SWMBO birthday request (fruit hefe)

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amishland

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SWMBO is having a birthday coming up end of May. And I offered to make a special beer for a BBQ I have for her every year on her bday.


She has requested a "fruit hefe". I am currently an extract brewer, but can do full boils, and have stir plate for starters.


I have a bavarian hefewiezen (using Wyeast 3068 | Weihenstephan Weizen) fermenting right now. I was thinking I could pitch onto the yeast cake for her bday brew.


I also have an oz of Hallertau Mittelfruh 4.4% in my fridge.


Can anyone help me find a recipe or give some tips how to make a fuit hefe? what and when to add?
 
You can typically use real fruit, fruit puree or fruit extract. It often helps to sanitize the real fruit by pasteurization or using campden tablets. I've always added the fruit in secondary. The amount you use depends on the type of fruit you're using.
 
On Sunday I added three pounds of thawed blueberries to the secondary and racked my American Wheat on top of it. I pureed the berries in the blender then put them in a pot and heated them to 160-170 for about 15 min to kill off any bacteria. The fermentation kicked off good from all the sugars in the berries but it is slowing down now. I'm hoping it will turn out good.

I have been reading "Designing Great Beers" and the section on fruit beers says that many of the brews that made it to the second round during the National Homebrew Competition used extract. You could probably make a good fruit beer using wheat DME and a bittering hop. Then add the fruit of choice to the secondary. Among the second round beers cited in the book the most common fruit used was raspberries. There were a few second-round beers that used blackberries, cherries, passion fruit, peaches, and strawberries.

Also from the book, the most common method is to add fruit to secondary. Some people steep the fruit at flameout for 15 - 30 min. The disadvantage of that method is that fruit has pectins that can cause haze in the beer. If it's a hefe, you probably aren't worried about the beer being clear.

Hopefully this info helps you a little. The info in the book has definitely helped me!
:mug:
 
Schlenkerla said:
I'd make a wheat. I'd stay clear of 3068 hefe yeast if you plan to add fruit. Use wyeast 1010.

:mug:


Why do you say stay clear fo 3068 with fruit, on wyeast website they list fruit beer as the second recommended beer to make.
Wyeast 3068
 
I think the 3068 might distract from the fruit flavor of the hefe, since 3068 has so many distinct flavors itself.
 
I agree with Prof Frink. I just made a heffe w/ 3068 and its got a good banana whiff to it. 1010 is more neutral.

I think if you want a raspberry or watermellon wheat you want that to shine through and not be muddied by a clovey & banana flavor/smell that you would get from 3068.

1010 has a low ester. 3068 is very estery
http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=126

If used 3068 it would not be bad, it would not be as crisp as 1010. You can add honey (~ 1lb) to help dry out the flavor too.
 
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