Every homebrewer eventually looks at something sitting in the kitchen and thinks:

“Could I brew beer with that?”

That is exactly how this beer came together.

A viewer commented that he had a kilo of marshmallows and wanted to use them in a beer kit without risking a big all-grain batch. That got me thinking.

Back when I owned my brew pub, we used to do wild one-off beers all the time. Fruity Pebbles, Sour Patch Kids, candy beers, strange flavors, ridiculous ideas. Some turned out great. Some probably should have stayed in the idea pile.

But they were fun.

So we are bringing that spirit back to Make Beer Easy with a new series:

Big Robb Gets Weird

And for the first experiment, we are brewing a 1-gallon Marshmallow Cream Ale.

The goal is simple:

Can marshmallows actually add anything useful to beer?

We are going to find out.

Why A 1-Gallon BIAB Batch?

This is exactly why I like small batch brewing. When you are trying something weird, you do not always want to risk a full 5-gallon batch.

A 1-gallon BIAB batch lets you experiment, learn, and have some fun without wasting a pile of grain, hops, yeast, and time.

If you are new to this method, check out my guides on How to Brew in a Bag and How To BIAB – Step by Step.

For the gear side of things, you can check out my recommended 1-gallon brewing equipment.

🍺 The Equipment I Used

One of the best things about 1 gallon brewing is that you don’t need a ton of expensive equipment.

In fact, this entire recipe can be brewed using a simple BIAB setup with just a few basic pieces of equipment.

If you’re looking to build your own all-grain setup, check out my recommended equipment here:

Marshmallow Cream Ale Recipe

Batch Size

1 gallon BIAB

Beer Stats

Original Gravity: 1.049
Final Gravity: 1.009
ABV: 5.26%
IBU: 15.6
SRM: 3.34
Efficiency: 70%
Mash Temperature: 152°F
Boil Time: 60 minutes

Grain Bill

1.50 lb Canadian 2-Row
4 oz Flaked Corn
1 oz Carapils

The base beer is basically a light, clean cream ale. I do not want a heavy malt bill or aggressive hops getting in the way. If the marshmallows bring anything to the table, I want to be able to taste it.

Hops

0.15 oz Willamette at 60 minutes

This keeps the bitterness low and soft. The beer needs just enough bitterness to balance the malt and sugar, but not so much that it fights the marshmallow experiment.

Yeast

SafAle K-97

US-05 would have been my first choice, but my local homebrew shop was sold out. K-97 should still work well here. It is clean enough for this kind of beer and should let the marshmallow experiment stay front and center.

Mash

Mash the grains at 152°F for 60 minutes.

This should give us a balanced wort that is fermentable but not bone dry. Since marshmallows are going to add fermentable sugar, I do not want the beer to finish too thin.

If you are newer to all-grain brewing, this is where a good thermometer and proper mash process matter. You can see my recommended gear on the All Grain Brewing Equipment page.

Boil

Boil for 60 minutes.

Add the Willamette hops at the start of the boil.

With 10 minutes left, we start getting weird.

The Marshmallow Experiment

We are not just adding marshmallows one way.

We are trying them at two different points in the process to see what actually works.

Addition #1: Marshmallow Syrup In The Boil

Take 2 oz of mini marshmallows and melt them into about ½ cup of near-boiling water.

Once dissolved, add that syrup during the final 10 minutes of the boil.

The near-boiling water should help sanitize the syrup (plus adding them to the boil will sanitize them), and the boil addition lets us test whether marshmallow character survives fermentation.

My guess?

This addition may mostly ferment out.

But we are not guessing. We are brewing.

Addition #2: Toasted Marshmallow Syrup After Primary

After primary fermentation is done, we are going to add more marshmallows.

Take 4 oz of mini marshmallows, toast them under the broiler or on the BBQ, then melt them into about ½ cup of near-boiling water.

Let that syrup cool, then add it to the fermenter.

This is the addition I think has the best chance of giving us actual marshmallow character.

Before adding anything after primary, make sure fermentation is actually finished. If you are not sure, read How to Read and Use a Hydrometer and How to Ferment Beer.

Also, sanitize everything. Do not get lazy here. Check out How to Sanitize Beer Making Equipment if you need a refresher.

Packaging

Since this is a 1-gallon experimental batch, I’ll be bottling this beer instead of kegging it.

Before bottling, I’ll let the beer sit for 5–7 days after adding the toasted marshmallow syrup to give the yeast time to ferment any remaining sugars from the marshmallows. The last thing I want is bottle bombs because I rushed it.

I’ll also take a hydrometer reading before bottling to make sure gravity has stabilized. If you’re not sure how to tell when fermentation is finished, check out my guides on How to Read and Use a Hydrometer and How to Ferment Beer.

Once I’m confident fermentation is complete, I’ll bottle the beer as I normally would.

Depending on how clear the beer looks after the marshmallow additions, I may also fine it with gelatin before bottling. If you’ve never done that before, check out my guide on How to Fine Beer with Gelatin.

If you’re looking for the same brewing gear I use for recipes like this, take a look at my recommended all-grain brewing equipment.

If you are bottling this beer, be careful with any post-fermentation sugar additions. You need to know fermentation is finished before packaging.

🍺 Bottling This Beer?

Since this is a 1 gallon batch, I’ll be bottling this beer once fermentation is completely finished.

If you’re still bottling your homebrew—or you’re just getting started—I’ve put together a list of the beginner brewing equipment I recommend, including bottle fillers, cappers, sanitizers, hydrometers, fermenters and other brewing essentials.

👉 See My Recommended Beginner Brewing Equipment

My Prediction

I think the boil addition will mostly ferment out.

I think the post-primary toasted marshmallow syrup has the best chance of working.

But honestly, I have no idea.

That is the whole point of Big Robb Gets Weird.

We are taking weird brewing ideas, trying them in real batches, and finding out what actually happens.

Final Thoughts

This beer might be awesome.

It might be terrible.

It might taste nothing like marshmallows.

But either way, we are going to learn something.

That is what homebrewing should be about. Experimenting, having fun, and not being afraid to try something strange once in a while.

The recipe is designed.

The marshmallows are ready.

Now we just need to brew the damn thing.

🍺 Continue Learning

Want to keep improving your homebrewing? Here are a few guides that pair perfectly with this recipe:

🍺 Equipment Used For This Recipe

Want to brew this Marshmallow Cream Ale yourself? Here are the equipment guides I recommend.

New to Homebrewing?

If you’re just getting started, check out my Recommended Beginner Brewing Equipment page. It includes my favorite fermenters, bottling equipment, sanitizers, hydrometers and other brewing essentials.

Brewing All Grain?

This recipe was brewed using a simple 1 gallon BIAB setup. You can find all of my recommended kettles, BIAB bags, thermometers, fermenters and more on my 1 Gallon BIAB Brewing Equipment page.

🎓 Ready to Brew Better Beer?

Whether you’re brewing your very first batch or experimenting with crazy ideas like marshmallow beer, my goal is to help you brew better beer without making homebrewing more complicated than it needs to be.

🍺 FREE Beginner Homebrewing Bootcamp

If you’re new to brewing, join my FREE Beginner Homebrewing Bootcamp and I’ll show you how to avoid the most common mistakes while brewing better beer from your very first batch.

👉 Join the FREE Beginner Homebrewing Bootcamp

🍺 Want More Beer Recipes?

Join thousands of other homebrewers and get my latest beer recipes, brew day tips, seasonal brews and Big Robb Gets Weird experiments delivered straight to your inbox.

👉 Join the FREE Beer Recipe Newsletter

📺 Watch the Brew Day

This recipe is just the beginning.

In Big Robb Gets Weird #001, I’m brewing this Marshmallow Cream Ale to find out if marshmallows actually belong in beer. We’ll follow the entire brewing process and then come back in a few weeks for the taste test to see if this crazy experiment actually worked.

👉 Watch Big Robb Gets Weird: Marshmallow Cream Ale (Coming Soon)

🍻 Have a Weird Brewing Idea?

Leave a comment on the YouTube video or here on the blog with your craziest brewing idea.

If I pick it…

We’ll brew it on a future episode of Big Robb Gets Weird!

Cheers,

Big Robb

Simple Brewing. Better Beer. Made Easy. 🍻

Can You Brew Beer With Marshmallows?