Fruit Concentrate - How Much to Use?

ahoffman565 · 02-14-2009, 03:12 PM

Greetings all!

I had a quick question about adding fruit concentrate (or extract) to my beer. My wife bought be me a extract kit for Christmas. It's called "Berry Beer" and came with 4 oz. of an raspberry "extract". The recipe doesn't say how much to use. Has anyone had any experience with this? I'm doing a full 5-gallon batch and didn't know if the full 4 oz. was going to way overpower the beer. Any thoughs would be very helpful!

Thanks in advance,
Andrew Hoffman
Waxahachie, TX

rolf · 02-14-2009, 03:53 PM

I'd hazard a guess that you should put the entire bottle in.

The kit that you received, is it designed to make an entire 5 gallon batch? If it was, then I'd use the entire bottle, otherwise find out the volume its supposed to make, and then add the extract accordingly.

i.e. the kit makes three 5 gallon batches, you're making one batch, so use one third of the 4 oz bottle.

Or did you get the bottle of raspberry extract separate from a kit?

ahoffman565 · 02-14-2009, 04:56 PM

Yes, the kit was for a 5-gallon batch and the raspberry extract came with the recipe. I had assumed that I was to use the entire bottle, but I didn't want to be wrong and end up with a candy-beer!

BEER_4_BREAKFAST · 02-16-2009, 08:27 PM

I've brewed a few batches of a Rasberry Hef and I added the entire bottle before I bottled it. My wife loves it. I added the full bottle of Rasberry and a half bottle of Strawberry to my last batch and my wife likes it even better, more fruit flavor.

Quote:

If you want to make a fruit beer, add the Natural fruit extract at the same time you add your bottling sugar. Raspberry, Apricot, Marionberry and Boysenberry are great. Transfer the beer into your bottling vessel, then add the fruit extract to satisfy your personal taste. (one bottle will give a hint of fruit flavor, 1 1/2 bottles will give a strong flavor. You may also bottle a few gallons with out the fruit flavoring, then add the fruit extract and bottle the rest.

Northwest Style HefeWeizen Ingredients*::*USA Microbrewery Beer Recipes*::*"Replicator" Beer Recipes*::*Bader Beer & Wine Supply, Inc.

xxdcmast · 02-16-2009, 08:54 PM

Beer4Breakfast can you post your apricot ale recipe or pm it to me thanks.

SteveM · 02-16-2009, 10:16 PM

Normally you would use the whole bottle.

Check this link for good information on fruit beer recipes in general - my recipe for Raspberry Ale has a discussion about extract versus real fruit, and how each is used.

Fruit Beer - Home Brew Forums

BEER_4_BREAKFAST · 02-17-2009, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxdcmast

Beer4Breakfast can you post your apricot ale recipe or pm it to me thanks.

Batch Size - 5.5 gallons
Total Grain - 8.6 lbs
Anticipated OG - 1.051
Anticipated SRM - 7.2
Anticipated IBU - 46.6
Brewhouse Efficiency - 75%
Wort Boil Time - 60 min.

Grain/Extract
1 lb - Munich Malt (light)
1 lb - Pale Malt (2-row)
6.6 lb - Generic LME - Light

Hops
1 oz. Amarillo - boil time 60 min.
0.5 oz Simcoe - boil time 25 min.

Yeast
White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Fruit
3.1 lbs Apricot Puree - in primary

xxdcmast · 02-17-2009, 11:19 AM

sweet thanks

Christian · 02-19-2009, 12:14 AM

Those 4oz bottles are meant for just one 5 gallon batch, so dump the whole thing in at bottling time. If you just want a very very subtle raspberry flavor then add a little to your bottling bucket and swirl it in then take a small sample. Just repeat doing that until you reach the flavor you like.

I like my fruit flavors to be more noticeable and just use the entire bottle. Plus the flavor does mellow out in the bottle, so keep that in mind if you decide to only use a small amount.

hopsalot · 02-19-2009, 03:05 AM

use half, that stuff is strong, maybe less... But it is true that it will mellow with time, but if you are impacient use less.I just used some, better to be less fruity than way to much IMO