Brewing with rose hips...looking for advice!

[James]

So I missed the boat this fall as far as grapes go...I have a bag of grains I had set aside to cook up with some Muscat grapes but the grapes fell through, so: I have a number of rose bushes on my property, the one I have in mind is a very little pink wild rose that although still smells like a rose, has a very distinct pungent spicy tone. The hips are big and juicy now, nicely red; still a bit firm but giving slightly under the thumb.

I read a few posts (from years ago) by akr71 and his Ramblin Rose; I'm just wondering about quantities, should I use them wet or throw them in the dehyreator for a day or so and should I put them in the boil or in the fermenter (or both)?

I'd like to end up with something slightly floral with a bit of spicy and not soapy/old lady perfume.

Any advice is welcome. This will be a 1 gallon batch so I can be pretty ambitious but I would still like to have something drinkable!

Grains
1.6 lb Belgian Pilsner
0.2 lb Caramel 60
0.2 lb Melanoidin
0.02 lb Cara-pils

Hops
0.1 oz Centennial
0.1 oz Glacier
0.01 oz Whitbread

I was thinking about pitching some left over Belle Saison but I also have some S-04, US-05 or some Nottinham I can use.

Cheers!

[akr71]

My wit was subdued at best with 3 oz in the last 5 min of the boil - it certainly could have taken more and not gotten to the old lady perfume stage. I could have gone 3 oz @ 10min and 3 oz @ 5min - I was hoping for some color but that didn't happen. I had intended on throwing some in the secondary, but I got lazy/thirsty.

I just picked them, stored them in the fridge or freezer then threw them in the kettle. The next time I revisit this it will probably be as a saison, rather than a wit. My advice would be a simple bittering charge for the hops - just get to your desired IBU level and let the rosehips and yeast be the focal point for the brew.

[James]

My wit was subdued at best with 3 oz in the last 5 min of the boil - just get to your desired IBU level and let the rosehips and yeast be the focal point for the brew.

Thanks for the tips, I appreciate the advice!

[akr71]