Thinking about an apple bock

So I read in designing great beers that this style actually exists and is fairly common. This got me thinking about how much I love bocks, and how much adding apples would just make it the perfect fall/winter beer. When I do this style, I am actually going to try to do the triple decoction method (I love the videos and I am buying a book), but the question then became when to add the apples. I was thinking that I could just make the beer now and let it lager and when apples come into season around late august stick them in the primary for a month and then keg it. Do people use the juice, pulverize them and add the crushed apple parts? I don't generally do fruit beers, but I would assume that adding 2lb of apples to the secondary would give it a nice apple kick. Should I add more?

Most people will tell you not to do this, but I made an apple wheat last summer where I washed and quartered the apples and tossed them into the primary after initial fermentation stopped. The beer was fantastic and the apples came through very obviously. That's the only way I will use apples from now on.

I made a blueberry ciser last year that tastes fantastic but had haze for about six months untill I added pectic enzyme to clear it up. not sure if it's needed for beer but made I huge difference for ciser.

Now this is an interesting thread for me. I've got a blueberry cyser aging right now. AND the apple bock idea sounds fantastic.

Are there any special contamination concerns to be aware of with apples? I'm not too afraid of tossing them in, especially in a high-gravity bock that's done fermenting, but i'd hate to do something stupid. Just quarter and peel and away you go?

It would seem reasonable to assume that apples would have wild yeast all over them like most fruit. I would peel them for sure.

Just a thought - what about using apple sauce? I have two little kids so we got lots of it around. Coming out of a jar should be plenty sterile. I have had several apple beers including a sour that were fantastic. Would love to try it someday when I take another stab at a fruit beer.

I was thinking about the sauce, the thing with tossing them into the primary after a week is even with the wild yeast, they will not have time to take, even it is does, it will be a slightly sour (very very slightly, more like adding brett b after a week) and with a bock being in the 7+ range and lagered I think this is a very good idea. I think I would also pitch some into the secondary as well to soak. Maybe, like... 1# in the pirmary and 2# in the secondary?

Also what is a cyser? Is it sort of like a teg?

I don't know what a teg is, but cyser is a subcategory of mead. It is honey fermented in apple juice.

Oh okay... sorry I misspelled it... a tej. Basically a mead, beer mix or a beer made with a heavy amount of honey. A cyser sounds delicious!

Patirck said:

Just a thought - what about using apple sauce?

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As long as it is all-natural with no added ingredients save some water and natural sugar, I don't see why not.

I prefer whole apples though, as I wrote above. I've so-far always been able to pick out beers that did not use natural, whole fruit for their flavoring. Sam Adams is the worst of the bunch, although the new Blackberry Wheat is actually pretty good in my opinion.

Yea, I really love that idea. Actually I think I am going to put 3#in the primary and transfer to the secondary for months. Getting the 1/4 apple pieces out of a carboy just doesn't seem fun to me.

Airborneguy said:

Most people will tell you not to do this, but I made an apple wheat last summer where I washed and quartered the apples and tossed them into the primary after initial fermentation stopped. The beer was fantastic and the apples came through very obviously. That's the only way I will use apples from now on.

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Did you peel the apples? When you say washed, just rinsing in water? I am thinking of adding apples to a porter this fall when the apples are in season here in NY. I was thinking of adding a blend of different apple types. Another question, for the wheat how many or pounds of apples did you use / recommend?

For washing, I only used warm water and washed them really well. I believe I used paper towels to scrub them good. No soap though; I didn't want to risk that.

I did not peel them. I used Granny Smith's because I was hoping to get some tartness in the beer (I didn't), but I don't see why any type wouldn't be perfectly fine.

I used 4lbs of apples for a 5.5 gallon batch.

Thanks for the reply!! I can't wait to make this beer.

I know that this post is a couple of years old, but what kind of apples did you use?

Airborneguy said:

Most people will tell you not to do this, but I made an apple wheat last summer where I washed and quartered the apples and tossed them into the primary after initial fermentation stopped. The beer was fantastic and the apples came through very obviously. That's the only way I will use apples from now on.

Click to expand...