cuts through easily. Don't use too much keeping in mind that you can always add more. As for style I'll suggest gose, which is very refreshing in the summer and works exceptionally well with the cucumber in that regard, or saison/grisette. Personally I'd go with the grisette as it's lighter and seems to fit the summer heat better, but a fuller saison could easily work. I think @GreenKrusty101 is on my wave length as well with Berliner Weisse (just slightly different), and I like @EvenMoreJesus suggestion of a witbier - having brewed with cucumber before myself, that would be my choice choice to brew as I think it would be interesting, and perhaps a bit of a challenge to balance it properly. Good luck!
Ok so I’m doing pilsner, flaked white wheat, willamette 60&15. Ferment with ECY saison blend I have a starter whirling up. Will Cool to 70 and allow to free rise in dining room at ambient 75. Gonna throw mint sprig at flameout and cucumber after fermentation for a day or two at most.
Did a saison in 2016 in which I cuked half of the 10 gallon batch directly in the keg. Went with 3.25 lbs of deseeded/chopped cucumber for two days. Cucumber was wrapped in cheesecloth, tied with dental floss. It had a fairly pronounced flavor after only those two days, so I pulled it out.
