flavored malt beverage

Beer.  With. Vegetables. Popcorn. Fruit. Spices. Raisins. Honey. And Malted Milk Balls. Wow. Eccentric indeed. If anyone (excluding this joker) drank a whole bottle and lived to tell about it, please confess below.

Barons Black Wattle is Australian Ale Brewed with Wattle Seed. The attractive graphics caught my eye at the beer store. And so, like Vic Cherikoff, I wanted to know:  So What The Bloody Hell Is Wattleseed? It turns out that Cherikoff may well be the world’s foremost expert on this seed, and “world trends in Wattleseed use.” He explains:

For over 6000 years, Australian Aborigines in different clans around the country, parched and milled wattle seeds from around 100 of the 900 plus species of Acacia, then used the coarse flour in baked seed cakes. … Wattleseed is a great inclusion in anyone’s diet. It has an unusually low glycaemic index which means that the carbohydrates in it are slowly absorbed and therefore better for you than sugary, quick release alternatives.

Wikipedia explains that “Wattleseed is a term used to describe the edible seeds from around 120 species of Australian Acacia that were traditionally used as food by Australian Aborigines and they were eaten either green (and cooked) or dried (and milled to a flour) to make a type of bush bread.” The same brewer uses another little-known ingredient in its Witbier. Barons adds lemon myrtle leaves along with the more common coriander seeds. Lemon myrtle is:

a flowering plant native to...

Maybe it’s time to give the good old chestnut a chance. I have walked right by the roasted chestnut vendors of Manhattan on innumerable occasions. Halfbakery explains the allure:

I live in NYC and I love roasted chestnuts. In fact, many people love roasted chestnuts in NYC. There’s nothing better than walking along the crowded streets on a cold, wintery day holding a hot bag of chestnuts and plunging your teeth into naturally sweetened and soft chestnuts. The only problem is they’re sold only in midtown Manhattan by those street vendors who sell hot dogs too. More specifically, on 5th avenue and 53rd street. That’s the only place in Manhattan you can get these goodies. It’s a shame more New Yorkers can’t enjoy roasted chestnuts more frequently. … My point is is roasted chestnuts are a blessing and should be shared. That’s it.

B. United International seems to be well aware of these charms, and has a good handle on malt beverages loaded with chestnut. Palanfrina is Ale Brewed with Chestnut Flower, Dried Chestnuts, Chestnut Honey and Chestnut Jam. It’s made by Birrificio Troll in northwest Italy. The back label has a more detailed ingredient list. Similarly, Birolla Malthus is Italian Chestnut Ale Brewed with Chestnut Meal and Honey. It’s made 186 miles north,...