Replacing Hops in AG

[Scotty]

I know some brewers use different things to add bitter flavours or enhance the aroma ie elderflower, peach etc but I was at my grandparents house today (well, Mim's g/parents ) and her nana wants rid of a lemon balm plant. It is a member of the same family as mint and I was wondering whether I could use it in a brew?

Having researched it, I've noticed they contain tannins but so do hops and I was wondering whether I could use some for either bittering or aroma?

[Invalid Stout]

Go ahead and try it. You can put almost anything edible in your beer if you think it might work. If it doesn't, well, you don't have to drink it...

maybe try it with a 1 gallon batch first

[Eric]

Hi Scott, funny but I've been thinking along the same lines. Yesterday I had a long walk down the coast and there were some grand smells from the vegetation, especially intense in our Durham denes. Hops were relatively recent in beer history terms but as they have more or less displaced all others, I think I'll wait until I've more hopped ale on hand that I can possibly drink before experimenting. I'll be very pleased to be kept informed of your efforts and applaud your first choice.

[Invalid Stout]

Incidentally I made a mint beer a couple of months ago and it was lovely (if a bit weird).