The Riddle Returns!

Hatter’s Riddle Spring 2011 is now on tap. This whimsical farmhouse ale is bittered with dandelion root and kettle spiced with two secret ingredients. As with every Hatter’s Riddle batch, if you guess the spices correctly you will receive a Block 15 gift card.

Last fall we released our first Hatter’s Riddle and gave you the opportunity to guess the spices used. The answer to the riddle was lemon grass, chamomile, and cardamom.

As a brewer it was fascinating to read the entries. No one correctly guessed the three. Over 100 people turned in their best shot. Cardamom was the most recognized with 16, followed by lemon types (lemon grass, peel, etc) at 13, and least recognized was chamomile at only 3. The real interesting phenomenon to me was the amount and frequency of other herbs/spices guessed. Number one was coriander at 30, ginger at 22, and cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove for a combined 42. Other answers included lavender, vanilla, grapefruit peel, grains of paradise, sage, thyme, rosemary, and the ever so rare rainbow. I believe that this not only shows how different people’s sense of smell and taste are, but also the degree in which the farmhouse yeast lends notes of spice.

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    Brewer's Brain