Recipe formulation help needed

[Brian_S]

Hi all, I'd like some input from the group about fomulating my next experimental brew.  This project was brought about by the bumper crop of shiitake mushrooms I've got this year and after drying and freezing 12 pounds I've hit my quota.  It got me thinking about brewing with them and a bit of googling later I've found at least one commericial brew that supposedly uses shiitakes (http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/epic-ales- ... us/117800/).

So based on the above info I'm looking for recipe suggestions, things such as which style these would work with, specific grain/hop bill, even yeast suggestions.  It sounds like a stout might be the way to go but I'm open.

Thanks
B

[Richard]

Shiitake = umami = deep savoury, kinda nutty? So I'm thinking it'd mesh well with drier roasted / melanoidin rich beers... off the top of my head: Dry Stout, Porter (of the non-hoppy variety), Brown ale, not necessarily in any order.

On another front: I was planning on growing shiitakes up in the 'chi. how do you do it? The maple log + spawn-plug method? Would be interested to know

[Richard]

Also, you're gonna need to consider the various "healthful compounds" (I'm not qualified in the science here, but I know there's at least some validation from "respectable" sources: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/Treatme ... e-mushroom).

If you're doing this for any kind of health benefit, keep in mind that lentinan (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-lentinan.htm) degrades at higher temperatures, or so says this one website I found

Another paper, citing proven benefits of the compounds and some extraction techniques for the polysaccharides (good shit): http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/arti ... 4900/58644

Personally I'd dry out the shiitakes, powder them, and add them to some vodka to steep for a week or so. Add after fermentation to avoid any potential interference from the boiling or fermentation process. This would hopefully also carry over both the flavour and the good stuff.