mango beer

homebrewmedic · 04-14-2009, 09:33 AM

Hi fellow brewers!
I'm new to the homebrewing but have a father who has brewed for 30 years so i was destined to brew myself.
I have lived in Broome, WA, where mangoes grow wild everywhere and since then have always been keen to brew a mango homebrew.
I have read some of the blogs on brewing mash style and adding the mangoes to the secondary but was wondering if anyone has ever tried to brew with a wheatbeer wurt from kit and added the mango pulp they speak of to the bootles? Once chillied it would be easy to poor the beer threw a fine collander into a glass to be enjoyed!
Is this possible?
I have also worked through my uni days at Matso's Broome Brewery when the great brewer Mal Securable was the head brewer and his mango beer which he inevitably disliked brewing due to the "stickyness of it" was AWSOME!
Their current brewer has carried on the tradition of brewing the mango beer due to demand and is currently working towards bottling this beer, if you havn't tried their monsoonal blonde or their alcoholic ginger beer these are also tasty drops on a hot summers day and are available in stubbies from any good bottleo, clancy's fishpub also does the mango beer on tap!

Would appreciate any advice! happy brewing!

**JPicasso** · 04-14-2009, 12:18 PM

The most recommended way to get a fruit flavor in the beer would be in secondary. I don't see how pouring a beer over a piece of fruit would be helpful. Maybe if you did something like a sangria, and put fruit pieces IN the beer you'd get some nice aroma. Maybe mash (not as in brewing mash, but as in squashing the fruit) some in the glass.

I've had Virgin Islands Brewing Co. Mango Pale Ale, and it was great with steak. Not something I'd want to fill my glass up with every time, but that beer was done well, and had it's place. I think you can get it on the east coast, one of the owners is from Vermont and they said they distribute in those parts.

I've ruined perfectly good beer by adding too much/wrong stuff to it, so I'm a bit of a "purist" right now. I suggest smaller batches with careful measurements until you get the flavor just right. At least for me.

ArcaneXor · 04-14-2009, 03:51 PM

There are two or three things you can do - compare and contrast them, and see what you like the most.

1.) Grab yourself some mango herbal tea. Steep in about an ounce or two of beer upon serving, remove the tea bag, then pour the rest of the beer.

2.) Mash up the mangoes and extract the juice, or just use the pulp as you suggest. Pour the beer on top upon serving.

3.) Add mango chunks or pulp to the secondary, and ferment the mango. Rack, prime and bottle as usual.

I like fresh fruit character in most (but not all) of my fruit beers, so I am a fan of fruiting upon serving. But for some beers, fermenting the fruit is also delicious, but it will taste differently.

hopvine · 04-14-2009, 04:16 PM

I don't see any advantage to adding the mango fruit to the bottle as you're suggesting. Multiply the amount of fruit you would use in each bottle by 48, and throw that into your secondary. That way you don't have to screw around with the strainer when pouring your beer, and you lessen the risk of inconsistent carbonation/bottle bombs due to the yeast eating sugars from the mangos while under pressure.

COLObrewer · 04-14-2009, 05:44 PM

Personally I would try boiling the fruit mash with the wort, but that's just me. I do this with my banana cinammon porter, it turns out great. Mangos are not bananas though.
Vern.

ArcaneXor · 04-14-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by COLObrewer

Personally I would try boiling the fruit mash with the wort, but that's just me. I do this with my banana cinammon porter, it turns out great. Mangos are not bananas though.
Vern.

You'll want to use pectic enzyme in the beer if you boil the fruit. It can create delicious flavors, but without that enzyme, things can get very messy.

chumprock · 04-14-2009, 06:32 PM

Had a mango wheat when I was over in Wales a couple months ago. I'm not a fan of fruited beers, but the mango did go nicely with the "wheatness" of it.

COLObrewer · 04-14-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcaneXor

You'll want to use pectic enzyme in the beer if you boil the fruit. It can create delicious flavors, but without that enzyme, things can get very messy.

The enzyme would be for fermentation? Whats messy about fermentation? Seriously though, what are you speaking of specifically? I typically boil the fruit in a mesh bag if that means anything

.

On a side note, If you want mango flavor try O'dells Extra special red, I think thats the name, it's pretty mangoish but I believe it's the hops, anyone know what hops that would be?

ArcaneXor · 04-14-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by COLObrewer

The enzyme would be for fermentation? Whats messy about fermentation? Seriously though, what are you speaking of specifically? I typically boil the fruit in a mesh bag if that means anything

.

Without the enzyme, you'll end up with gel-like pectin haze, which doesn't make for a very attractive beer.

COLObrewer · 04-14-2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcaneXor

Without the enzyme, you'll end up with gel-like pectin haze, which doesn't make for a very attractive beer.

Wow, you're quick, I was editting my last post when you replied to the first half, anyway, my banana cinammon porter typically turns out crystal clear, but I tend to condition my beers for extensive periods and I have yet to try it in all grain form. I've never used enzymes, they typically do in most wines also I believe?