Beer/hops in a sausage

[Bangermuncher]

Much as I like to imbibe the excellent beers and ciders we have in Kent and Sussex I've never got round to using them in cooking apart from cider in apple sauce(a local white wine is good in that too)and in a honey glaze/sauce for gammon.
A couple of butchers down here sell a Kentish hop sausage and they fly off the counter!
My favourite local beer is Bishops Finger or a local Porter(dark beer,not a stout)but I love other regional beers like Old Speckled Hen.
The taste of the sausages I just can't describe,they just zap the tastebuds!
They're a dark sausage,almost look like beef or venison but they're pure pork,the colour comes from the beer/hops.

Question is has anyone tried making similar?

The beer is easy to find but not sure about the hops in small quantities even though I live in the garden of England,could I use hops from a home brew shop?
Having said that I think our local one closed.
What kind of ratio i.e. beer to water should I use?
Personally I'm inclined to use all beer but then I would

I have to say the sausages made with beer can't hold a candle to the ones made with hops but even if I can get them I have no idea how to use them.
Any ideas?

My 50th in a few days and plan on making a special sausage.
Had my 40th here
http://www.thefilo.co.uk/
They brew their own beer.
And some mates have suggested we do it again so I could probably get hops etc there if I ask nicely but I don't want to,ask nicely or go there.
Nice pub,or used to be,and the landlord is a complete prannet

Andy

[saucisson]

PM me an address and Ill send you some hops so long as you don't need too many It will give me an excuse to do a proper brew for my 50th and most of the vacuum packed hops need to go in it, but I can spare some... Any idea how many you need ?

Dave

[Bangermuncher]

Done Dave!
Cheers mate

[welsh wizard]

Hi Both

I would be interested in your findings, as my son who works for a local micro brewery where evryone does everything as it were, has told me in the past that using a hop would very much sour the sausage ( he was talking about Fuggles and Golden Promise).

Although I took his advice, seceretly I would like it to work, so please let me know how you get on.

Cheers WW

[captain wassname]

good afternoon.
Ive had a look on the net and there are lots of references and ads for hop sausages but sadly no reciepe. so WW one toyou.
BM I would certainly go easy on the hops and make a few patties first. Just a guess Id be inclined to treat as dried sage initially.
Am very interested in how you go as I will also be brewing as soon as the ice clears and I can safely get to my outside tap and garage and will have some hops opened. So will probably give them a go.
Dave whats you celebration brew going to be.

Jim

[saucisson]

Fullers E.S.B if I can get my thermostatically controlled bin set up in time. As this project has been at least 2 years in the making I wouldn't hold your breath

Maybe I need to bite the bullet and get it done...

Dave

[captain wassname]

Is that a home made bin for mashing? or fermenting?

[saucisson]

Mashing and subsequent hop boiling... I've invested in the technology but haven't got around to installing it yet. If you have any handy hints for doing it without a thermostat do let me know

Dave

[Bangermuncher]

WW and captain wassname,when a butcher down here first started selling the Kentish hop sausages about 13-14 years ago I asked him if it was just beer in them or hops as well and he assured me they use hops and Bishops Finger.
Other butchers in Kent and Sussex sell Kentish hop sausages but the colour and taste is totally different so I suspect they just add the beer and not the best brews at that,by that I mean not the best beer for a sausage.
The ones I've been getting for years have a dark colour despite the only meat being pork and this is the bit I can't describe as I've never tasted anything like it.
The taste is very peppery but it's clear the flavour isn't pepper,it's a different taste altogether,I can't describe it as I've never tasted anything like it and until I get a sample of Daves hops I can't say if it's the same taste I'm looking for.
I've just done a quick little bit of reading up on it and will do some more,but apparently hops are supposed to taste very bitter,and I quote from a forum I found.
Identifying hops from their smell alone is a doddle if you've smelt them before, but if not and you have a pretty good idea what they look like, pick one cone and pull off one petal. It should have bright greeny yellow powder at the base and if you put some on your tongue it should taste extremely bitter. That powder is lupulin and is the sole reason hops are grown.
I found that in a search for wild hops as I remembered that a few years ago I lived in a little out of the way place in Kent off the road and two and a half miles away from the main road(A28)and my entrance gate was surrounded by wild hops,about 50 yards up the road was the Tenterden vineyard.
I had this proliferation of hops and not a clue what to do with them!
Doing a google search for hop sausages this thread is fourth from top on the first page!
If I crack it I might have to send everyone the recipe by PM

I'm guessing that only a very tiny amount of hops would be needed in a sausage so it just gives that underlying taste and not a bitter/sour note,and I'll be using a good beer.

Dave,Fullers ESB is one of my favourite beers,I grew up smack bang in the middle of the two great London breweries,Fullers and Youngs so,seeing as your hops are going to be used for ESB I may well use it as the beer for the sausage,or even Fullers porter,I should be able to get that down here,a dark beer would be good.
Might even call the sausage ESB.
Extra Special Banger

[captain wassname]

I would think that your biggest problem may be to get the hops into small enough bits.Im not too shure a big it of hop in a mouthfull of sausage would be too nice.
Once ive got my brewing sorted Ill give it a go. I will have 5 sorts of hops to mess with. I think a hop infusion may be worth trying
Ill run it by the people on the brewing forum where im a member.I recon the dark sausages are defineatley made with a dark beer.Mild, porter or stout. Theres some great milds out there.If we get enough of us working on it Im shure we will crack it.Ill start another thread on here to see what comes up.

Jim

[welsh wizard]

Just had a thought - I wonder if the hops are less bitter once they are spent? I will get some back from the brewery and give them a go.

Cheers WW

[NCPaul]

Extra Special Banger

[Chuckwagon]

Hi guys,
Kutas’ outfit, the Sausagemaker has just come out with a dry-powdered seasoning they call “Beer Buds”. I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t verify its application in sausage. It is item # 91056 and 12 ounces costs $9.99. The company describes the flavor as “dried beer”. If it is a winner, it can’t be too much longer before it available in all countries.
Best wishes, Chuckwagon

[captain wassname]

Chuckwaggon I can just about understand smoke powder for those who live in an apartment or such But DRIED BEER
I may have to go and lie down in a darkened room for some time

Jim

[saucisson]

dried beer

I got the hops in the post box yesterday and the next collection tag had Mon on it so I am hopeful that they may get picked up and on their way to you soon.

Children are back at school tomorrow after their extended sledging break so I hope I'll be able to get on with my beer in peace

Dave