Fruity Pale Ale??
 

For my next brew I was thinking a pale ale with cascade hops and some kind of fruit tossed in the secondary, maybe like cranberries or something similar. Any ideas? Suggestions? Concerns? I've never done anything with fruit before, neither have I had a hoppy/fruity beer!

It's not a normally used fruit but I have a recipe for an Elderberry Pale Ale that's really good if you'd like it.

Yes of course! Can you still taste the hippiness of the beer? I'd like a berry taste but just slightly.. Maybe like a berry finish.

You can definitely taste the hops and the elderberry. They play off each other very well.

Also consider using galaxy and citra hops

I'll post the recipe up once I have my Beersmith in front of me.

i vote apricot. apricots lend a subtle fruit not like an in-your face sort of thing.

Id add 3lb puree during fermentation (1-2 days in) and 2-4oz extract at bottling (to taste)

Witch Doctor Imperial Pale Ale

Batch Size - 5 gal
OG - 1.070
FG - 1.010
IBU - 37
Primary - 24 days @ 65f
Dry Hop - 7 days
Yeast - US-05
SRM - 6.1

You can get the Bog Myrtle and dried Elderberries from AHS. Also worth noting, this beer ages very well and becomes a totally different beer after 6 months. Its great fresh but as it ages it gets a delicious malt character from the golden promise that really compliments the elderberry.


Grain Bill.....single infusion mash @ 150 for 60 min


4.5# Golden Promise
6.5# 2Row


Boil

1oz Willamette @ 60 min
2 grams Bog Myrtle @ 60 min
1# Clear Candi Sugar @ 20 min
Irish Moss @ 15min
8oz Dried Elderberries @ 15 min
1oz Willamette @ 15 min
1.5oz Cascade @ 10 min
.5oz Cascade @ 5 min


Fermentation

Day 2 of active fermentation add 10oz Pure Grade B Maple Syrup
Day 17 of fermentation start 7 day dry hop with 2oz Willamette.

YES!
had a beauty of a apricot beer that had dried apricots in the secondary and it was divine, the flavor of the apricot blended lovely with the late hop aroma and worked so so well. ill be doing this as soon as i justify buying the expensive fruit without the sulphites added.

just to re-iterate, do this. seriously,its great. do it.

I made a cascade pale with watermelon about 6 months ago. I found it to be strange. I was going to dump it until I had some women drink it. Then the keg was gone. It is definately a gateway beer. I use 4 cups of watermelon juice.