Raspberry Wheat

[vtchuck]

Doing an Octoberfest party and am trying to formulate a fruit wheat beer for the ladies and lightweights. Using up some ingredients as well. I assume that when I transfer onto the fruit in the secondary, I can expect fermentation to restart due to the sugar in the fruit.... so a larger 6.5 gallon carboy is probably a good idea?

And then I'll rack off the fruit into a tertiary and cold crash and add gelatin before kegging.

See any problems with my plan or recipe?

Razzberry Wheat
6-D American Wheat or Rye Beer
Date: 9/1/11

Size: 5.48 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 170.04 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.051 (1.040 - 1.055)
Terminal Gravity: 1.013 (1.008 - 1.013)
Color: 7.53 (3.0 - 6.0)
Alcohol: 5.03% (4.0% - 5.5%)
Bitterness: 18.8 (15.0 - 30.0)

Ingredients:
0.50 lb American Caramel 20°L
1.0 lb Pilsner Malt
5.5 lb Pale Ale Malt
1.5 lb White Wheat Malt
2.0 lb Wheat Malt
1.0 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh (4.3%) - added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.5 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh (4.3%) - added during boil, boiled 20.0 min
1.0 ea Fermentis US-05 Safale US-05
2.0 lb Raspberries (frozen) - added dry to secondary fermenter
5.0 oz Raspberry Extract - added dry to secondary fermenter


Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.17

[blacklab]

Looks great, but I would put in at least one pack of 0-5:D

[salad 419]

.......and you may want to skip the late addition of hops. Hops and fruit tend to clash. (I realize it's not a huge addition and you could probably get away with it)

Your call. I was just mentioning it. :)

[Beezy]

An idea just came to me. Basil and Strawberry are very nice together. That might make an interesting wheat beer too. Instead of the late hops. Use the basil.

[-Dan-]

Don't expect too much fermentation with the fruit. I do one fruit beer a year (strawberries in spring) and there is not that much going on. Wouldn't worry about. 2# should be ok too but don't leave it too long. 7-10 days should be plenty

[mburtis]

how much fruit flavor could you get out of this. We did a pomegranite wheat once that was good but didn't have enough fruit coming through (added fruit in last of boil) and we did a cherry stout that we added extract when kegged (tasted like shit)

[Lamppa]

Fruit beers are tough to get balance. Trial and error on one particular system, with one particular recipe is the only way to figure it out.

Beezy- don't add any "out there" ingredients for the bmc crowd. They only know plain ass beer, nothing else.

I Added 5 lbs frozen, smoooOshed strawberries and got mild flavor. Next time I'm doing 7....just for comparison. i

[Beezy]

Who said anything about pleasing the BMC crowd? I would never do such a thing. Plus my old lady can handle the manly beers. I admit occasionally I enjoy a chick beer if it's done well.

[Lamppa]

The OP is making this for ladies and light weights, all part of the bmc crowd.

[Beezy]

I am not even sure I read the OP. Salads post gave me the light bulb and I just posted the idea. Yeah I really don't give a shit if BMC drinkers like my beer. I make beer for me myself and I.

[-Dan-]

vtchuck ... forgot to add; it also depends on the fermentation vessel you use. With a certain fruit/beer ratio I get good results in a 5 gal carboy. If I use a 3gal better bottle the results suck. Make sure that fruit doesn't swim too thick on top but is evenly spread out

[vtchuck]

An idea just came to me. Basil and Strawberry are very nice together. That might make an interesting wheat beer too. Instead of the late hops. Use the basil.

Umm.... I'm using raspberry, so I think I'll pass on the basil. This brew isn't for me, but for friends and guests, so I'll be keeping it pretty simple. Long Trail makes a blackberry wheat and Harpoon makes a raspberry hefe and thats more what I'm shooting for.

[vtchuck]

vtchuck ... forgot to add; it also depends on the fermentation vessel you use. With a certain fruit/beer ratio I get good results in a 5 gal carboy. If I use a 3gal better bottle the results suck. Make sure that fruit doesn't swim too thick on top but is evenly spread out

I can use a 6 g glass carboy or a fermentation bucket.... leaning towards the carboy, so I can keep an eye on what is happening. And I'm thinking 4-7 days at ~65 F.

[vtchuck]

how much fruit flavor could you get out of this. We did a pomegranite wheat once that was good but didn't have enough fruit coming through (added fruit in last of boil) and we did a cherry stout that we added extract when kegged (tasted like shit)

I have done an apricot wheat w/ 5 oz. of extract in a 5G batch. People liked it, but the apricot flavor was pretty low-key. So I'm trying 2 lbs of raspberries in the secondary and then extract in the tertiary. Maybe I'll try 3 oz of extract to start and add more at kegging time if needed.

[vtchuck]

.......and you may want to skip the late addition of hops. Hops and fruit tend to clash. (I realize it's not a huge addition and you could probably get away with it)

Your call. I was just mentioning it. :)

Good point.... I'll just drop the 20 minute addition and maybe add a bit more at 60 or 45

[-Dan-]

I can use a 6 g glass carboy or a fermentation bucket.... leaning towards the carboy, so I can keep an eye on what is happening. And I'm thinking 4-7 days at ~65 F.

Yes that should do it. I recommend carboy for sure