Special Ingredient


Special Ingredient: Tomato

Taking the idea of a bloody beer to new heights, some Eastern European brewers have embraced a gose-based style thickened with tomato, chiles, garlic, smoke, and more. (Just add hangover.)

Special Ingredient: Jackfruit

Popular in South Asia, this hulking tropical fruit with a sweet, creamy flavor may have something unique to add to the conversation.

Special Ingredient: Prickly Pear

For a bright, fruity flavor that’s special to Mexico and the American Southwest, consider the humble prickly pear. (Just watch out for those spines.)

Special Ingredient: Lemongrass

Exotic but familiar, the tropical plant lemongrass is far from being one of the traditional beer ingredients … yet its flavor and aroma fit right in with the others.

Special Ingredient: Butterfly Pea Flowers

You might see the tea in Thai restaurants or trendy cafés or spas—a striking blue or purple liquid, steaming from clear mugs or iced in glasses. And, guess what? That potent color also works in beer.

Special Ingredient: Bog Myrtle

Also known as Myrica gale, this mud-loving shrub was once a key ingredient in the unhopped ales of medieval Europe—and it has a unique character worth considering for your beers.

Special Ingredient: Brewing with Bread

Don’t let that extra loaf go to waste—try throwing it into your mash tun. Here, Sam Fleet of Brussels Beer Project breaks down the unexpected benefits of brewing with bread.

Special Ingredient: Pawpaw

This tropical-flavored fruit from un-tropical places has a funny name and great potential for brewing some unusual fruited beers.

Special Ingredient: Marshmallow

The rise of dessert stouts has included no small number of marshmallow beers, with the potential to evoke childhood memories of fireside treats. So, how do you brew with marshmallows—and is it even worth the mess?

Special Ingredient: Pretzels

You munch on a pretzel, you take a gulp. It’s obvious: Pretzels have always made beer taste better. So why not just add them directly?